Why Brand & Branding Matter
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-Instructor Rachel Sanchez with a sample from the Project Blue stream that runs behind Building 1 for her Biology 1110L class.
Catch a Sneak Peek of CPP's New Branding
All Broncos were invited to join us on Oct. 29 for a virtual community forum, which provided a behind-the-scenes look at Cal Poly Pomona’s upcoming college enrollment and university awareness campaign—and CPP’s new branding. Amon Rappaport, chief communications officer, and Karen Lindell, director of marketing and brand strategy, presented and answered questions.
Click on this link to see a recording of the forum. (The link is behind a CPP authenticated login. If you are part of our alumni network and would like to see it, please email Karen Lindell.)
We’ll post answers to the questions asked during the Q&A portion of the forum on this webpage soon.
Our brand is more than a logo. It’s the collective perception people hold in their minds about Cal Poly Pomona – what we do and stand for, what makes us special, and the feelings we evoke.
Branding is the tangible assets – logos, colors, fonts, etc. – that remind audiences of our brand. Whenever we communicate or interact with someone about CPP, that person forms opinions about us. This makes us all “brand ambassadors,” and it’s important that we communicate consistently – using the branding and messaging that reinforce our brand.
The guidelines and tools on this site will enable all in our campus community to tell the same powerful Cal Poly Pomona story.
College Enrollment & University Awareness Campaign
In 2018, Cal Poly Pomona introduced a new logo referencing our polytechnic identity that was not widely embraced by the campus community. Since then, Strategic Communications has conducted extensive research to gain a deeper understanding of CPP and what makes us unique: we are the nation’s #1 polytechnic university for diversity and economic mobility.
The world has changed a great deal since 2018 as well. Higher education is facing more challenges than ever, including a shrinking pool of high school graduates who have more options for colleges or jobs, and increasing competition from other universities. It’s also more difficult to attract and retain employees, and to raise funds from donors.
Cal Poly Pomona can no longer afford to be a “hidden gem” or “best kept secret.” We have a great reputation for high-quality academics, our learn-by-doing ethos and success in improving our students’ financial futures—but low awareness among prospective students and other audiences. To attract new students, talent and dollars to CPP, we are making an investment in a multi-year college enrollment and university awareness campaign. This will bring more resources to support current students, impact society and reinvest in CPP’s campus and services for future generations.
Branding and a new logo are just a small part supporting the overall strategy. Other elements of the campaign will include a comprehensive suite of materials for prospective student outreach and recruitment; communicating the distinctive strengths of the academic programs in each of our nine colleges; career outcomes that students can expect from pursuing a range of degrees as well alumni profiles that support these outcomes; a refreshed website geared to prospective students that makes enrollment and degree program information more visible and accessible; on-campus and off-campus signage and advertising; videos that tell the story of our students and their success; digital and print materials that highlight academic programs, and more—all of which will feature inclusive storytelling about what makes us unique and our purpose—to help anyone who dreams of success achieve it.
FAQs
While people love the CPP brand and what it stands for, the logo introduced in 2018 has not been widely embraced. Designers find it difficult to use, and it doesn’t look related to, or in a “brand family” with the university seal and athletics logo. Since 2018, we have gained a deeper understanding of our university and who we are, what makes us unique and how to share that with the world. The forthcoming campaign and new branding will represent CPP in better, more holistic ways.
This work is essential to continuing to communicate with prospective students and their families about the benefits of a Cal Poly Pomona education and degree, and the significant economic and career outcomes that result from them. It also serves to communicate with prospective faculty and staff, alumni and donors in ways that will attract talent and dollars to the university.
We plan to start the college enrollment and university awareness campaign in spring 2025. It will have a look and feel that reflects who we are and will include inclusive storytelling that will feature what makes us unique, including that we are the nation’s #1 polytechnic university for diversity and economic mobility.
The next phase of the campaign will launch in spring 2025 and changes will roll out over a period of time, including: a comprehensive suite of materials for prospective student outreach and recruitment; communicating the distinctive strengths of the academic programs in each of our nine colleges; career outcomes that students can expect from pursuing a range of degrees as well alumni profiles that support these outcomes; a refreshed website geared to prospective students that makes enrollment and degree program information more visible and accessible; on-campus and off-campus signage and advertising; videos that tell the story of our students and their success; digital and print materials that highlight academic programs, and more—all of which will feature a new logo, branding and messaging for CPP that reflects our purpose and distinction as the nation’s #1 polytechnic university for diversity and economic mobility. This enrollment and awareness campaign is significantly more comprehensive and inclusive than the changes that were made in 2018.
No. The Bronco Athletics logo is well loved, and we are keeping it.
Yes. We will continue to share how our students learn by doing through the CPP Polytechnic Experience that we offer. However, it will not be a tagline or slogan for us because it’s not unique to CPP. Other schools use that language and we want to distinguish ourselves from them.
Yes. Strategic Communications has solicited feedback from a diverse group of campus stakeholders throughout the process. Campus communicators, a committee of campus-based marketing advisors, an alumni advisory board, campus leadership, students, faculty, staff and alumni have all been given an opportunity for feedback. This broad input has helped shape our message and assure that the strategies, branding and creative developed are resonant and reflective of the excellence, distinctiveness and diversity of CPP.
The university has contracted with 160over90, a global creative agency with deep experience in marketing and branding for higher education (including San Diego State University and UCLA) and consumer products. 160over90 is not the same agency that was used in 2018.
While we have very talented marketers and communicators on campus, a comprehensive campaign like this requires a level of expertise found in creative agencies that do this type of work every day. Using an agency also brings an objective perspective and provides context, as they have experience working with other higher ed institutions. Our staff and students are also working on this campaign, which leverages their expertise to the full extent possible and helps reduce costs.
Since the last rebranding, we have gained a deeper understanding of the CPP brand through brand strategy work. The brand identity pieces, including the logo, will reflect that more holistic level of knowledge. We are also being very intentional about listening to and engaging a wide array of campus and community stakeholders throughout the rebranding process.
The university’s investment in the enrollment and awareness campaign is funded by a donor gift given to support strategic initiatives such as this, and not any state, tuition or other donor sources. On average, large universities spend 20% more per year on marketing and communications than we do. (Source: SimsponScarborough Higher Education CMO Study 2024). Also, other CSU campuses are spending comparable or higher amounts than CPP on similar activities to increase visibility and enrollment.
Colleges are considered sub-brands of the university. This campaign will include looking at how all our logos fit together as a “family,” and there will be new unit guidelines for colleges, programs, events, etc. Most importantly, there will be messaging and materials to communicate the distinctive strengths of the academic programs in each of our nine colleges.
Yes. We want to look like cohesive so that students recognize our great colleges and programs as part of one university.
Yes, as long as they fit within our new brand "family" and follow the new sub-branding guidelines. Strategic Communications will provide communicators with tools and training to help with this process.
We need all of our campus logos and marks to fit together as a “family,” and there will be new guidelines for colleges, programs, events, etc. In cases where a logo is firmly established and beloved, we will consider how that could still be used or if it’s better to update the branding.