What makes UMBC offerings in the arts and humanities unique? Why might you choose to attend a UMBC theatre performance, humanities forum lecture or arts exhibition? And, perhaps most important, what does the arts and humanities experience at UMBC feel like?
Those are some of the questions that a committee of from UMBC’s Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA), the provost’s office and the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS) started asking last year. Beginning today, the results can be seen in a new branding and marketing campaign that reflects—and sets expectations of—the experience at UMBC.
The most noticeable feature of the campaign is a box emblazoned with the “think, create, engage” tagline. The three words signify how people interact with the arts and humanities at UMBC, which have a reputation for being provocative and unique. Promotional materials will also engage people by placing them directly in the experience.
“The words nicely reflect what the arts and humanities departments—faculty, students, curricula—are all about,” said CAHSS Dean John Jeffries.
The path to the new campaign started last year when discussions about the Performing Arts and Humanities Building (PAHB) made clear that the broad range of UMBC’s arts and humanities offerings needed increased awareness both on and off campus.
Based on feedback from an initial survey of UMBC event attendees and other research, teams of OIA staff members produced three sample campaigns, with logos, ads and other materials. The approaches were then tested in an online survey, where nearly 400 UMBC students, faculty, staff and alumni weighed in.
“We received feedback that was very thoughtful and deeply felt, which helped us to build a campaign that speaks to the authentic experience people have through UMBC’s arts and humanities departments and events,” said Miriam Tillman, assistant vice president of marketing and creative services.
Following revisions and refinement with input from CAHSS department chairs and directors, the current branding campaign emerged.
The logo will soon be making a big impact on campus on the fence surrounding the PAHB construction site, and the brand will also be visible online, on posters, on campus digital signage and on a new umbc.edu/engage website.
The brand is expected to raise awareness off campus as well, as its launch signals the start of a new advertising campaign for arts and humanities events. In the near future, “Think Create Engage” advertisements will be seen and heard in local media.
“It is important that the arts and humanities at UMBC get wider visibility for the nature and quality of the work that the departments do. This campaign is intended to do just that,” said Jeffries.
