Refreshed and Faithful: Realigning Anderson’s Brand Position
BY MISCHON HART ’07
5 MIN. READ
Aligning Anderson’s brand with the hopes of the Launch 2040 strategic plan, while articulating in new, exciting ways what has always been true about being a Raven. – From the Anderson University Marketing & Communication Team
“If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” You may have heard this philosophical thought experiment before. It raises the question, how effective is an unheard story?
It is one thing to tell your story, it is another to be heard. Studies report that the average human attention span is shrinking. People skim now more than ever. There is endless competition for our time and attention, and many storytellers feel the shift. How do I get the message across? How many views and likes did the story get? Was anyone really listening?
Being heard is a real barrier that individuals, organizations, and brands are facing today. Anderson University has spent the last several months exploring how to invigorate the ways we tell our story to ensure that AU isn’t simply the best kept secret in Indiana.
This fall, AU is embarking on a new way of talking about what is faithful and enduring about the university, along with some refreshed visuals, a revised color palette, and new fonts. In launching this brand refresh, we aim to differentiate the university in the higher education market, stand firm in our Christian identity, and be a leader in Christian higher education.
Anderson is eager to reintroduce itself to the market as a different kind of Christian university that’s:
- Unapologetically committed to Jesus and the authority of scripture.
- Welcoming to all students, while walking with them to get to know Jesus and what his word teaches.
- Intentional about community and an inspired campus experience.
This new storytelling strategy is fueled by our steadfast commitment to educate students for lives of faith and service. Post-pandemic, the demographic of those who seek higher education continues to shift, and the marketplace is crowded and noisier than ever. Even though the student is changing, AU’s values are resolute. To bridge that gap, we’re rolling up our sleeves and finding new and meaningful ways to connect with today’s students.
As part of our refreshed visual look, orange remains the hero color of the brand, and a few additional secondary colors have been added to complement it. The overall visual direction is more text-heavy, bold, and simple. It tells an inspired Anderson story, one with new energy and enthusiasm.
AU is adapting and finding new ways to be light in a changing world. The university is responding faithfully to its mission, as AU has done for 106 years. Ravens have a rich history of both growing and enduring, and Launch 2040 is painting a bright futurefor the next chapter. This brand refresh enhances the possibilities of the new strategic plan and you’ll be seeing more in the months to come. We want your stories to be heard, not just told.
When you think of Anderson University, we hope you have fond memories and positive associations, that AU feels like an old friend. Anderson is still that old friend—with a fresh new haircut.
Anderson University is on a mission to educate students for lives of faith and service, offering more than 60 undergraduate majors, 30 three-year degrees, 20 NCAA Division III intercollegiate sports, alongside adult and graduate programs. The private, liberal arts institution is fully accredited and recognized among top colleges for its business, computer science, cybersecurity, dance, engineering, nursing, and teacher education programs. Anderson University was established in 1917 in Anderson, Indiana, by the Church of God.