ABOUT

The brief:
This world-famous private school didn’t need to up its intake. Or to reach new audiences. It just needed to present itself accurately, and the website was the obvious place to start.

Looking into it, exactly what it was they wanted to present needed a little clarity. And their audience needed empathetic understanding - and identifying - not assumptions made of them. While reluctant initially to see the school as a brand, Headmaster Dr Tim Hands was convinced of the value of having a properly-understood and authentically-articulated identity. We began the process of research, auditing and interviewing.

Execution;
INSIGHT
Distilling all the information down into insights followed, which we used to build four distinct brand territories, or conceptual themes to explore. One stood out, and the headmaster knew instantly that the theme of Wonder perfectly captured all they knew themselves to be. These insights went on to inform everything, from the brand position and visuals to the website structure, transitions and photography.

BRAND POSITION
‘Filling Curious Minds With Wonder’ was defined as their motivating Why - why the audience should care, why they do what they do. The rest of the brand position, their values and personality, all stemmed from the insight work and reflected this narrative of Wonder.

WEBSITE
A thorough audit and re-strategising was needed, as well as design and build. From bringing clarity to the complex application process, to a compelling sensitivity towards boarding, the site structure and its flow was designed to unfold as a wonder-filled experience.

Results;
The rebrand and website have been widely regarded as 'Best in class' and are often cited as some of our most successful pieces of work. For The College the results have been impressive, alongside a distinct change in perception and brand awareness, the school has seen huge increases in metrics such as visits, applications, prospectus downloads, website visits and well time and it has also had a positive effect on hiring.