Empowering Our Community

A brand is more than a slogan, more than a logo that catches an eye as it passes a roadside billboard.

For an organization’s message to truly resonate it must be universal, as engaging to a child as it is to a man or woman. It must appeal to all walks of life and all corners of the world, a call to action that renders its words impossible to ignore.

Perhaps a brand’s most important characteristic, though, is its ability to truly embody an institution’s fabric; and not just be spoken by its advertisements, but lived by its people.

The College officially unveiled its new brand in November, the culmination of a yearlong journey to developing a message that would impact all members of the Bloomfield College community.

“When we were in the concept phase of this initiative, we referred to it as a ‘rebranding’; something designed to improve our position in the marketplace and attract more attention to the institution,” said Adam Castro, who as Vice President for Enrollment Management has overseen the project since its inception. “We quickly realized, though, that we were beginning a comprehensive and transformative project the likes of which the College has never experienced.”

“It was very important to us to have the passion and dedication of our students, faculty and staff appropriately represented by a brand that stimulated emotion, pride and excellence, and I feel we have accomplished that with our new look.”

Beginning with a formal approval of the project by the College’s Board of Trustees in December 2013, the institution next sought a partner at the outset of the process that would be able to capture the qualities that make Bloomfield extraordinary. After evaluating several firms, the higher education branding company TWG Plus was chosen to help guide the course of the endeavor.

“One thing that struck our entire team was the universal, heartfelt passion for the institution - from the president down to the new freshman - and that’s something we don’t normally see,” TWG Senior Marketing Consultant Chris Tyburski said. “At Bloomfield, everyone was on the same page and speaking the same language already, whether they knew it or not. A lot of the messaging you see in the brand came out in a very organic fashion, almost as if there was a message that was simply waiting to come out.”

Conducting site visits and interviews with College alumni, faculty, staff and trustees, TWG commissioned the help of an institutional steering committee featuring select members from the various groups to help chart the next phase of Bloomfield’s new era.

After the firm conducted independent survey research of prospective students to gauge the external perceptions of the institution, a series of in-depth workshops with Bloomfield’s committee gleaned invaluable insight into the things the College stands for – and the features that make it special – eventually yielding potential options for a brand promise and brand positioning. The choices were then redistributed to both internal and external audiences for feedback, the results producing a clear direction set to change education branding in the state of New Jersey.

“At Bloomfield, it’s not just about bringing more students in or getting them their diploma; it’s about setting them up for the rest of their lives, and for everything that happens after they initially walk in the door,” said Tyburski. “We saw that the institution helps students articulate and understand where they want to go; not just in terms of getting a degree, but what they want out of their lives. They then craft an educational experience that allows them to get there, which was the basis for what we proposed.”

The result is a personalized brand unique in higher education, making Bloomfield a place where bold and courageous students from around the world can come to find themselves. Attributes that have long made the institution extraordinary to those who have known it – the personalized attention provided to students, innovative programming and extensive scholarship support – have all become part of the brand’s tapestry. As have the tales of educators and institutional staff, each with their own unique and influential journey that has led them to being a part of Bloomfield’s community.

“This is a prideful place,” said Castro. “The people that make up this campus community are what makes the College so special. It was time to bring their stories to the forefront to help advance the institution’s mission. We want them to know how much they are valued, and that there is value-added for them by being a part of our family.”

In addition to messaging, the institution has unveiled a redesigned website as part of the comprehensive process, developed to be more user-friendly and optimized for the mobile devices that have become fixtures in today’s society. A commitment to promotional videos also highlights the new features of the project, with the institution developing a customized YouTube channel and promotional spots starring the school’s faculty, staff and students.

The College has also designed a new View Book and has revamped its fleet of promotional brochures for prospective students, complete with the dynamic imagery and bold language that will attract those courageous enough to blaze their own path.

“Our personalized marketing strategy speaks to prospective students in a unique way, which we feel will aid in our various initiatives moving forward," Director of Marketing Debra Hartley said. "It is the all-encompassing aspects of our new brand - and its universal message - that will allow all the members of our community to make it their own, and make it truly special."

“This isn’t just a brand; it’s a message from a collective voice. From the first-year student excited about college life to the alum continuing to make an impact long after they've graduated, everyone’s story contributes to the essence of our brand.”

Complete with its unifying message and a vision for the future, Bloomfield is the place that will show us that we all have a tale to tell – and that it is time for the institution to share its own.

“Bloomfield College is investing in our students, faculty and staff, staying on the cutting edge inside and outside of the classroom, and growing,” said Castro. “We no longer want to be known as a ‘hidden gem’. It is time to tell our story.”