Capstone Abstract

Abstract from

Charting the Course: Navigating Brand Perception in Higher Education

By Jennifer Peck, University of West Florida, Spring 2025

In fall 2024, the University of West Florida (UWF), a public, regional comprehensive university in Pensacola, Florida, entered the planning phase for their brand campaign and student recruitment campaign. With the internal marketing team embarking on the planning and execution of these endeavors without agency support for the first time, this yielded a need for a brand audit. Informed by a literature review, existing data from a recent brand perception survey, a focus group with current students, and a review of the University’s brand portal, this researcher determined an overall positive perception for the UWF brand and provided recommendations for the campaigns as well as for ongoing brand management. Findings support the use of minimalism, high salience, and strong visual continuity for visual executions, while emphasizing authenticity and the unique aspects that differentiate the university, employing its heritage and traditions. Additionally, the audit revealed missing foundational components of the institution’s brand portal, which were created for this report. Note: Sections of this paper referencing the history of the UWF brand are informed by the author’s 13 years of experience as a brand designer at the institution in the University Marketing and Communications (UMC) department.

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