Getting ready for change
Southern Nazarene University (SNU), a faith-based institution in Oklahoma, needed a change. Their current institutional identity didn’t match the energy of the campus. Paskill helped them develop a brand identity that fit their community and could be used online, on the ground, and everywhere a brand can be.
Creating a bold, modern logo
SNU’s logo was derived from their university seal. But this traditional, formal imagery didn’t match the spirit of their campus community.
During on-campus discovery sessions, our team talked to students, faculty, and staff to learn more about their perception of the university. One major point stood out: almost everyone referred to the institution as SNU, instead of the full university name.
So, we made the acronym the basis of our redesign. After coming up with a few variations, we turned back to the campus community for help choosing a final design. Online survey results crowned a winner: a contemporary, bold logo that made SNU the star of the show.
Planning a strategic roll out
As SNU prepared to internally roll out the new design, Paskill stepped in again to help. We put together a playbook for a phased implementation. This provided guidance on where to prioritize switching the logo first to have the maximum impact.
“Guidance from Jim Paskill regarding how to prioritize our ‘measured reveal’ was really helpful. The information meetings have paid off. We have much left to do but we’re headed, thanks to Paskill, in a good direction.”
Embracing a new identity
The best way to tell if a new brand is working? See how the campus community responds to it. Within months of phase one’s launch, many students on campus were spotted wearing swag bearing the new logo. We also designed an updated SNU athletics logo, which appeared on new uniforms within one season.
The community clearly embraced their new University identity, and we love seeing the SNU pride around campus!
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