Howard University is widely considered one of the most prestigious historically black institutions of higher learning in the world. Recently it tapped us to evaluate its market positioning and brand strategy, and offer recommendations for strengthening its standing as a leading research institution and university of choice for highly qualified students.
We conducted an extensive series of interviews and focus groups with administrators, faculty, deans, alumni, students, and other members of the Howard community to gather insights. In addition, we performed an audit of much of its current marketing materials and also completed a brand benchmarking study. This knowledge was then applied to establish a new brand positioning, messaging framework, and new look and feel for its marketing materials.