Believe Bigger

Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is a premier Jesuit university located in St. Louis, Missouri. SLU prides itself in providing an immersive, hands-on, and community-centric education rooted in giving students a strong foundation from which they can launch. The school’s mascot, the Billiken, heralds from regional and global lore and serves as a good luck omen, reminding those to continue to dream of what ought to be.

Declining applications and enrollment meant that SLU needed to implement a new strategy to excite prospective students far beyond the midwest and maintain student interest to increase their pool of incoming students.   After meeting with faculty, students, and administration, our creative team was inspired by the fervor and ambition found on every corner of the SLU campus. This contagious spirit was one that was impossible to ignore, so we clung to the idea of “what ought to be” and used it to develop the framework for a fresh, contemporary brand that would push SLU out of its comfort zone. Our goal was to build a narrative and visuals that would match the sense of wonder and imagination that complemented the mindset of prospective students.

The best way for us to speak to students directly, build excitement, and portray the energy we knew to ignite the campus, we choose to focus our campaign on the curiosity that’s known to drive innovation and future-forward thinking. In order to expand into markets in Chicago, Kansas City, and Indianapolis, we had to prove that SLU serves as a foundation for students that are looking to dedicate themselves to dreaming up and building a brighter future for all. In this place, all are welcome to take every opportunity they come across and turn possibility into reality.

By May 1, 2023 admissions applications had increased by 1,000 more over the previous year, with one week in April adding over 300—10 times more than the average week, leading to twice as many deposits in 2022. Additionally, following the launch of their EXPeriential Learning program, international student applications are coming in from over 100 countries and have doubled the number of graduate and undergraduate enrolled students.