Opportunity

After more than 50 years serving Florida’s Space Coast, Brevard Community College (BCC) responded to an increasing demand for employees with management education by introducing its Bachelor of Applied Science in Organizational Management. This change was rooted in a longer-term vision to offer multiple four-year degrees, which would change the college’s status from a community college to a state college, requiring an updated name and associated brand.

Our goal was to establish a new brand (including a name, positioning statement and brand mark) that communicated the college’s broader service offerings, while paying homage to its legacy of more than 50 years as a leading community college for quality in instruction, organization and innovative, cutting-edge programs. All research efforts, reports and recommendations, and the new brand had to be completed in four months, when it would be announced publicly at a board of trustees meeting.

Approach

We conducted stakeholder interviews, focus groups and marketplace research to identify brand assets, understand audience perceptions, and uncover unknown obstacles and potential opportunities. Target audiences for the research included a mix of external (community business and civic leaders, elected officials, alumni and high school students) and internal stakeholders (current students, staff and faculty, and the board of trustees).

Stakeholder interviews led to initial brand recommendations, which were later tested during several focus group sessions with students and leaders from the local civic and business communities. We also conducted market research to ensure brand originality and the availability of online resources, such as website domains and social media profiles.

After a thorough review of the research report and accompanying the data we provided, college leadership decided on a new brand: Eastern Florida State College / Explore. Achieve. Succeed.

The new brand launched July 1, 2013, following official approval from the Florida Legislature.

Impact

Thanks to formal research undertaken during the initiative, all stakeholders had been engaged in the process, their voices heard and input gained. The subsequent rollout of an advertising campaign was instrumental in not only creating awareness of the name change, but also provided education on new bachelor’s degree offerings for the fall 2013 term. Most importantly, enrollment numbers and philanthropy were boosted by the effort.

This award-winning project was honored with a Florida Public Relations Association Orlando-Area Chapter Image Award.