Northern Arizona University

With the arrival of their new President, Dr. José Luis Cruz Rivera, Northern Arizona University needed to move quickly to develop a new brand campaign that would incorporate the President’s strategic priorities around access, diversity, and environmental sustainability. 

"Together We Are Boundless" captures NAU's bold vision and the steps the university is taking to enhance equity and access for all. It is infused with a sense of social purpose while communicating NAU's engaging and collaborative learning environment as a true differentiator. Supported by inspiring stories of faculty, staff and students, the campaign highlights the role NAU is playing in changing lives in our communities and around the world.

The revitalized brand is distinctive and sustainable but the process by which we got there was as important. Red Cactus conducted 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, memorable, and quite simply beautiful. 

Since launching in September 2021, the campaign has won over a dozen industry awards while raising awareness, building institutional pride and supporting the student recruitment process.  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.