University of Tasmania

Country Base: Australia
Industry/Sector/Keywords: Educational Institutions, Colleges and Universities, Higher Learning
Below: Before and After Images in Slide Show, Video, Summary, Credits

Industry Setting

The University of Tasmania is the tenth largest university in Australia. The education sector in Australia is undergoing significant change: in funding, in increased competition from overseas and the increase in online learning. And new technology, online learning and a new generation with different expectations of education are changing the university ‘experience’.

Challenge

They used the acronym UTAS, which was well known in Tasmania (an island state) but unknown overseas. It did not have stature. And their brand identity did not stand out. They had three important institutes that were not clearly identified as part of the university. And their new management team was keen to revive the university’s profile, nationally and internationally.

Strategy

They speak to diverse audiences – government, local businesess, influencers (schools, parents, career advisers) and undergraduate and postgraduate students. The strategy had to speak to them all via multiple channels. It had to make the university aspirational to local students who might not feel ‘good enough’ to go to university, as well as students who might be lured to mainland universities. The brand idea, ‘challenging thinkers’, described what they offered as well as the type of students they wanted to send out into the world. It’s a big call to action.

Result

We changed the name back to University of Tasmania. We created a striking new brand identity based on a triangle shape that allowed them to present diverse messages, while maintaining a consistent image of the university. We introduced co-branding for the three institutes. The new brand was launched in 2014 with events on all three campuses, where students and staff were invited to take part in an interactive quiz to find out ‘what kind of challenging thinker’ they were. The new identity is already playing a major role in building the profile of the university.

Client: University of Tasmania – www.utas.edu.au

Brand Strategists/Designers: Principals – www.principals.com.au

Director: Sandy Belford
Planning Associate: Katherine Hunter
Group Account Director: Tui Horo
Account Manager: Helen Spoor
Executive Creative Director: Simon Wright
Creative Director: Darren Swain
Designer: Sam Dunham
Head of Design Implementation: Dean Varndell
Artworker: Adam Leddin
Artworker: Hayden Mathys
Artworker: David Ing

XXVI
Director of Brand Language: Hamish Cargill
Associate Director of Brand Language: Carrie Dennes
Writer: Michael Thebridge