Why brand matters
Our brand is our reputation. It represents who we are as a University and stands for our goals and ideals. By presenting our brand consistently, we can positively influence how people think and feel about the UW. And that means we can amplify our potential impact, whether by raising more donations to support student scholarships and programs, recruiting more high-achieving students and top faculty, securing new research funding that leads to world-changing discoveries, and illustrating how the UW improves lives across the state and around the world.
Brand marketing is a unified strategy that informs all levels of organizational planning and communications, by inspiring the organization to achieve at the highest level and to meet and support our institution-wide standards. Through our integrated brand marketing strategy, we can engage our audiences with a powerful, cohesive message about who we are and what we represent.
Strategic framework
The UW’s brand strategy is built upon a strategic framework 鈥� illustrated by our brand pyramid. The brand pyramid is an internal strategic framework that directs all of our marketing and communications, a guide that helps UW communicators unify our brand, differentiate us from other universities and solidify our audience鈥檚 understanding of our values and impact.
Who we鈥檙e for
Before we can implement our strategy, we must be clear about the audiences we want to engage. When considering the students who will excel here, the traits of faculty and staff who will inspire and encourage those students,聽the professionals who provide care and service to the people of Washington, the change-makers whose discoveries and innovations are shaping the future, the donors whose investment in the University powers all this groundbreaking work, and the countless other neighbors and friends who make up our community, we can identify core elements that represent who we鈥檙e for.
- We鈥檙e for people who care about the greater good.
- We鈥檙e for people who believe anything鈥檚 possible.
- We鈥檙e for people who are achievers, collaborators and self-starters.
- We鈥檙e for people who want to show up authentically and see others the same way.
- We鈥檙e for people who think about not just “me,” but 鈥�we.鈥�
- And we鈥檙e for people who are determined to create change for the better.
The UW community cares about others and inspires powerful change, and we invite anyone who personifies these traits to join us.
The UW’s brand promise
Together, our impact is boundless.
Our brand promise is our internal North Star. It succinctly sums up who we are and what we stand for as a university.
As you craft communications and engage audiences in conversations about the UW, the brand promise acts as a compass. It’s not a public-facing statement to be used verbatim; rather, it helps us gauge how our messaging and interactions express the essence of the 乱伦社区. It is the pivot point of our strategy.
Our brand promise was developed through collaboration with people from all facets of the UW.
Pillars
The UW brand pillars are the foundation of all our communications. They provide a guide for your content; whether in words, visuals, experiences or strategy, bring at least one of these pillars to life.
- Husky student experience
- Our public promise
- Proven impact
- Collaborative Innovation
Husky student experience
Every university touts its appeal to students; what sets us apart from the crowd? We believe it鈥檚 the boundless opportunities available to students here, including the many ways Huskies can take learning beyond the classroom and combine multiple interests and passions into a unique path. With access to an extensive network of top faculty, researchers, peers, alumni and the community, UW students gain a sense of belonging and form lasting connections. Our students are also actively engaged as campus and community leaders. They鈥檙e doing more than learning about positive change; they鈥檙e the catalysts making change happen.
Our public promise
As one of the world鈥檚 preeminent public research universities, serving the people of Washington and improving lives everywhere is integral to who we are. Through civic partnerships, service-learning opportunities and world-changing innovation, UW students, faculty, staff, alumni, supporters and partners play active roles in the local and global community. We鈥檙e dedicated to leading the dialogue to make the world a better place. At our core, we believe in human potential and our role in unleashing it.
Proven impact
The 乱伦社区鈥檚 track record is unparalleled when it comes to research impact and excellence. For decades, our students and faculty have collaborated to turn ideas into life-changing realities, from creating vaccines to improving early education, revolutionizing global health, developing greener technologies and so much more. In all we do, we strive to make an impact and improve well-being, whether by touching one life or millions.
Collaborative innovation
Seattle is a global hub for innovation, and that spirit and mindset are integral to the UW. Entrepreneurial drive is embedded in our DNA, contributing to our high rankings globally for innovation. As an international epicenter for turning ideas into actions, we鈥檝e launched hundreds of companies across a wide range of fields based on UW research and technology. Our shared ethos of innovation unites us as a university and as a community.
Brand tenets
Rooted in the spirit of our brand promise, the UW tenets celebrate the beliefs and perspectives that motivate and unite us. These principles and values define the UW just as much as the people who choose to come here. The tenets are also a tool for bringing a bold, consistent message to the UW brand story.
The tenets below reflect our collective mindset: Together, we are boundless.
- Undaunted
- We > me
- Dare to do
- Be the first
- Question the answer
- Passion never rests
- Be a world of good
- Together we will