ABOUT

CHALLENGE:
Colombia's private education market was dominated by institutions that competed on academic prestige, rigid uniforms, and fear-driven results. For high-purchasing-power families seeking something different, the options were either traditional and stiff, or international and emotionally distant. Colegio Moderno John Dewey had a genuinely progressive philosophy rooted in democratic learning, diversity, and human development — but its communication was not reflecting that ambition. The school needed to attract modern, culturally aware parents who believed education should ignite curiosity, not just fill curricula — and it needed a brand voice that spoke that truth with confidence, warmth, and edge.

IDEA:
Flip the educational equation entirely. Every school in Colombia led with knowledge — grades, rankings, and curricula. John Dewey would lead with being. The founding insight — first the person, then the knowledge — became the creative engine of the entire campaign platform. Inspired directly by Sir Ken Robinson's philosophy on creative education, the brand was built around a single, radical message: a child who is joyful, free, curious, and respected will learn anything. Everything else follows.

The communication pillars — Fun, Modern, Colorful, Cool — were not aesthetic choices. They were emotional permissions: we are giving your child the right to enjoy school. The campaign headline system "John is ___" made the school itself the character — alive, personal, and unlike anything else in the market.

MY CONTRIBUTION - CREATIVE DIRECTOR:
As Creative Director, I designed the full brand communication strategy and 360° campaign for John Dewey's market positioning and enrolment drive. My contribution covered:
-Brand platform & positioning strategy: I defined the "Ser antes que Saber" (Being before Knowing) positioning as the school's unique territory — an idea with philosophical depth rooted in Ken Robinson's thinking (inspiration), translated into accessible, joyful language that would resonate with educated, progressive parents without alienating the wider audience.
-Campaign identity & visual language: I built the "John is ___" campaign system — a flexible, modular headline architecture that could adapt across every channel and season while maintaining personality. Colorful, bold, photography-driven, typographically confident, and always child-centred. The visual world was designed to feel alive: real children, real joy, real light.
-Media & channel strategy: I directed a fully integrated rollout across the channels most effective for reaching high-income families in urban Colombia, including paid digital, out-of-home, and community touchpoints, detailed below:
-OOH & Print
Large-format billboards and press ads near premium residential zones and school corridors.
-Digital display
Targeted banners and social ads reaching parents of school-age children by income and interest.
-Social media
Instagram and Facebook content series — "John is ___" weekly posts, student life, and values storytelling.
-Open days
Full event branding and experiential design for school open houses — immersive, playful, on-brand.
-Video & film
Brand film and short social videos — children in motion, candid, no scripts, full colour (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok).
-Direct mail
Premium printed prospectus and enrolment kits mailed to targeted families in catchment areas.
-School merch
Stationery, bags, apparel and classroom materials — brand pillars made tangible and collectible.
-Parent community
WhatsApp and email communications designed to sustain brand voice beyond enrolment season.