NYU's New York City campus from Washington Square Park.

NYU Brand Basics

Part 11

Hello Colleague,

The NYU brand strategy, based on extensive qualitative and quantitative research, captures who we are and what sets us apart. Everything we’ve shared over the last several months—from the personality and voice to the city grid graphic and typefaces—demonstrates how our strategy can help us communicate the uniqueness of NYU to all of our audiences. Here is a closer review of the NYU brand strategy.

In case you missed it: In previous parts of NYU Brand Basics, we covered the NYU brand essence, personality, and audience personas; templates and logos; the NYU voice and tone; content strategy; the NYU look; editorial, inclusivity, and accessibility standards; communications channel best practices; resources for creating photography and video; the visual tone spectrum; and writing in the NYU voice.

behind the scenes

The NYU Brand Strategy

Student and professor engaged in a discussion.

Our Strategic Drivers

Distilled from comprehensive research, our strategic drivers are a set of directives that help the University establish its unique position. NYU has four strategic drivers:

Leverage the power and benefits of NYU’s vibrant urban locations to enhance academic prestige
Increase associations with academic rigor and impact
Lean into the archetype of the independent, driven intellectual
Continue to accentuate NYU’s strength and reputation as a global institution

Class fieldtrip on the outskirts of New York City.

NYU’s Brand Pillars

Brand pillars express who we are, what we do, and how we do it in a way that sets us apart from our competition. NYU has three pillars, and they guide how we communicate and what stories we tell:

Fueling ambition and fostering connection to transform lives
Founded with a mission to be open to all, we imbue an unparalleled education with resources that grant opportunity and agency to a diverse, global university community.
Creating ideas with impact
More than a global collection of places, NYU is an electric network of exceptionally smart, intensely curious people devoted to creating novel ideas and solutions in rigorous academic environments.
Elevated by the intensity of great cities
Founded in New York City, one of the world’s most dynamic cities, we embrace and embody the spirit, strength, and vibrancy of great cities around the world, reflecting the intellectual energy derived from engaging with a complex range of people, ideas, and disciplines.

The Research

We conducted the research behind this NYU brand strategy, which included competitive benchmarks and reputational studies among all of our audiences, in partnership with SimpsonScarborough, a leading brand management firm specializing in higher education. To learn more about the research insights that led to the development of each strategic driver and brand pillar, refer to pages 13 to 19 of our brand guidelines.

Explore the NYU Brand Guidelines »

What would you like to learn next?
Reply to this email and let us know!

Deborah Broderick
Vice President for Marketing Communications

Mark Courtney
Assistant Vice President, Creative and Brand Experience