SUU Brand Map

SUU is a regional public University based in Southern Utah. The University world is tightly competitive, and the market is saturated with all kinds of school options. SUU needed help drilling down into their brands core differentiators, and ensuring their values echoed those values. They had data reporting that their brand had low recognition and familiarity. In my time at SUU as the Creative Director, I endeavored to build the SUU brand from the values up, and this style guide is the fruits of all the labor. We did many focus groups internally, research and data with the University leadership and ecosystem. We also did extensive critiques, discussions, and brainstorming sessions with our marketing and creative team to work through the best directions to take the brand visually, and comparing our visuals to other similar universities to make sure we were visually differentiated. Over the next year after implementing the style guide, SUU saw record enrollment growth, as a time when all other Universities in the state declined. The Style Guide included an online version with downloads and hex codes, a downloadable abridged “public” version, and an extensive 100+ page internal desk copy with every aspect of the brand outlined to ensure all the elements could be understood and repeatable. After the guide was created, the next year was set aside creating content that followed the style guide, to make sure campus entities had a well of useful tools and brand assets at their disposal. Update: SUU Still Leads Growth in 2023. Mockup psd created by anthonyboyd – www.freepik.com