Princeton Day School - SteegeThomson

Princeton day school

Helping a school thrive. And shine.

Princeton Day School’s rich tradition reaches from the 19th century to today. To continue to fulfill its mission of nurturing the mind, the body, and the character of each student, the school recently completed implementation of a visionary campus master plan funded by the most successful campaign in the school’s history. Joining the school team during the campaign’s leadership phase, we worked with the advancement team, board, volunteer leaders and head of school to re-think the campaign’s core messages and identity. Our solution, THRIVE: The Campaign for Student Experience, helped the community understand how core space renovations and the addition of a new field house would not only transform how students learn at PDS, it would transform the community.

what we did

Development
Research + discovery
Brand voice + messaging
Visual identity
Photography
Case statement
Campaign newsletter
Video
Celebration book

Admissions
Research + discovery
Brand guidelines
Brand strategy
Brand voice + messaging
Photography
Viewbooks
Web strategy + design

thriving in change

The success of the $55M+ THRIVE! campaign enabled PDS to see a new future for itself. In 2020, this success – particularly its investments in expansive new and remodeled spaces – enabled the school to deliver an excellent educational experience during COVID. A blockbuster campaign celebration book, mailed to every donor, showed this in detail, documenting every one of the campaigns achievements and showing their impact through the voices of students.

As the pandemic waned, we were invited to re-envision the school’s overall brand and enrollment marketing platform. A renewed discovery process that included focus groups and interviews with students, faculty, and parents in each division helped us articulate the school’s unique positioning and map the messages that external audiences needed to hear.

made to shine

Its beautiful Great Road campus and amazing amenities aside, we found that endless curiosity, creativity, and a commitment to community are what distinguish PDS. Creating our comprehensive admission marketing suite kept us on campus throughout the seasons, enabling us to show audiences the special moments that unfold on the Great Road. A new set of brand guidelines introduced a wider color palette reflective of the school’s lively program and the interplay of indoor and outdoor learning. In addition to working with FinalSite to create a look, feel and messages for the school’s website, we created an enterprise-level viewbook, supplements for each division, and playful new elements such as stickers.

“Here, there’s a way to be engaged without having to speak the loudest. It never feels forced.”

aniyah, grade 10

Princeton Day School

Working with PDS, we built a brand that could be embraced and leveraged by the school’s own marketing, communications, and admission teams to make the school shine.