Connecting Brand Identity to Enrollment Growth

+20%

increase in deposits

+32%

increase in inquiries

A cohesive brand, integrated digital strategy, and targeted yield communications helped Bryant University strengthen awareness, improve engagement, and drive measurable enrollment results.

A unified brand strategy drives stronger enrollment and yield outcomes

Bryant University had built a strong reputation as a business school, but university leadership saw an opportunity for a broader, more aligned brand narrative that reflected the full scope of its academic offerings, student outcomes, and value proposition.

Bryant partnered with Carnegie to unify brand strategy, digital marketing, and enrollment communications into a more integrated approach. Through collaborative planning, audience research, and coordinated execution, Bryant strengthened engagement across the enrollment funnel while building a clearer connection between brand perception and enrollment performance.

The Challenge

Bryant University had built a strong reputation as a business school, but institutional leaders recognized an opportunity to broaden awareness of the university’s full academic experience. While Bryant offered a wide range of programs and strong student outcomes, existing brand perceptions did not fully reflect the breadth of the institution or resonate equally across all prospective student audiences.

At the same time, Bryant was navigating evolving institutional priorities and enrollment goals within an increasingly competitive higher education landscape. Digital marketing, enrollment communications, creative assets, and brand messaging were all contributing to prospective student engagement, but there was an opportunity to create greater alignment across channels and establish a more cohesive student journey.

Our Approach

Carnegie began with three pillars of foundational research. Internal research that included strategic discovery, stakeholder interviews, and an in-person brand workshop. External perception research within the context of Bryant’s competitive set. And a competitive analysis to understand how its competitors articulate their stories and are positioned in the market.

These insights helped Bryant clarify how the institution was perceived in the market and identify opportunities to strengthen alignment between brand identity and enrollment strategy.

Rather than immediately expanding campaign activity, we prioritized foundational brand alignment before scaling broader marketing and enrollment efforts. This work informed the development of a cohesive brand identity, narrative, and creative strategy designed to resonate more deeply with prospective students across the enrollment journey.

With that strategic foundation in place, we aligned digital marketing, enrollment communications, creative execution, and yield strategy around a more consistent student experience. Coordinated messaging, audience-informed campaigns, and targeted communications helped Bryant engage students with greater authenticity and consistency—from first interaction through deposit—while building a more connected and effective enrollment strategy overall.

What Worked

Brand strategy and creative campaign development to define a clearer institutional narrative, align messaging across audiences, and develop a creative campaign concept that reflected Bryant’s broader academic experience and student outcomes
Research-informed enrollment strategy to strengthen alignment between brand positioning and enrollment goals
Integrated digital marketing initiatives, including expanded paid search and a campaign strategy highlighting strengths across all academic disciplines
Targeted yield communications through Slate to create more personalized and consistent engagement with admitted students during critical enrollment stages
Yield-focused outreach and IP targeting strategies to strengthen admitted student engagement and support enrollment conversion efforts during key decision periods

Student using mobile device for design thinking course at Carnegie Higher Ed.

The Results

With a research-backed brand identity, a compelling institutional narrative, and a more coordinated enrollment strategy in place, Bryant University saw measurable gains across engagement, conversion, and yield performance. Consistent messaging across digital marketing, enrollment communications, and creative helped strengthen prospective student engagement throughout the enrollment journey while supporting stronger conversion outcomes during key decision periods. Bryant improved inquiry growth, increased deposits, and strengthened yield performance year over year. Coordinated digital campaigns and targeted student outreach also helped create more meaningful engagement across the funnel, giving Bryant greater visibility into how prospective students interacted with enrollment marketing efforts over time.

+20%

increase in deposits

+32%

increase in inquiries

+42%

inquiry-to-application rate among Carnegie-supported inquiries

+4%

improvement in yield rate

Partnering with Carnegie energized our entire campus, inspiring deep, enthusiastic participation across our research workshops from students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Their team thoughtfully translated the distinctive Bryant spirit into a positioning strategy that is both genuinely authentic and strategically ambitious, setting Bryant University apart for long-term distinction. The result is a bold brand narrative that honors our heritage while providing a clear pathway to share our story with enduring impact.

Edinaldo Tebaldi VP for Strategy and Partnership and former Interim VP for Marketing and Communications Bryant University