An expediated timeline required us to quickly translate the existing brand into a digital space that was both functional and true to the new brand identity, ensuring a cohesive and engaging user experience. Despite changes within the client’s creative team, we successfully elevated the brand through design improvements and increased the overall functionality of their website by implementing a new CMS platform. This update will continue to provide flexibility for the USC Upstate team and provides opportunities for continuous web growth.

The project resulted in significant improvements for both the client and their web users. By streamlining the number of pages, the website has become more manageable for the internal team, while improved search functionality makes the most important information easier to find for incoming students. This process has also enhanced internal web support, making the website a more useful tool for the College. The GMB team was able to implement a custom-built higher education WordPress theme developed internally by the team for this project. Since implementation, the overall amount of time each web user engages with this site has increased significantly.

The new website has successfully met the goals set by USC Upstate, enhancing their brand’s digital presence and improving user experience for prospective students.

Staying Nimble, Adaptable, and Actionable

By leaning into the entrepreneurial aspect of the DFP, we were able to educate our audiences about how much of a head start the DFP can give them in achieving their filmmaking career goals. We also used data gathering to adjust our digital strategy throughout the campaign, effectively maximizing our media spend and objectives to get our message out to the right audience at the right time.

Looking at the Whole Picture

For messaging, we leaned into the fact that the Wake Forest DFP is a “soup to nuts” type of program. Students learn more than the creative side of filmmaking; they graduate with a firm understanding of the business side of the industry, giving them a firm leg up to get their projects produced right after graduation (a big draw for the right-fit students looking to launch their filmmaking career).  

Pivoting and Differentiating

After some time in the market, the Documentary Film Program campaign started disproportionately generating more prospective student leads than the Sports & Media Storytelling Film program. Although students could switch majors once in the program, there was still a need to differentiate the programs from each other so students could make more informed decisions about which program best fit their goals.

Leading with Authenticity

Through our brand platform process, we were able to truly capture and align the internal and external stakeholder teams on what makes Westminster unique. As a progressive liberal arts institution located in a primarily conservative state, its inclusive and diverse community provides an experience that students may not typically expect in Utah. Here, you can “come as you are, and graduate as you will be.” A sentiment that became the starting point and inspiration for the campaign.

Permission to Think Different

Higher ed institutions have a reputation for sticking with what’s traditional. Not Westminster. From the beginning of our work together, the Westminster team was open and willing to challenge the norm and think outside of higher ed for creative influence. In a refreshing change of pace, the University’s marketing team welcomed a more playful approach to design and allowed us to push boundaries for results that were authentically true to the Westminster brand.

Making Small Moments

Throughout our work together, we identified a need to separate Westminster’s new student experience from others in the market. It was already a very innovative approach for engaging students: a simple, interactive microsite to inform and excite new students about their time at Westminster. Through collaboration with the Westminster team about what new students would experience, we helped them name the platform (WestX) and create small moments to the design that would keep students engaged and enthralled about their introduction to Westminster.

It’s How You Finish

At the center of the brand launch was a website redesign. Improving the site’s information architecture, creating clear navigation paths and a content strategy with a clear audience in mind, led to the biggest benefit: telling the Athens State story in a more compelling and effective way. 

To bring clarity to Athens State’ brand, we created a brand strategy that included a brand platform and a brand identity campaign. The campaign elevated the University’s modern approach to creating career-ready graduates and spoke to its unwavering effort to offer degree options for non-traditional students ready to finish their education.

Going the Distance

GMB provided a 12-month engagement to lead the Gardner-Webb team from insights, strategy and UI concepts through development, content migration, and go-live.

Highlighting Bulldog Nation

The new WordPress website tells the Gardner-Webb story with a strong student-centered value proposition built on a foundation of faith, service, campus beauty, safety, and 20+ Division 1 Athletics programs–providing the compelling reasons for right-fit students to choose Gardner-Webb University.

VIEW THE SITE

Partnering in a Global Pandemic

Although much of the process occurred during Covid-19, we were able to support the Gardner-Webb team by building over 1,600 pages prior to the launch in August 2020. While the Gardner-Webb team was focused on starting the fall semester amidst a pandemic, we took the lead on getting the new website launched.