Client :: Louisiana State University - Alexandria
Project :: We're 4 Real campaign
Industry :: Education

Challenge :: Take a 2-year community college (with the academic reputation of "the last resort"), transition it to a 4-year university, and make it a competitor among its new peers. No short order, small task, easy assignment, piece of cake or any other appropriate euphemism - but KJA was thrilled to take on this challenge. Luckily, the client understood the challenge and the on-going processing of achieving the desired results.

Solution :: KJA knew what had to happen: We had to rebuild the brand.
   
First things first - shift the name on the streets. Commonly referred to as "LSUA" or worse "A" - we shifted it squarely to LSU Alexandria. This gave the school individual weight and made it feel less like the ugly step-branch of a bigger, better school. Beginning with the advertising and permeating all written or verbal communications, those two dismissive abbreviations gradually made an exit.

Our first goals: 1) position LSU Alexandria as a top choice of high school students and 2) spread the word that it was now a four-year university. To do this, we spoke the language - literally and visually - of the 16 year old. The message had to be strong, simple, fun AND funny - while reinforcing LSU Alexandria's position as a legitimate option. "We're 4 Real" accomplished all those things.

Photography and an overall graphic identity supported the "We're 4 Real" message, and spoke to the high-school aged target audience.

After identifying the message and its visual identity, KJA set about developing a multi-pronged plan of communication aimed at various points of interest. Perception needed to shift across age divides and demographics. Tradeshow displays, posters, print ads, collateral materials and a redesign of their web site all became points of contact with the student-based audience. To shift the opinions within the general public (which is made up of parents), outdoor and radio advertisements touted the "We're 4 Real" message. And because the shaping of a brand begins at the source, KJA educated the faculty, staff and student-body about the shift and its importance. On-campus signage, speciality items and an energetic kick-off celebration all worked to explain and reinforce the new message.

Copy points furthered the message and made it more applicable. The thoughts "there's more to you - and to us - than you realize" and "we can take you further than ever before," along with a call to action to consider LSU Alexandria, became part of the advertising vocabulary.

As a result of the KJA campaign, the university experienced a marked upswing in material requests and submitted applications. They've also seen a noticeable increase in school recognition.

   
KJA's subsequent campaigns for LSU Alexandria have reinforced this initial work, while evolving the message and their graphic identity.

Related Work :: Logo Design

Client :: Louisiana State University - Alexandria
Project :: Change Your Mind Campaign
Industry :: Education

Challenge :: LSU Alexandria's offerings grew considerably after their inception as a four-year university. Not only did their academic choices increased, but their campus life possibilities exploded with the addition of on-campus living and intercollegiate athletics. Non-traditional student interest also increased. Under new leadership, the university turned to KJA to once again promote the ever-changing landscape of the school.

Solution :: Building on the visual identity we'd establish over the years with the university, we knew it was time to take it a solid step forward. One idea the KJA team hooked into was change: 1) the college experience changes you as a person, 2) graduating from college shifts your future options, 3) LSU Alexandria was morphing away from its long-held 'last resort' reputation and, 4) students still needed to change their thinking about the school. From this, the multiple-meaning "Change your mind" was born.

With the message in place, the graphics took on a life of their own. This campaign needed to speak to both the potential high-school student and the non-traditional (working, older, parent) students. Using photography representing a broad cross-section of representative students, we graphically filled their brains with the ideas, experiences, vocations, opportunities and activities they might encounter as students at LSU Alexandria.

The supportive copy reinforced the growing range of academic programs and student offerings, and was bookended by two thoughts: "Changing your life begins when you change your mind." and "See the changes in us that'll make changes in you."

The campaign reached across demographic lines with print ads, outdoor advertising, tradeshow displays, a special newspaper insert, and broadcast spots.

Related Work :: Logo Design, Broadcast