Rosalee Rush: Launching a Brand inthe Midst of a PandemicIf the...

Rosalee Rush:  Launching a Brand inthe Midst of a PandemicIf the...:   Launching a Brand in the Midst of a Pandemic If there is one thing I learned in 2020, it was the reinforcement that your brand has to be...

 

Launching a Brand in the Midst of a Pandemic

If there is one thing I learned in 2020, it was the reinforcement that your brand has to be more than words. It must be lived and embodied in every action, message and transaction. This became even more clear to me as we prepared to launch our University brand in early 2020. We had spent months researching and engaging our campus community and then COVID-19 pressed pause on our plans. Do we proceed or delay until everyone returns to campus?

My mind was racing with many questions. After talking with our team, we felt compelled to move forward, albeit with some changes to a virtual event to encourage our campus community and remind them that resiliency and grit are part of what makes us Warriors. Together, we would get through this challenging and unprecedented time.

I trusted our process and research. For everything I believed about our brand, I must admit I had  lingering follow-up questions.

I believed our brand was:

• 1.       Relevant

a.       Is this relevance beyond the University parameter?

• 2.       Authentic

a.       When it matters most, will we live up to the brand pillars and values; moving beyond messaging, are our actions/priorities true reflections of our values and beliefs?

                                                               i.      Are we demonstrating it in tangible ways?

• 3.       Strong enough to unite and build the communities/families we serve
• 4.       Purposeful

 

During the last nine months of 2020, I noticed that our brand essence was evident in every decision and response to student concerns, frustrations, fears and needs. The words #StanUp and #WarriorStrong took on new meanings and gave our community cause to rally, support and encourage each other in new and tangible ways on a daily basis. We were connecting people and building community even while we were physically separated. 

The outpouring of care for our students, faculty and staff mental and physical health was heartwarming. It began with equipping every student in need with a laptop and WiFi at the onset as plans were made to transition to remote learning. Upon learning a student was facing food insecurities in their hometown, a faculty member contacted a sister university’s food pantry and officials to provide for the student and their family. Faculty, staff and alumni stepped in to care holistically for our students and help them succeed even when those challenges were outside the classroom. When the decision was made not to disenroll students for lack of payment during this pandemic, leadership removed obstacles instead of creating them. And when racial inequities created social uproar across our nation, there was a collective response to reach out to our black faculty, staff, students and alumni across the state to listen and build a virtual community. Physical distance did not prevent us from implementing ways to better support our communities of color. It affirmed our commitment to pursue equity and inclusion and not only said we hear you, but we see you; we value and support you.

So, when we say “In the Central Valley lies a welcoming community where we support and challenge each other; where all who want to do more with their lives are invited to Stan Up; where Warrior Strong means resilience and so much more,” we mean it and our actions prove it.

Our brand speaks to the humanity of our campus community and our collective will and greater purpose to serve the people of this region. This is who we are and what we believe.