Mount Holyoke was founded on the conviction that things should—and could—be different, and founder Mary Lyon was not afraid to lead the charge for change. For 175 years, the country’s oldest, continuous women’s college has educated trailblazing women who have fearlessly been changing their communities and the world in big and small ways.
Now Mount Holyoke looks to its next 175 years by crystallizing the essence of the College, its students, and its alumnae with the launch of a new brand identity and marketing campaign titled never fear / change. The College proudly believes never fear / change aptly describes the Mount Holyoke experience and will increase awareness of both its mission and its most compelling attributes.
“Our promise is to prepare our students to face the future with confidence, and we do that by providing a rigorous liberal arts education combined with the tools they need to create the life and career they want,” said President Lynn Pasquerella.
never fear/change will be manifested in the College’s internal and external communications, its website and publications, and its admission, advancement, and other marketing materials, ensuring a consistent image. A series of stories showing the bold fearlessness with which students, faculty, and alumnae embrace change will be used to illustrate the campaign.
“The never fear / change campaign honors our history while challenging the College, the community, and all who engage with Mount Holyoke to be self-aware, future focused, and optimistic,” said Executive Director of Communications and Marketing Patricia VandenBerg, who led the branding initiative.
“Mount Holyoke is perfectly poised to shape the next generation of women leaders!” added Pasquerella.
On August 12, the College will unveil a reskinned website as part of the brand identity launch. The new look and the never fear / change logo will also be adopted in Mount Holyoke’s social media. The website appearance is a transitional one; the College plans to launch a redesigned website that will fully reflect its brand identity in early 2014.
The never fear / change campaign began two years ago with extensive market research conducted by SimpsonScarborough, who surveyed all faculty, staff, and students, as well a representative group of 8,000 alumnae. Sample groups of parents, guidance counselors, and academic peers from across the country were also surveyed. From the research results, Mindpower, Inc. developed the never fear / change campaign, capturing the essence of the Mount Holyoke experience.
