Brand Strategy

Authenticity Is Your Greatest Advantage

In a crowded higher ed market, standing out starts with authenticity. We offer branding services that connect on a human level and inspire lasting affinity.

Speak to a specialist

Our Approach

Your brand is more than a logo or tagline—it’s your institution’s reputation, lived daily by your people. Carnegie’s proprietary Personality Science framework uncovers the motivations, values, and personality that define who you are and what makes you matter. We turn those human truths into a shared story that inspires confidence, alignment, and connection across every audience—students, faculty, and leadership alike.

Bring Your Brand Strategy to Life

Brand Research

Understand who you are and what sets you apart. Our research uncovers your institution’s authentic personality, grounded in data and human insight.

Brand Positioning

Define your place in the market with confidence. We craft positioning that’s authentic, differentiated, and built for long-term reputation growth.

Messaging Platform

Tell your story consistently. We develop a flexible messaging framework rooted in your brand’s personality, creating clarity across every audience and channel.

How it Works

Discover Your True Identity

We begin by listening. To your leadership, faculty, students, and community. Through research, workshops, and stakeholder interviews, we uncover the authentic personality of your institution. Using our proprietary personality science framework, we translate complex perceptions into clear, actionable insights that reveal who you are and what sets you apart.

Define Your Brand Strategy

Next, we turn insight into structure. Our strategists distill your institutional identity into a positioning framework that guides marketing, communications, and leadership alignment. This is where your voice, promise, and purpose take shape, creating a foundation your entire campus can believe in and rally around.

Build Alignment and Adoption

True brand strength comes from shared ownership. We engage your teams across departments to ensure every stakeholder—from admissions to advancement—understands and embodies the brand. Consensus drives consistency, and consistency drives credibility. We help you create both.

Activate and Evolve Your Brand

Once your strategy is set, we help you bring it to life. From brand launch planning and internal training to creative expression and digital rollout, we ensure your brand shows up powerfully and consistently in every channel. And because your institution—and the market—will continue to evolve, we build systems that keep your brand authentic and adaptable over time.

Ready to Get Started?

Contact Us

An Authentic Brand Boosts Enrollment

Georgia Southern centered their enrollment journey around a revitalized brand—and saw inquiries, applications, and enrollment soar.

Eyebrow

“Carnegie’s strategic approach to brand elevation and enrollment marketing has been nothing short of transformative for Georgia Southern University. Their expertise in research-driven brand development, coupled with cutting-edge digital marketing and a seamless Slate integration, has helped us redefine our reputation and extend our reach in key markets”

Dr. Alejandra Sosa Pieroni
Executive Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing, and Student Success
Georgia Southern University

Read Case Study

Georgia Southern University

Creating an authentic brand to boost enrollment.

Two young women smiling in a car, one driving and the other in the passenger seat on a sunny day.

Research

Summer Research Series: Personality in Storytelling

We examine how students and parents connect with authentic stories in the college search process—and why personality-driven communication is emerging as a powerful tool for engagement.

Learn More