Upper Canada College

Once the bastion of education for well-heeled young lads, Toronto’s Upper Canada College (UCC) faced a two-pronged challenge. The school was seeing a decline in alumni participation from the old boys elite, and they weren’t seeing a diverse body of student applicants. Zig’s task was to make an old school brand relevant in today’s world.

Research revealed that each of UCC’s two critical audiences - prospective parents and alumni - had its own tension that had to be resolved. Parents didn’t perceive UCC as an innovative or a nurturing school. For alumni, it was the sense that their connection to UCC made them seem self-interested and stodgy.

The common element was that both groups had an interest in promise of the future: UCC students. For parents, their child is a “treasure chest waiting to be unlocked” while for alumni, “supporting the school is supporting an ingredient for the future,” according to quotes from qualitative research. That led Zig to develop “Tomorrow Thinking,” which made the brand promise clear: UCC believes in equipping boys for a changing future.

With that as the foundation, it was key for the brand to dramatize that promise in a way that differentiated it from the ubiquitous imagery of the category. The chalkboard – manned by real UCC students - provided the raw, exploratory and fluid canvas to do just that. Campaign elements included print, collateral material and guerrilla tactics.

Alumni involvement has risen again, with especially encouraging participation from younger alums. Fundraising goals have been met across the board, and interest in UCC’s boarding program is attracting a more diverse cross section of applicants.