The Challenge

Lasell needed to define the story behind their name change.

Despite impressive growth in program offerings and enrollment, the administration at Lasell never made a compelling case for the transition to university status. Without that narrative, students and faculty were making their own assumptions, often assuming the worst. Lacking a clear voice, confusion and even indifference reigned.

The Insight

More than a brand refresh, Lasell needed a rallying cry for the future.

The status change to university represented a historic opportunity: to bring Lasell’s unique brand of personalized learning to more students, and to connect more learning experiences to professional results — and the right messaging could energize and rally the community to help evolve their core mission, not abandon it.

Lasell University logo on letterhead zoomed in.

The Research

As a starting point, we visited campus — numerous times.

And what we found was a vacuum — of information. The status change had been actively debated internally for years, to the point where it was a sore point of contention, and no longer news. Stakeholders needed to be proactively re-energized to move from indifference to enthusiastic support.

Before and After Lasell logos.
Open pages of a sketchbook showing potential Lasell University logo designs.

The Ideation

“Connected Learning” reveals the path forward.

And yet the things that made Lasell special and unique endured — and would in fact grow stronger through the status change. That includes what has always been Lasell’s special sauce: “Connected Learning.” The brand refresh was an opportunity to help students and prospects understand its power. Primacy challenged itself to incorporate that into every aspect of the new brand — including a new logo.

Lasell University new branded cover shots.

Smarter Experience

Two little words and a promise fulfilled.

Our brand refresh pivoted on a new tagline and rallying cry: “Forever Forward.” In two words — and a powerful manifesto delivered by Lasell’s president — we gave the school the impetus to embrace all of its potential, to tell the whole world what it stood for, and to inspire the entire Lasell community to embrace their brightest possible future.

We redesigned the Lasell logo as a visual portrayal of “connection.” And we recreated the view book to bring the “Forever Forward” narrative to life, and to announce the university status change.

Open spread of view books with new Lasell University branding and Forever Forward message.
Open spread of view books with new Lasell University branding showing outside of building.
Open spread of view books with new Lasell University branding showing Ignorant of Defeat message.

The Results

A community re-energized, re-focused and looking "Forever Forward".

The shift was palpable and tangible as we quickly saw the new logo and branding taking over. It was on buildings, apparel, website and letterhead. We also printed 50,000 View Books and the manifesto was delivered live by the university president to entire Lasell community. “Forever Forward” is helping to define Lasell today and into the future.