Associated Hebrew Schools - the "A Great School" brand

Associated is a private Jewish Day school in Toronto with 1700 students from Nursery to Grade 8 on three campuses. After a number of years of declining enrollment, the school made a major investment in its future through the acquisition of dynamic educational leadership. A tremendous commitment to change and innovation was emerging. But not everyone was convinced that this nearly 100 year-old institution was really capable of transforming itself and many in the community, including many alumni, still saw the school as "the same old Associated." We needed to articulate a brand that was a rallying call to stakeholders and made a bold and defining statement to the community.

"A Great School" brand was a versatile and powerful embodiment of many messages. It was a bold statement that clearly set Associated apart. There was a Harvard-like nuance to the word "great" which was appropriate to a school that was almost 100 years old. It also invoked the more colloquial use of "great." It echoed the sentiment of parents who clearly wanted their children to go to a great school The adjunct "What Makes a Great School Great" campaign has provided the backbone for advertising and collateral including a promotional video. In addition, the brand could drive the development efforts of the school.