A youthful rethink for a centuries-old institution
The University of Oxford is a world-renowned institution that produces around 13,000 sought-after graduates every year. But while Oxford is a globally recognised name, it was struggling to keep its new alumni interested. Research by the Alumni Relations Office showed their marketing just wasn’t ticking the boxes for Millenial and Gen Z leavers — leading to a lack of engagement with alumni services and gaps in their feedback about student life. Oxford needed to recapture alumni attention. So they came to us.
Thinking
The University wasn’t having trouble reaching their older alumni. It was the under-35s, made up of Millenial and Gen Z leavers, they were missing. So while the refreshed alumni brand had to have a modern, distinctive feel that stood out to younger graduates and hit all the right cues, it also couldn’t be too far removed from the existing identity.
Outcome
Whatever we did had to make an impact — without compromising the integrity of the University of Oxford brand. So we made the most of everything the brand already had, simplifying assets and building an alumni campaign around a strong core message. The result is fresh, uncluttered, and attention-grabbing. But still recognisably Oxford.