Emerson Brand Refresh Initiative Seeking Community-Wide Input

Last month, Emerson set out to reimagine and reinvigorate the College’s brand identity, one of several initiatives embedded in Extraordinary Emerson 2030, the newly released strategic plan.

A powerful brand identity can do many things for a college like Emerson: it can boost reputation, clarify communication and connection internally and externally, and even fuel philanthropy and enrollment efforts. 

The most effective brands feel authentic, accurately represent what an institution offers and reflect the voices of all of its stakeholders, said Rebekah Carmichael, Vice President, Marketing and Communications, who is shepherding the initiative.

“When we bring together voices from a breadth of Emersonians and our key partners and audiences, we ensure our brand truly reflects the vibrant, authentic Emerson experience,” Carmichael said. “This collective effort has the potential to foster a sense of ownership and pride, making the brand stronger and more meaningful.”

Soon, community members will be asked their thoughts about Emerson via a survey  from Mindpower, the agency working with the College to research and refresh the brand. It will ask questions about the Emerson experience, and how the College is perceived in relation to competitors.

It should take approximately 15 minutes to complete, and the information it yields will be critical to the process, according to Mindpower Senior Strategist Dana Edwards.

The surveys are just one aspect of this initial “discovery” phase. Mindpower also is conducting interviews and focus groups with internal community members, as well as with important external audiences such as prospective parents and students, the general public in campus markets, and influencers, such as guidance counselors/teachers, employers, and community partners.

“The goal of the research effort is to collect information that is authentically true about Emerson, and what target audiences want in a college experience or a relationship with a college or university,” Edwards said.

The brand identity that eventually coalesces will lie at the intersection of what the community values as Emerson’s strengths, what external audiences are looking for, and where, in the market, Emerson can differentiate itself, Edwards said.

Senior Executive-in-Residence Walter Mills is a marketing specialist with decades of experience working with global brands, and one of several Emerson community members involved in guiding the brand refresh. Mills compared Emerson’s identity to that of another brand he worked closely with: Titleist. 

“If you ask somebody what [Titleist] is, [they’ll say] it’s the number one ball in golf … it’s the one the pros play. And you can do that with any powerful brand,” he said. “That’s what ultimately we want Emerson to be, so that when prospective students or other folks are looking at Emerson versus its competitors, they have a clear understanding of who Emerson is and why they want to be at Emerson.”

Many people think branding is about advertising, Mills said, but advertising is actually just the communication of a brand. A true brand is built by consensus. 

“When the Emerson community embraces what that brand stands for and how that brand is expressed, so that when you ask anyone in a particular community, ‘What does this brand stand for?’ and they play back the same thing, that’s how you build a powerful brand over time,” Mills said.  

This brand initiative is part of Emerson’s strategic plan, but it will also play a role in sustaining that plan, Carmichael said.

“A strong brand is our promise to the world, setting expectations and showcasing what makes us unique,” she said. “This initiative is about more than just a logo or a tagline; it’s about celebrating and amplifying the human connections and cultural contributions that make Emerson special.”