CHALLENGE
Over the past 5 years St. Laurence, a storied southside Chicago Catholic high school, has seen some of the most positive changes in its history. These include a new STEM education, a proprietary leadership program and a change from an all boy to co-ed school. A progressive young staff and some of the top coaches in the city were also hired to shape the future. This shift in direction required a fresh brand identity, more relevant messaging and marketing strategy that matched the level of change.
SOLUTION
It's a new day at St. Laurence. Rather than eliminating the traditional STL monogram, traditional viking and academic seal we chose to bring them together under a new banner, a shield. The shield is representative of the school’s Viking identity – just as a shield defends in battle, it represents our commitment to Defending the Glory, one of the key lines of the St. Laurence fight song.
WHAT WE DID
Brand Identity
Brand Launch
Brand Positioning
Customer Journey Map
Marketing Strategy
Messaging Strategy
APPROACH
We took a collaborative approach to the new brand, utilizing primary resarch, student focus groups and collaborative working sessions. We then tested the brand with students, alumni and the market.
CONCLUSION
The new brand is a hit. Incoming enrollment has reached its highest in over 20 years and a new diverse mix of students are setting the pace for the southside of Chicago. We're now working on the next evolution of marketing, mapping out the customer journey and modeling years of data to maintain our leadership position.
CREDITS
Special thanks to all involved including Joe Martinez, Mike Madera, Shachar Meron, Aaron Deyoe, Katie Deyoe, Clint May and the entire leadership team at St. Laurence.
“It felt like John was part of our team! He facilitated great conversation and led our team down a creative path. An expert in his profession- always listening, processing, and creating! ”
“I don't know if it was John's hair or his smile, but both were contagious. Our team drank his "cool"-aid, laughed at his jokes, and now we are all shining through an amazing brand renovation! ”
Joe Martinez, President St. Laurence
