In today’s increasingly competitive higher education market, it’s not enough to simply exist, you need to stand apart and above. Institutions are contending with shifting demographics, declining enrollment, and a generation of students with unprecedented access to choice. The institutions that rise above the noise are those that know who they are and can clearly communicate that message in every aspect of their brand, environment, and experience.
Discovering What Sets You Apart
At GMB, we believe the journey to distinction begins with discovery. Our research-backed process is designed to help higher education institutions unearth what truly makes them different and not just from their own perspective, but in the eyes of students, alumni, donors, faculty, and community stakeholders.
Through multiple targeted intake sessions with key audiences and a comprehensive brand health survey, we assess how your brand is currently performing both internally and externally. This includes a competitive audit and external market research to position your institution within the broader higher ed landscape. But this is just one piece of the puzzle.
Hearing the Voices That Matter Most
building a powerful brand is listening to the internal audience. Your students, faculty, staff, alumni, and administrators are not just observers, they’re your most authentic brand ambassadors. If your brand doesn’t resonate with them, it won’t resonate with anyone.
This is why our process is deeply relationship driven. We don’t gloss over stakeholder engagement; we dig in. We ensure that internal voices are heard and reflected in the outcomes. A strong brand must be true, authentic, and relevant — not just aspirational. Our brand health survey helps us identify what’s working and what’s not, and we revisit those metrics a year later to measure progress and maintain momentum.
Building a Brand That is True
Once we’ve captured the authentic essence of your institution, we move into strategy and expression. This isn’t about slapping on a clever tagline or chasing marketing trends. It’s about crafting a message and a visual identity that is deeply rooted in who you are — your programs, your history, your people, and your purpose.
Too many higher ed brands rely on vague, interchangeable language like “Find your purpose,” or “Where leaders begin.” These may sound inspirational, but they’re often too generic to be meaningful or differentiating.
Instead, we help institutions articulate what truly makes them distinct and develop brand expressions that reflect their character. We fix disconnects between language, tone, visuals, and the lived experience of students and staff. From there, we create campaigns that bring the brand to life.
Hardin-Simmons University (HSU) is one such university that needed alignment. Struggling with conflicting internal and external perceptions as well as trying to stand out in a market saturated with competitors, its team came to us looking to clarify what made Hardin-Simmons unique. Multiple competitors with similar look, feel, messaging and even brand colors, we saw an opportunity for HSU to stand out by doing something different: embracing and proudly owning the Christian heritage and cowboy traditions that were unique to the University. With a new strategy and creative direction, Hardin-Simmons now has the clarity and a solid foundation to lean into what makes it different from other Christian universities in its area. It’s a strong, simple, refreshing message that shows grit and what it means to be a cowboy.
The Courage to be Different
In this crowded market, it takes courage to stand apart. It requires leadership that is willing to lean into its uniqueness. Transformational educators understand that brand is not just marketing, but a strategic tool that helps attract the right students, faculty, and partners.
When institutions claim something that isn’t true, they risk attracting students who don’t stay, who don’t thrive, and who don’t advocate for the institution in the future. But when the experience matches the promise, the result is stronger retention, deeper engagement, and long-term success for both students and the institution.
Buildings and Brands: Creating Cohesive Campus Experiences
Finally, a truly distinctive brand is not confined to brochures and websites; it lives on your campus. Physical spaces should reinforce and reflect your identity. Through integrated design and branding, GMB helps institutions create campus experiences where facilities, messaging, and mission work together. When buildings and brands are aligned, the result goes beyond just a beautiful campus; it’s a cohesive, memorable, and compelling experience that sets you apart.
To stand out in higher education today, your brand and your message must be an experience. It must be research-informed, internally embraced, and strategically expressed. And it must be rooted in truth.
At GMB, we help colleges and universities find that truth and bring it to life so they can not only rise above the noise but lead the conversation.
