Higher Education Rebranding: Lessons from Grace College’s Marketing Transformation

Higher education rebranding is more than just a fresh logo or a new tagline—it’s about reshaping institutional identity, strengthening engagement, and fostering long-term success.

Many colleges face outdated perceptions, inconsistent branding, or a need to evolve in a rapidly changing market.

Grace College recently embarked on a bold higher education rebranding journey, and Matt Metzger, Chief Marketing Officer, was at the forefront of this transformation.

In this episode of The Higher Ed Marketer podcast, we explore the strategic vision, creative execution, and unexpected challenges of rebranding a higher education institution.

Why Higher Education Rebranding was Essential for Grace College

For many institutions, rebranding happens in response to market changes, shifting student demographics, or internal growth.

Grace College’s journey was no different.

Metzger and his team recognized that their existing branding no longer aligned with the institution’s evolving identity.

“We had our old brand for over 20 years, and we were also Grace College and Theological Seminary—which caused a lot of confusion. People would sometimes miss the ‘College’ part entirely and just read it as ‘Grace Theological Seminary.’ We knew we needed distinct brands for Grace Seminary and Grace College, and that was a big part of why we pursued this rebrand.”
— Matt Metzger

While the need for a rebrand became evident over time, the path forward wasn’t immediately clear.

Metzger and his team knew that if they were going to redefine Grace College’s identity, they had to listen carefully to the perspectives of students, faculty, and alumni.

“We didn’t just wake up one day and say, ‘Hey, let’s rebrand.’ It had to be thoughtful. We had to figure out exactly what needed to change and why. So, we spent months talking with students, faculty, and alumni—gathering real insights about how people viewed the college, what was working, and where there was confusion.”
— Matt Metzger

By engaging in this deep discovery process, the marketing team identified several key challenges with their existing brand:

• Confusing institutional name – Many people misread “Grace College and Theological Seminary” and assumed the institution was solely a seminary.
• Outdated visual identity – The previous logo and branding elements no longer reflected the modern, forward-thinking nature of Grace College.
• Lack of distinction between the college and seminary – The school needed two distinct brand identities while maintaining a strong connection between them.
• Inconsistent messaging across channels – Marketing materials lacked cohesion, leading to a fragmented brand experience.

With these challenges identified, Metzger and his team could now develop a clear roadmap for higher education rebranding—one that would align the institution’s identity with its evolving mission and future goals.

Key Steps for a Successful Higher Education Rebranding Strategy

One of the most critical aspects of Grace College’s rebrand was deep research and community engagement.

Metzger and his team sought input from:

• Students – What aspects of the brand resonated with them?
• Faculty & Staff – How did they perceive the institution’s brand?
• Alumni & Donors – What messaging reinforced their connection to Grace College?

This research-driven approach helped shape the new brand identity, ensuring that it wasn’t just a surface-level change but a transformation rooted in the needs and perceptions of key stakeholders.

A Creative Approach: The Viewbook-Journal Hybrid

One of the standout marketing strategies from the higher education rebranding process was embedding a viewbook inside a journal.

Instead of creating a traditional promotional piece, Metzger’s team designed a journal that subtly wove in the college’s story, culture, and mission.

This approach accomplished two key things:

• It provided a useful, engaging item for prospective students—not just another brochure.
• It reinforced brand storytelling in an authentic way, encouraging prospective students to interact with the content over time.

“We were thinking, how can we make this viewbook something that has tangible value? So we embedded it inside a journal, hoping students would actually use it. Our brand stays in front of them—not just as a brochure they toss aside, but as something they engage with daily.”
— Matt Metzger

Leveraging Athletics for Institutional Branding

Another powerful aspect of the rebrand was strengthening the connection between athletics and the overall institutional brand.

Metzger and his team recognized that a strong athletics brand contributes to overall school pride, recruitment, and visibility.

By integrating the athletics logo and branding more strategically into marketing materials, the school was able to:

• Increase engagement with students and alumni
• Create a more unified institutional identity
• Enhance the overall perception of Grace College’s brand

“We wanted to create an interconnectedness between athletics and the rest of the school. At many institutions, these two areas operate separately, but we saw an opportunity to unify them. We approached our athletic director about integrating the athletics brand into the institution’s overall identity—and he immediately saw the value.”
— Matt Metzger

Overcoming Rebranding Challenges

Of course, higher education rebranding isn’t just about creativity and strategy—it comes with its fair share of challenges.

Metzger shared some of the unexpected hurdles they faced, including:

• Budgeting constraints – Balancing financial limitations with ambitious goals
• Logistical complexities – Rolling out branding updates across all departments
• Community buy-in – Ensuring stakeholders felt heard and invested in the process

“People don’t realize how many signs, websites, and materials need to be updated. It’s a massive undertaking. We even had to track down outdated branding that was still showing up months after the rollout.”
— Matt Metzger

Final Takeaways: What Higher Ed Marketers can Learn from Grace College

Metzger’s insights offer a playbook for higher ed marketers looking to refresh their institutional brand.

A successful higher education rebranding effort requires careful research, creativity, and strong leadership to navigate challenges and gain community buy-in.

Whether you’re modernizing an outdated visual identity, clarifying institutional messaging, or unifying branding across departments, a strategic approach ensures long-term success.

Institutions that embrace innovation and thoughtful storytelling will be better positioned to stand out in a competitive higher ed landscape.

🎧 Want to hear the full conversation? Listen to the episode below or here on The Higher Ed Marketer.

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Leverage the Power of Rebranding for Your School!

Beginning a higher education rebranding campaign is a major investment—one that requires careful strategy, research, and execution to be truly effective. 

But how can you be sure that your marketing efforts are aligning with your new brand identity and driving the engagement you need?

At Caylor Solutions, our Marketing Audit & Recommendations service provides a comprehensive review of your institution’s marketing strategy, helping you identify gaps, optimize messaging, and enhance brand positioning in a competitive higher ed landscape.

Through a detailed analysis of your digital presence, content effectiveness, and competitive positioning, we provide clear, actionable recommendations to ensure your rebrand isn’t just a visual refresh—but a transformation that increases awareness, engagement, and enrollment.

With our Marketing Audit, you will:

• Ensure your brand messaging is consistent across all platforms
• Identify areas of improvement in your content and outreach strategies
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• Benchmark your institution’s marketing efforts against competitors
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If you’re investing in higher education rebranding, make sure your marketing strategy is positioned for long-term success.

📩 Let’s talk about how our Marketing Audit can help you make the most of your rebrand. Contact Us Today!

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Images via grace.edu