Campaigns & Marketing Strategy

Before you create a single asset, define your campaign goals, target audience, success metrics, and timeline. A clear plan drives effective strategy and sharp creative direction.

Plan to secure necessary approvals for paid media or large-scale signage.

Campaigns should adhere to UMass visual identity guidelines (logos, typography, colors) and follow approved brand messaging and editorial style.

Brand-Aligned, Not Brand-Boring

Campaigns should feel like UMass. But they don’t all need to look the same. Think of campaigns as brand expressions with their own energy and tone, as long as they stay within the overall identity system. This balance of consistency and creativity builds recognition while allowing campaigns to stand out.

If applicable, follow all sub- and co-branding guidelines. Do not create new sub-logos or taglines without approval.

Great campaigns connect emotionally. Focus on your audience’s needs, motivations, and interests. Whether your tone is bold, warm, or inspiring, aim to create something that resonates and sticks.

Ensure all content is accessible (ADA-compliant text, contrast, captions) so it can reach all members of your target audience.

Not every audience lives on the same platforms. Consider where your target audience is most engaged—email, social media, SMS, print, campus signage, digital ads, events—and tailor your messaging accordingly.

Be sure you're familiar with the requirements for any platforms your campaign will appear on, including but not limited to:

• Social Media
• Email Marketing
• Print Collateral & Outdoor Signage
• Web & Digital

• The brand is the enduring DNA of UMass. It reflects who we are, what we stand for, and how we show up across every touchpoint. Brand messaging is consistent, foundational, and long-term.
• A campaign is time-bound and goal-driven. It leverages the brand’s foundation to deliver a specific message to a defined audience—such as recruiting a class, promoting research, or highlighting a campus milestone. 

Brand pillars offer strategic starting points, but campaign messaging should interpret, not repeat, them.

• Instead of quoting the messaging found in the brand portal directly, find new ways to bring its ideas to life.
• Translate brand attributes into language that fits your audience and purpose.
• Use the tone, voice, and values of the brand as your guide, but make it your own.

A great campaign concept:

• Connects emotionally with your audience.
• Supports a clear objective (e.g., application, engagement, visibility).
• Feels rooted in the UMass identity, even without using brand language directly.
• Has creative stretch, enabling you to build a full suite of assets around it.

Look for:

• Strong verbs and active language.
• Conceptual hooks or metaphors.
• Language that invites the audience in.
• Clarity over cleverness. Don’t sacrifice understanding for wordplay.