The signs were everywhere: “Big Orange. Big Ideas.” The words appeared on light posts, posters, T-shirts, and even the library. After a year-long, campus-wide effort, UT on Wednesday launched its new branding campaign, which aims to enhance the university’s reputation and help UT reach its Top 25 goal.
The campaign was developed by a team made up of members of the Office of Communications and Marketing; communications professionals from colleges, departments, and units across campus; and the Center for Applied Research and Evaluation within the College of Social Work’s Office of Research and Public Service. Their work has been a collaborative one, providing valuable input on the messaging, imagery, and strategy. The team also incorporated feedback from students, faculty, staff, alumni, and parents.
Despite some gloomy weather, Wednesday’s launch was a success. Members of the Office of Communications and Marketing’s web team launched the redesigned website, www.utk.edu, at 3:00 a.m. Other members of the communications and marketing team battled drizzling rain before the sun came up to paint the Rock with the campus’s new tagline.
Many students, faculty, and staff toughed it out in the rain throughout the day to try their luck at the prize wheel on the Pedestrian Walkway to win free “Big Orange. Big Ideas.” giveaways. More than a thousand Volunteers received T-shirts, bumper stickers, buttons, highlighters, or orange and white M&M’s. WUTK-FM was also on hand with a live remote broadcast.
Media outlets from television to radio to print announced the campaign across the state. The redesigned utk.edu received more than 35,600 visitors on Wednesday, 20 percent more visitors than the site sees on an average day. A site dedicated specifically to educating visitors about the campaign, big.utk.edu, had more than 4,000 visitors on launch day. A video created for the campaign was watched more than 1,400 times in its first day. Watch the video on YouTube.
The reception on campus was energetic and commonly asked questions were from people eager to put the new look to use—seeking out access to tools like power point templates and logos.
The launch is just that—a launch. This is just the beginning. Be on the lookout for said power point templates in the next few days. Web templates will be coming in March. Identity guidelines are also on the way. T-shirts and other branded items will be appearing in UT Bookstores soon.
UT is excited to have finally introduced you to “Big Orange. Big Ideas.”
For more information on UT’s branding efforts, or to submit feedback and questions, visit big.utk.edu.