SEATTLE: The University of Washington has hired Hornall Anderson for a national branding campaign to help raise its profile among potential students and faculty.
The two-year contract is worth $500,000, with three option years. Hornall Anderson competed with 19 companies for the business, said Connie Kravas, VP of advancement at University of Washington. The university did not have an agency of record prior to this.
“We unanimously chose Hornall Anderson because of their clear commitment to a brand-first approach and a deeply collaborative process,” Kravas said via email.
The Omnicom Group firm will be responsible for developing strategies to target alumni and current and prospective donors. The university wants to grow public and private support of the institution, according to the RFP for the contract. University of Washington ranks 49th, or second to last in the nation, in higher education funding per student, according to university documents.
Despite strong enrollment, another goal of the campaign is to draw higher quality student candidates. The university is also aiming to attract top-tier talent.
"Top students are the true measure of a university's success, but our shared goals go beyond that to include attracting more elite faculty, helping the university increase levels of donation, and creating a unified story for UW to help their discreet efforts ladder up to a bigger idea and set of values," Hornall Anderson PR director Angela Gamba said via email.
Earlier this month, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst enlisted a roster of firms to boost its profile among prospective students.
