Phase 2: Brand foundation

What makes UNB distinct

During Phase 2 we developed the UNB brand foundation, a beacon to help us make choices about what is important for our university, which was then shared with stakeholder groups across campus.

How will the brand foundation be used?

The brand foundation is an internal tool that defines our positioning and what makes an education from UNB distinct. It will help ensure we are all telling the same story every time we talk about UNB – providing consistency that will help drive awareness and comprehension about what we stand for.

Growing our reputation will make it easier for us to:

  • Attract more students from outside the province.
  • Solidify our position as the #1 choice for New Brunswick students.
  • Retain valued faculty members and recruit new ones.
  • Attract more support from donors and government.

All of which will make us a stronger UNB.

How was the brand foundation developed?

It was developed based on research that mined the insight from more than 4,000 members of the UNB community. We then spoke with over 350 UNB stakeholders to draw upon their collective knowledge, passion, and experiences to review and refine the brand foundation. We engaged with:

  • Brand Management Committee
  • Communications & Marketing
  • Saint John Senior Administrators
  • Saint John Students
  • Deans Council
  • Fredericton Faculty
  • Saint John Faculty 
  • Fredericton Students
  • Board of Governors Advancement
  • Board of Governors Executive
  • Fredericton Directors +
  • Fredericton Department Chairs
  • University Communications & Marketing Working Group
  • Advancement Team
  • The broader UNB community via:
    • Campus Conversation in Fredericton
    • Campus Conversation in Saint John

What form does a brand foundation take?

We are leveraging a proprietary template called the brand+. More details can be found when you download your copy.

How do I use the UNB brand foundation?

The brand foundation will touch all aspects of how UNB presents itself to the world. We are focused on creating positive futures for our students, faculty and staff through our commitment to creativity, innovation, collaboration and experiential learning and entrepreneurial thinking. It is important that we all begin to use the new brand foundation to evaluate the decisions we make every day, as those decisions are what shape who we truly are.

The brand foundation provides guidance when it comes to all types of decisions, both strategic and tactical. Consider the following:

  • How can I further shape my program to deliver on the brand truths and support our focus on innovation and entrepreneurship?
  • Does the press release I’m writing reflect our personality and values?
  • Is there a way to increase how the services I offer help to deliver on the key benefits in the brand foundation, including benefiting our students?
  • Does the voice I’m using in the poster I’m creating match our brand personality and support a caring and friendly environment?
  • Does the person we’re considering hiring share our values for knowledge, respect, engagement and ingenuity?

The brand foundation was developed with doug&partners (d+p), a brand communications agency with 12+ years experience producing award-winning communications and marketing campaigns within post-secondary education.

To request information about UNB brand foundation, including how you can begin using it, please contact Sarah Martell, Director, Marketing, or email brand@unb.ca.

More about the 'Why UNB?' Project

This project is made possible through the generous support of UNB donors.