Integrated Marketing for Princeton Public Schools
When it comes to school integrated marketing, storytelling is the key. From the way your website conveys your story to the images you chose, all facets of your brand need to come to life to create a connection. Princeton Public Schools has a strong connection to its tiger mascot, as many schools do to theirs. But beyond the mascot, the district lacked a clearly established brand. Generations of students had been tigers, but they never had a connection to the district as a whole. This gap caused inconsistencies through the district, schools and families and missed opportunities for sharing their story.
Branding Builds Confidence
Located 50 miles north of the Twin Cities along the Rum River, Princeton Public Schools spans four counties — Mille Lacs, Sherburne, Benton and Isanti. It draws students from the local rural area and developing, bedroom communities. It has a history of strong ties among families, schools and each other. District leaders wanted to see this signature strength expressed in their brand, messaging and visuals. CEL facilitated a multitude of focus groups, coffee chats and work sessions within the schools to understand the Princeton Public Schools brand. Ultimately, all elements — the logo, colors and messaging, and integrated marketing — came together to embody what it means to be a Princeton Tiger.
Starting with its youngest tigers, Princeton Public Schools develops in every learner the ability to succeed in an ever-changing world. Radiating the core values of connections, citizenship, collaborative leadership, excellence, innovation, integrity, learning and respect, the addition of complementary colors helps bring accents to the core orange and black brand.
Tiger Career Academies Helps Plan Futures
Beyond the district-wide branding, Princeton High School’s academic program needed to effectively communicate its offerings to students. The creation of Tiger Career Academies showcases the six unique career academies, each with multiple pathways. The students have opportunities to explore interests, strengths, needs, skills, and careers within 72-trimester class slots. Princeton needed a strong brand for each academy—and materials that helped students understand the many options at their fingertips.
Families and students can explore the six Tiger Career Academies through a comprehensive registration booklet and online interactive course catalog. Partnerships with local businesses are fostered through outreach—a business partner brochure showcases the many partnership options available, and certificates, door clings, and pop-up banners are a visual declaration of the partnership between the business and the school.
Whatever their path, Princeton High School inspires students to explore careers, discover their passions and talents, and plan for their future.
User Experience Brings Results
Another part of the branding is the customer experience. So, CEL was asked to help find and build a solid and versatile website platform to accomplish long-term goals while allowing flexibility and growth. CEL recommended the Finalsite Composer CMS to move previous Google sites onto a robust, search-driven CMS that brings all school communication together. In the years since the site launched, we have grown the communication tool into a centralized content marketing strategy using Posts and Messages within the site.
Make the Pledge: Own Your Stripes, Strengths & Needs
Unifying a brand begins with the community. The #PrincetonTigerPledge rounded out the branding and developed a storytelling framework that provides consistency, builds trust and brings the community together behind the Princeton Public Schools. Student and staff voices are a major part of the Pledge campaign using school communication, videos, social posts and submissions online and at the school where students could leave messages for each other.
Are you Wild about Kindergarten?
We know how important kindergarten is in a child’s education, and it’s even more important that you make a connection with parents as they decide where to send their child to school. To help Princeton communicate it was a great choice for families, we developed a kindergarten information campaign — including in-person, direct mail, social media, grab-and-go and virtual information. These tactics combined with simplifying the online enrollment marketing process left Princeton Primary School with a 97 percent recommendation rating from families.
