Rockhurst Launches Visibility Campaign
You’ve likely seen the billboards, heard the radio commercials or seen print advertisements. Rockhurst University recently revealed its “Where leaders learn” visibility campaign boasting the brand promise of serving as Kansas City’s leadership resource. The ads showcase current students paired with accomplished Kansas City alumni.
“Through this campaign, we want to demonstrate that Rockhurst graduates go on to become successful, ethical leaders in nearly every industry,” said Lauren Hannawald, director of marketing, who led campaign efforts along with a team of in-house staff members from the University’s Office of Public Relations and Marketing. “We decided to pair students with alumni working in their academic field to visually demonstrate the strength of our alumni network and the power of a Rockhurst degree.”
The development of this campaign began in 2011. The team gathered insights through focus groups and conversations with students, alumni, faculty and staff, to discover what the community considered to be Rockhurst’s differentiating attributes.
“Through this process, there was one attribute that maintained a consistent presence – the idea that Rockhurst is a learning community built for leaders,” said Hannawald. “From this, the new tagline of ‘Where leaders learn’ was born.”
Rockhurst billboards can be found along the metro area’s major highways. Print ads will be running throughout the spring in publications such as The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Business Journal, INK Magazine, and The Catholic Key. All ads target potential students, parents, alumni and influencers within the local business community, and also aim to renew Rockhurst’s longtime relationship with Kansas City.
“This campaign goes to the heart of who we are, what we are about and where you will find us,” said the Rev. Thomas B. Curran, Rockhurst University president. “As a Jesuit, Catholic institution, we are intent on full engagement of the world with all of its virtues and ambiguities. And it all begins in Kansas City, a community we fully embrace.”
Fr. Curran lent his voice to campaign radio commercials, which aired on metro-area stations last fall. Traffic sponsorships continue to run throughout the spring.
Other components of the campaign include the creation of new brand identity guidelines, a redesigned website at rockhurst.edu, and brand collateral.
To learn more, visit Rockhurst’s new, interactive website showcasing photos and videos of student and alumni leaders, facts about the University, and more at rockhurst.edu/whereleaderslearn.