Brand reinvention through strategic renaming:
How do you begin a new chapter for a college with 150 years of history?
Beaver College wanted to make a new name for itself—literally—to reflect its new
University status and position the school as one of the top small institutions of
higher learning in the region. The challenge was to speak to the needs and wants
of the ever-changing student body without losing the historic school's sense of
heritage.
Under the new brand name Arcadia University, brand values were communicated
as strong academic standards, a commitment to global perspective and a nurturing,
supportive environment. Our "Wisdom to grow on, worlds to explore" theme
struck a chord with students, professors, and administrators.
The rebranding effort was one of the most talked about success stories in
the world of higher education. In less than a year, inquiries for the freshman class
increased 44% and deposits were up a stunning 50%. Furthermore, average SAT scores
of incoming freshman have increased by 30 points.
Arcadia has received continuous critical recognition from respected sources in higher
education, including ranking from U.S. News & World Report as among the
top 30 Best Colleges in the North, among the best Programs to Look for in Study
Abroad, and as a Top Up-and-Coming School.