Reimagining a Legacy Brand to Drive Enrollment Growth and Campuswide Alignment

+26%

Enrollment increase between Fall 2022 and Fall 2025

$500 million

Fundraising goal, expanded after the new brand launch

A modernized brand to unify a campus community and drive an enrollment turnaround rooted in data, strategy, and authentic institutional identity.

A revitalized identity empowers a truer, bolder story.

Known for its vibrant faith-based community and close-knit liberal arts environment, Taylor University found itself facing stagnant enrollment and a brand identity that no longer reflected the depth, energy, or authenticity of its campus experience. The university recognized that an outdated look and fragmented message were limiting its ability to reach the right students and articulate the true value of a Taylor education.

With new leadership eager to unite the campus around a shared vision, Taylor sought a partner who could help them rediscover and clarify their institutional identity, ensuring the brand aligned with who they were, what they stood for, and the kind of students they hoped to attract and retain.

The Challenge

Taylor University—a small, faith-based liberal arts institution located in rural Indiana—faced a period of stagnant enrollment and a brand identity that no longer reflected the vibrancy of its close-knit campus community. Their look and messaging felt outdated, failing to articulate a deeper, unifying story capable of resonating with prospective students.

The institution also grappled with internal politics and strong attachment to legacy brand elements, especially around the redesign of institutional and athletics logos. Taylor sought a partner who could not only bring strategic insight and captivating creative, but also one who could unite stakeholders around a shared vision for the brand.

Our Approach

Carnegie began by prioritizing strategy and consensus-building, conducting in-depth qualitative and quantitative research across internal and external audiences to uncover perceptions of Taylor’s brand personality. This discovery process not only illuminated Taylor’s core identity but also built trust among stakeholders, ensuring alignment around a unified brand direction.

With that foundation in place, the creative phase brought the brand to life through a refreshed institutional logo, a custom athletics mark, a comprehensive messaging guide, and a new color palette. Finally, Carnegie activated the brand within enrollment, using psychographic segmentation (Darts) to help Taylor deliver highly personalized, resonant communications capable of influencing prospects at every stage of the funnel.

What Worked

Consensus building and discovery through extensive qualitative and quantitative research to uncover brand perceptions and secure alignment across leadership and campus stakeholders.
Modernized brand identity development including a new institutional logo, athletics mark, color palette, and messaging framework rooted in Taylor’s core personality and values.
Campaign concept creation anchored in Life to the Full, shaping a holistic expression of Taylor’s mission and energizing institutional storytelling.
Psychographic segmentation (Darts) to tailor enrollment communications for increased relevance, personalization, and impact.
Integrating brand and enrollment goals ensuring the new identity functioned as both a creative system and a measurable recruitment tool.

Two open brochures with photos, purple accents, and bold motivational text on white pages.

The Results

Carnegie’s work equipped Taylor University with a revitalized brand identity that was embraced across divisions, unifying leadership, marketing, athletics, and enrollment under a shared message and visual system. The Life to the Full concept became so central to Taylor’s identity that it was elevated to the theme of the university’s capital campaign, contributing to an expanded fundraising goal of $500 million. The refreshed brand, strengthened messaging, and psychographically informed enrollment strategy contributed to significant improvements in recruitment performance, including more than 26% enrollment growth between Fall 2022 and Fall 2025. With strong campus-wide buy-in and a brand deeply aligned with Taylor’s personality and mission, the university is now equipped with a cohesive identity that drives both emotional resonance and measurable outcomes.

+26%

Enrollment increase between Fall 2022 and Fall 2025

Cross-divisional buy-in

Unified leadership, marketing, athletics, and enrollment around one brand system

$500 million

Fundraising goal, expanded after the new brand launch