The College of Saint Rose

Saint Rose. The most remarkable place that you probably never heard of. Unless you were from the upstate New York region, the school was likely off your radar, despite an incredibly broad, current curriculum and some serious cred (“Best of”s, a 96% job placement rate, etc.) And those who did know it had some slightly outdated ideas.

What the college needed, really, was a do-over, a completely fresh start on every front: undergrad, graduate, administration, alumni, internal and external. All of it.

Inspiring minds (and hearts) to look closer.

An undertaking that massive meant serious research, learning from current and former students, faculty and staff, the Board and the public.

Knowing first-hand the value and truly unique environment of the College, we designed a fresh new look and feel—in advertising, collateral, web and more—that told the real story. Bright, active imagery supported new, double-meaning messaging: “HOME. OF BIG IDEAS” or “HOME. OF REAL-WORLD RESULTS” paired with solid statistics to convey both the at-home feeling of the school and its ability to shape futures. The message was clear: “There’s no place like Saint Rose.”

Ultimately, a master class in branding.

With the “HOME.” concept preferred by 90% of those surveyed, we proceeded to roll out the new brand—over three years, more than 1,200 individual projects, and every conceivable touchpoint. And it graduated with honors: not only embraced by every audience, but leading to the highest enrollment in the college’s history the year after launch.