Medical University of South Carolina Case Study

Brand Elevation to Increase Awareness

Solutions

Medical University of South Carolina Case Study

The Challenge.

The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), an academic health sciences center at the intersection of higher education and health care, sought to launch its first-ever brand awareness campaign to elevate national visibility, unify its brand voice, and strengthen its reputation across both industries. In 2022, recognizing the need to modernize its digital presence and communicate its unique value proposition in an increasingly competitive environment, MUSC partnered with Carnegie to embark on a transformative journey and establish a strategic foundation for long-term brand growth.

Medical University of South Carolina Case Study

The Strategy.

To begin MUSC’s brand evolution, Carnegie conducted a comprehensive mix of qualitative and quantitative research, including internal stakeholder research, an external market perception study, and a competitive brand analysis. The insights revealed MUSC’s unique market position and distinct brand personality. Using this foundation, Carnegie developed a marketing plan to guide the rollout, a university-wide campaign concept adaptable across channels, and a suite of compelling photography and videos to build brand awareness and reputation.

With a differentiated brand message and fresh creative assets in place, Carnegie executed a comprehensive marketing strategy. This included traditional media, display ads, social media, and mobile footprinting to expand reach and visibility. Carnegie also supported internal engagement by training MUSC stakeholders to “live the brand” and communicate its message consistently through effective storytelling techniques.

Following the launch, Carnegie conducted benchmarking studies and monitored campaign performance. These critical efforts enabled ongoing measurement, optimization, and refinement of the brand’s impact over time.

Brand Strategy
Audience + Program Research
Awareness + Perception Research
Brand Activation
Brand Story + Positioning
Brand Training
Competitive Analysis
Creative Campaigns
Creative Consulting Services
External Perception Research
Internal Archetype Research
Internal Brand Training
Market Analysis
Organizational Personality
Photo + Video
Print +Digital Creative
Digital Marketing
Carnegie Clarity
Google Analytics
Online Display Marketing
Search Engine Marketing
Search Engine Optimization
Social Media Marketing
Strategic Marketing Planning
Streaming Media
Traditional Media Buying + Management
Website Copywriting
Medical University of South Carolina Case Study

The Results.

MUSC’s inaugural brand awareness campaign has delivered powerful and measurable results, validating the strength of its multi-year partnership with Carnegie. To date, the campaign has generated over 163 million impressions across digital, social, and traditional media channels, effectively reaching prospective students, academic leaders, health sciences researchers, health professionals, and prospective collaborators nationwide across targeted publications, LinkedIn, YouTube, and the wider web, leading to 150,000 click-thrus to the MUSC website.

A follow-up external market perception study conducted in 2024 confirmed the campaign’s effectiveness. While peer institutions saw declines in brand reputation scores, MUSC experienced a significant rise in brand familiarity and improved clarity around its brand personality—clear indicators of elevated national positioning.

Carnegie’s creative work on this project has been praised. In 2024, MUSC’s brand anthem video won the 2024 Communicator Award of Excellence for Film and Video in Education. The “Dr. Wrangle + Kerry” video received a Silver Telly Award for Online Commercials - Educational Institutions and a full-page ad in The Cancer Letter earned Bronze at the 40th Educational Advertising Awards.

Through this ongoing engagement, Carnegie and MUSC have built a distinctive and enduring brand platform that continues to advance MUSC’s mission in education, research, and patient care.

163M

Impressions delivered across media channels

150K

Click-thrus to the MUSC website

2

National awards for outstanding video creative

“Partnering with Carnegie has been a transformative experience for MUSC. Academic health science centers are inherently complex, but their team took the time to understand who we truly are. They approached the work with thoughtfulness and intention, asked the right questions, pushed us to think beyond ourselves, and held us accountable when it mattered most. Through this collaboration, we gained a deeper understanding of our identity and how to share our story more effectively with the world. The real success lies in how natural the collaboration felt. It never felt transactional. They were fully invested in our success.”
Mack Altman
Assistant Provost for Strategic Initiatives + Communications
Medical University of South Carolina

Versatile + Bold Creative

Carnegie turns bold ideas into unforgettable visuals. Whether it’s towering airport signage, eye-catching billboards, or dynamic vehicle wraps, every surface can tell a story. We’ll make sure your message doesn't just reach people—it stays with them.

first-photo second-photo

Eye-catching Digital Marketing

We don’t just create digital ads—we create scroll-stopping, thumb-pausing, action-driving campaigns that turn curiosity into clicks. By harnessing data, creativity, and a little bit of magic, we’ll make your brand impossible to ignore.

Eye-catching Digital Marketing

Innovation is Who We Are

MUSC’s brand anthem video serves as a bold expression of the institution’s identity as an academic health sciences center rooted in over 200 years of innovation, impact, and influence. Designed to align with MUSC’s newly articulated brand personality, the video leverages cinematic storytelling to showcase MUSC’s commitment to excellence in education, research, and patient care.

The video not only reinforces MUSC’s brand identity but also fosters a deeper emotional connection with its audience. The effectiveness of this strategy is evidenced by the video receiving the 2024 Communicator Award of Excellence, underscoring its success in conveying MUSC’s mission and values. The anthem video continues to serve as a powerful tool for communicating MUSC’s mission, values, and forward-looking vision.

 

 

 

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