Boundless vision, Boundless REsults
With the arrival of their new President, Dr. José Luis Cruz Rivera, Northern Arizona University needed to move quickly to develop a brand marketing campaign that would incorporate the President’s strategic priorities around access, diversity, and environmental sustainability.
Supported by inspiring stories of faculty, staff, students and alumni, the new campaign - "Boundless" - captures NAU's bold vision and the steps the university is taking to enhance equity and access for all.
The revitalized brand is distinctive and sustainable, but the process by which we got there was as important. Red Cactus conducted 13 focus groups with over 100 participants, including feedback from current and prospective students, faculty, staff, alumni, community members, and the Arizona Board of Regents staff. In the end, it was their thoughtful and constructive feedback that helped us to choose this concept (from three different options we presented) and make it even more authentic and memorable.
Since launching in 2021, the campaign has won over a dozen industry awards while raising awareness and favorability and helping to boost student enrollment to an all-time high. Fall 2022 welcomed NAU's largest-ever class of full-time first-year students - including the largest number of Freshmen from the state of Arizona - in NAU's 123-year history.
What We Did
Brand Refresh
Creative Concepting
Competitor Review
Qualitative Research
Advertising
Billboards
Digital Displays
Print Posters
Train and Bus Wraps
Sports Sponsorship
Radio Commercials
Brand Guidelines
Brand Workshops
Brand Microsite
Awareness and Ad Recall Survey
Prospective Student Survey
Want to learn more about our research and branding process?
Large scale window displays
On Campus Bus Shelter Posters
Remarkable Element: Impact
By seamlessly aligning NAU’s core values with real, human-centered stories, Boundless transcends being just a marketing campaign. It became a catalyst for record-breaking student enrollment, deeper community connection, and national recognition.
Reaching Statewide and Online Learners
Everywhere You Want to Learn
Building on the success of our Boundless campaign, we expanded our reach to engage statewide and online learners—a diverse and growing audience critical to NAU’s mission. Through targeted messaging and strategic media placements, we promoted statewide and online programs via airport digital displays, billboards, and radio commercials. To drive measurable results, we also helped to launch a digital marketing campaign with clear calls-to-action and conversion-focused metrics. By segmenting key audiences and crafting tailored messaging, we ensured the Boundless story resonated with non-traditional students while maintaining a strong and consistent institutional brand identity.