American University Branding Campaign: WONK

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American University (AU) is a private doctoral university in the heart of our nation’s capital.

For years, we’ve been hailed as the nation’s most politically active campus—a distinction that recognizes our knowledge, passion, and desire to create meaningful change. Our diverse community—representing 146 countries and all 50 states— comes to AU for rigorous academics, and then some. Washington itself serves as a laboratory for learning, with 85 percent of undergraduates gaining practical experience in internships on Capitol Hill and at the White House, at the Smithsonian and NBC, in small nonprofits and national advocacy organizations. AU’s faculty are authorities in their fields and include Oscar Award-winning filmmakers, corporate executives, and advisors to world leaders. Graduates leave AU as knowledgeable professionals, with experience and lasting connections to experts in their fields.

Barack Barack Obama.

Obama.

Rudy Rudy Giuliani.

Giuliani.

Gloria Gloria Steinem.

Steinem.

Desmond Desmond Tutu.

Tutu.

TheThe Dalai Dalai Lama.

Lama.

American American University University attracts attracts some some of theofworld’s the world’s most most com- compellingpelling speakers speakers and catalysts and catalysts for change. for change.

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Research revealed our unique positioning.

But the real challenge would be communicating that message succinctly, in a way no other university could . . . or would.

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What’s

spelled backwards?

When you know something backward and forward, and through and through, you’re a wonk. It’s a term Washington insiders use to describe their brightest experts, people who are focused on creating change—people like American University’s students, faculty and staff. So don’t be surprised if you hear us proclaiming our wonk status. It’s not only what sets us apart, but it’s why you should know us inside and out. Learn more at american.edu/wonk.

Recognizing the tremendous in-house talent of our University Communications and Marketing (UCM) team, we asked those who know AU best to succinctly and uniquely express the university’s distinctive qualities. They lit upon a single word used to describe experts and Washington insiders alike: WONK. (Experiencing a surge of use in the media, WONK is used to describe thoughtleaders in the form of policy wonks to physics wonks, culinary wonks and communication wonks, to name a few.) Best of all, it was bold enough to capture attention and original enough to set AU apart. Its time had come. Four little letters perfectly captured the smart, focused, passionate, and engaged aspects of AU’s students and faculty.

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The quest for a cohesive brand began in 2008, when AU initiated a strategic plan to strengthen our academic and research reputation, and enhance the quality and diversity of our student population.

American University and the Next Decade

Leadership for a Changing World

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Moving from no organized branding effort to “WONK” took a united front. So in the spring of 2010, we initiated a soft launch to educate stakeholders. We held luncheons and teas to gain support from thought-leaders.

Asked commencement speakers to use the term. Deployed student ambassadors to advise on tactics and help seed the term. Ran Google and Facebook ads that landed on a page that defined the term. Placed lighthearted videos on YouTube. And we introduced a WONK Facebook page to reinforce our definition of WONK and provide resources to our expanding cadre of brand ambassadors.

When people realized that WONK was “KNOW” spelled backwards— and that being a WONK meant knowing something backward and forward—the bold nature of this unusual brand became much easier to embrace.

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When students hit campus in fall of 2010, they were greeted with the new brand concept. Professors wore WONK t-shirts in class. Volunteers wore Service WONK t-shirts during Service Week. Orientation leaders donned WONK gear. And during Celebrate AU on the first day of classes, we handed out thousands of WONK t-shirts of every discipline and color.

These limited-edition shirts featured original artwork created by political cartoonist and alumnus Nate Beeler. All giveaways, signage, and gear directed people to our enhanced WONK Web site at american.edu/wonk.

A Nate Beeler cartoon, commissioned years earlier for American magazine, featured a row of eagles sitting on a wire, wonking. This drawing was the seed of inspiration that grew into the WONK campaign.

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In Fall 2010, The Alumni Association president sent a letter with a newly minted WONK video to alumni.

During alumni weekend, we featured a “WONK of Fame” display, giveaways, and an information table. All of this was reinforced by a special WONK issue of American magazine.

Local and national media picked up the WONK story.

A front-page article in the Washington Post and an Associated Press piece favorably compared AU’s efforts with other bold university branding campaigns.

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IDEAS INTO ACTION, ACTION INTO SERVICE

What’s

American University has a long history of supporting Peace Corps volunteers through our graduate programs in public policy, public administration, political science, applied politics, and justice, law, and society.

Admission deadlines are Nov. 1, 2011 for Spring 2012, and Feb. 1, 2012 for Fall 2012.

Application fee waived for Peace Corps volunteers.

spelled backwards?

When you know something backward and forward, and through and through, you’re a wonk. It’s a term Washington insiders use to describe their brightest experts, people who are focused on creating change—people like American University’s students, faculty and staff. So don’t be surprised if you hear us proclaiming our wonk status. It’s not only what sets us apart, but it’s why you should know us inside and out. Learn more at american.edu/wonk.

Own your wonk status.

Everywhere a graduate ad ran it was accompanied by another ad introducing WONK in the context of our brand message.

Without support and education, an unusual campaign such as this would fall flat.

 spa@american.edu  +011-202-885-2940  american.edu/spa

Also in fall of 2010, we unleashed the new look and tone of WONK advertising to attract a graduate market. Headless shots of graduate students, each labeled with their WONK expertise, graced local publications and bus shelters. Testing showed that the unique visuals allowed potential students to imagine themselves filling in the frame as an AU WONK. We created complementary graduate brochures.

And we emailed our president’s first video message and holiday card video featuring our brand image to 150,000 people.

COMMUNICATION

POLICY

COMMUNICATION

TIME ZONE

MARKETS

kogod.american.edu/know

American University offers 20-month weekend MA programs for working professionals in Public Communication, Interactive Journalism and Producing for Film and Video.

Be in the know.

Attend our information session on Saturday April 9th, at 11:30am. american.edu/soc/wonk

Learn from the most respected political and policy experts. Earn your graduate degree in applied politics, political communication, political science, public administration, public policy and justice, law and society. Claim your wonk status.

Find out how at an Information Session.

January 28, 12 p.m.

Capitol Visitors Center Room HVC-200 spa.american.edu/wonk

American University offers 20-month weekend MA programs for working professionals in Interactive Journalism, Public Communication and Producing for Film and Video.

We know that market fluctuations make your heart flutter. You know it’s important to take a long view of the market, and that the best decisions combine intuition and expertise. Start with what you know. Then come see us about the rest. Graduate Business Education at American University’s Kogod School of Business.

Be in the know.

Attend our information session on Saturday April 9th, at 11:30am. american.edu/soc/wonk

Start with what you know. Then come see us about the rest.

ATTEND AN UPCOMING EVENT February 26, On-Campus Open House, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

March 8, On-Campus Info Session at 6:30 p.m.

Be In the Know. kogod.american.edu/know

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UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES International Studies Language and Area Studies: • French/Europe • German/Europe • Russian/Area Studies • Spanish/Latin America

CERTIFICATES European Studies International Affairs

SPECIAL AREAS OF INTEREST Comparative and International Race Relations Global Environmental Politics International Business Relations International Communication International Development International Economic Relations International Law International Politics Islamic Studies Peace and Conflict Resolution Studies United States Foreign Policy

UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20016-8001 AMERICAN.EDU/ADMISSIONS KNOW AU | AMERICAN.EDU/ADMISSIONS | 6/7

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An equal opportunity, affirmative action university. UP11-333

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Whether Whether you’re you’re looking looking forfor fun fun oror enrichment, enrichment, D.C. D.C. delivers. delivers.

The The National National Gallery.

Gallery.

The The National National Zoo.Zoo. The The hip clubs hip clubs and and caféscafés of UofStreet U Street and and Georgetown.

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The The things things to do, to see, do, see, and and enjoyenjoy are endless—just are endless—just as you’d as you’d expect expect fromfrom one one of the of world’s the world’s mostmost beloved beloved capital capital cities. cities.

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This image on the pages of our viewbook is actually a flip animation. Thumb through the book from front to back, and you see the word “KNOW” morphing into the word “WONK.”

Winter signaled the time to start appealing to new and prospective undergraduate students. Creative testing showed that this audience, in most cases, was unfamiliar with the term WONK, so we led with “How do I KNOW AU is right for me?” We redesigned our Welcome Center and the campus visit experience to answer that question and bring the AU brand to life. Today, visitors are greeted by multimedia displays incorporating our campaign, a feature film, and WONK-related takeaways. We also revamped the entire suite of enrollment marketing materials to fully integrate the brand.

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The full public rollout of the WONK campaign came in Spring 2011. Taking advantage of the college visit season and Washington spring tourism, to reach a broader audience, we purchased station domination advertising at three key Metro stations, including Reagan National Airport and the Smithsonian, and plastered them with WONK messaging. We pumped up our WONK Web site to include challenges, profiles, and other multimedia offerings to make the site sticky. And we extended our advertising to bus shelters up and down Wisconsin Avenue, one of the city’s main arteries.

From the blogosphere to the Twittersphere, buzz about our campaign shot through the city. Positive reviews of the campaign rolled in. And all over the country, we heard reports of people talking about WONK.

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As the first year of the WONK campaign comes to a close, we’ve seen controversy and kudos, imitation and admiration. More importantly, though, prospective students, partners, and the academic community are looking at AU with fresh interest. Our bold approach has paid off, with positive initial results. The decade of the WONK has begun at AU.