Giving a fresh, youthful voice to a long-respected Catholic school
Background
Salesianum is a nationally recognized all-boys Catholic high school based in Wilmington, Delaware. Since 1903, the school has established itself as a local fixture with rigorous academics, countless athletic championships, and a student-run approach enabling its 900+ students to explore and embrace their unique strengths. But with new prospects and fresh perspectives in the picture, it was time to refresh how the Salesianum story was told.
The challenge
While Salesianum’s values remained unchanged, its brand voice needed an overhaul. Without a set direction, team members were left to produce one-off materials with inconsistent messages. The school was speaking to new audiences, including non-Catholic families unfamiliar with its story. And with a new website already being designed, the school needed a strong, unified message clearly communicating its own unique strengths.
Our solution
We got started by walking the bustling hallways of Salesianum for ourselves. Our team interviewed members of the school’s administration, faculty, staff, and alumni, and even sat in on a lively class with students. We also reviewed the school’s existing brand, materials, and parent/alumni survey data, comparing them to those of other local schools.
Our team shared those initial findings with the Salesianum team in an engaging brand strategy session, where we also led exercises to identify the school’s biggest strengths compared to competing schools. Using that input, we then created five brand positioning routes, each using a different tone of voice to showcase different sides of Salesianum.
Results
The school team ultimately chose the brand route emphasizing students’ energetic, can’t-wait-to-go-to-school attitudes. We brought that route to life through full copywriting for the school’s website, plus a comprehensive brand guide.
In total, FVM delivered the following items:
- Brand position including a primary narrative, messaging pillars, and audience-specific guidance
- 39-page brand guide including writing and visual identity guidelines
- Full copywriting and strategic recommendations for the ~50-page Blackbaud website
- Branded templates for email signatures, Google Docs, Google Slides, and social media posting
The Salesianum team was thrilled with the new brand position and website, expressing that FVM effectively understood and captured the school’s spirit. With the new brand guide in hand, the school is set to continue its legacy by reaching future generations of Salesianum students and families.
