CASE STUDY
University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy & Governance
Rebranding a 60-year-old policy school to compete for the next generation of students, faculty, and influence.
THE INSTITUTIONS TO CONVINCE
A different kind of institution this time: the academic market itself. Prospective students choosing among elite programs, faculty candidates weighing offers, peer institutions and rankings voters, and the policymakers and media who decide which schools shape public debate. A top-five program was being evaluated everywhere — through a fragmented brand and an antiquated digital presence that undersold it.
THE EVIDENCE
The substance was already there: a 60-year legacy, nationally ranked scholarship, and a modern commitment to anti-racist public policy, innovative governance, and collaborative decision-making. What didn't exist was an identity that carried that evidence — the school's story hadn't kept pace with the school.
THE ARGUMENT
A multi-year institutional evolution, aligning verbal and visual identity with strategic vision:
Identity rebuilt through the institution's own values. A collaborative, multi-stakeholder process — faculty, students, staff, alumni — redefined mission, vision, purpose, and values, producing a brand strategy that honored the UW legacy while signaling a forward-looking, equity-centered mission.
A digital ecosystem redesigned end-to-end. The school's platform was rebuilt around the prospective student's journey, making applications more accessible and the school's work more visible.
Reputation managed like the asset it is. High-profile earned media and strategic communications around the school's national ranking and policy impact — sustained through the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple leadership transitions.
THE IMPACT
A unified brand system bridging traditional academia and modern policy influence
A scalable digital platform that professionalized the school's presence and supported record-breaking recruitment cycles
Top-five national ranking maintained through the rebrand, the pandemic, and multiple leadership transitions — with strengthened visibility among policy leaders