Brand Strategy: Rebranding National University

Standing Out in a Crowded Higher Education Landscape

In today’s highly commoditized and competitive higher education market, distinguishing oneself as a premier institution is no small feat. As cultural narratives increasingly question the value of education and many non-traditional, working, and military adults face seemingly insurmountable barriers, the challenge becomes even more pronounced. This is the reality National University confronted head-on.

Transforming Challenges into Opportunities

Despite these obstacles, National University recognized a unique opportunity to elevate its standing and expand its reach through strategic growth. The merger with Northcentral University enhanced its capabilities and created a powerful synergy that allows NU to leverage economies of scale. This strategic move positions National University not just as an option but as a leader in providing accessible, high-quality education tailored to the needs of diverse adult learners.

Emphasizing Quality and Accessibility

As National University continues to navigate the complexities of the education landscape, its commitment to quality and accessibility remains unwavering. By focusing on innovative programs and personalized support, NU is poised to redefine what it means to pursue higher education in today’s world. This dedication ensures that every student—whether juggling work, family, or military commitments—can achieve their academic and career goals without compromise. In a world where education is often seen as a daunting challenge, National University is not just participating in the conversation but leading the way towards a brighter, more inclusive future for all learners.

A BIG Audacious Goal

National University set an ambitious objective to double its enrollments by uniting two universities under a single brand, aiming to achieve efficiencies and broaden its range of offerings. To accomplish this, we collaborated with Brand Agency Wongdoody to develop a distinctive and impactful National University brand. We launched a nationwide integrated campaign in July 2022 to support this goal. Our strategy for sustainable growth focused on a data-driven approach to brand strategy, encompassing research and analysis, conceptualization, the development of a new brand identity and messaging, as well as measurement and optimization.

The Research

We performed over 1,000 hours of market and competitive research, including interviews and focus groups with prospects, students, and NU stakeholders. This effort aimed to identify key themes where NU could excel based on its audience, mission, and vision to establish an authentic brand purpose, positioning, and architecture.

The Insight

We discovered that today's working adults are overwhelmed by the investment needed to return to school for a degree and by the lack of resources to assist them. Often, our learners are those who support others and feel that if they need to forge a path, they must do it alone, making the pursuit of education daunting and a significant sacrifice not only for themselves but also for those they support. Understanding the transformative power of education to change household trajectories for generations by enhancing human potential, increasing individual and societal well-being, and breaking generational poverty, National University is dedicated to offering various meaningful pathways to support non-traditional, working, and military audiences. Its purpose, 'why NU exists,' became evident: to break barriers in higher education through a specific positioning, 'how NU will be experienced by learners/the value NU delivers,' known as Whole Human Education™.

The Positioning

For working adults who find the investment of returning to school daunting, National University stands out as the online university that values the whole person. It adopts a comprehensive approach to student well-being through a supportive ecosystem that evaluates success financially, socially, emotionally, as well as in family life and career. NU partners with our learners, helping them overcome personal obstacles as they pursue higher education.

This contrasts with other online universities that narrowly focus on financial and future success without considering the overall well-being of individuals during the process.

NU's Whole Human Education™ offers a holistic approach to student well-being through a supportive ecosystem that adapts to students' evolving needs based on their degree level.

• Undergraduate Pillars: Financial, Academic, Family Life/Community, Career, and Wellness

• Graduate Pillars: Flexible, Affordable, Personalized Support, Career Progression, Community Connection, Experience and Credential-Rich Pathways, Quality Academics

• Post-Graduate Pillars: Personal and Professional Growth, Flexible, Affordable, Personalized Support, Legacy and Community, Research with Impact, Quality, Supportive Academia

Brand Identity

With a revamped brand architecture encapsulating NU's purpose and positioning, it was essential for our logo to visually convey how NU engages with its learners. After extensive creative exploration and focus groups, we developed a logo that exuded a fresh vitality, set us apart from others in the category, reflected our positioning, and inspired pride and loyalty among students, alumni, and stakeholders. Additionally, the following year, we launched a new mascot that further fostered a sense of belonging among our students.

Audience Identity and a Sense of Belonging

Navi, our Navigator Mascot, has been an essential brand attribute accompanying the National University logo to instill pride and a sense of community at NU. Navi pays tribute to National University's founder, a Navy captain, and symbolizes all its students as they navigate life each day and every moment.

The ANDer Persona, More than Belonging

Non-traditional, working, and military students are inspiring due to their dedication to hard work and their commitment to family and community, aiming to transform their lives and those of future generations. We coined the term ANDer to not only define our student's persona but also to celebrate and honor those we serve. NU students are more than just students; they are students AND parents, AND adventurers, AND caregivers, AND more. Therefore, NU is committed to being the home for this remarkable group, cultivating an internal identity of difference-makers educating difference-makers.

In recognizing our ANDer and celebrating them, we have not only presented real student story documentaries but have leveraged comedy to illustrate their colorful and eventful lives in a relatable way.

To see more about the NU ANDer visit the NU.edu YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nationaluniversity

Partnering with a PR Firm:

As the brand continues to develop, enhancing its promise and value is crucial to align with NU's business mission, vision, and values. Consequently, through an RFP process, we engaged a skilled PR firm that, within less than 30 days, has achieved significant earned placements in publications like Forbes. Additional initiatives to generate earned media are being planned, including brand experiences at a regional level to

Forbes.

Results:

The rebrand and ongoing consistency of the brand message has contributed to a 20% year-over-year increase in brand salience and recognition as the third fastest-growing brand in our category among non-traditional higher education institutions, according to Kantar Brand Digital+ as of March 2025.