RFP 2019-0055 - Comprehensive University of Alberta Brand Platform Development and Implementation

The University’s ‘promise’, which came into use widely during the institution’s centenary in 2008 but which actually dates back to words spoken by the University’s first president in 1908, is ‘uplifting the whole people’. Never intended to be used as a tagline, it nonetheless is seen to “bind our community in a united desire to improve livability, sustainability, and hope for all citizens of our local and global community.” The institution’s current strategic plan, developed through a highly collaborative, year-long process, is titled For the Public Good, and is seen by many to express the same sentiment in different words, and through specific strategies. The plan includes five (5) strategic goals themed around build, experience, excel, engage and sustain. Objective six (6) under ‘build’ is to build and support an integrated, cross-institutional strategy to demonstrate and enhance the University’s local, national, and international story, so that it is shared, understood, and valued by the full University community and our many stakeholders.

The first strategy under Objective six (6) is to discover an institution-wide, comprehensive brand platform (reputation, identity, image, and component stories) around the core institutional narrative: its promise, its mission and its impact. The University is therefore seeking a creative branding and marketing firm to work with the Office of University Relations to fulfill this University strategy.

The project is expected to include five (5) phases – discovery, brand platform development, testing and approvals, guideline development, and launch/awareness. The discovery phase of this project will be informed and guided in large part by the findings of the University Brand Equity Study. The results of this brand equity study are expected to be presented by late April 2019. Ideally the University would like to have the creative firm in place shortly after the audit is complete. The proposed launch of the brand is early 2020 with three (3) multi-media flights (winter/spring 2020, fall 2020, and winter/spring 2021).

The project is thus expected to start immediately in summer 2019, with an estimated brand launch for early 2020.