Opportunity
In 2015, Sweet Briar College made national headlines when its administration announced plans to close the historic women’s college. What followed was extraordinary: alumnae mobilized, rallied, and refused to let the institution disappear.
Sweet Briar survived. But survival wasn’t enough. The college needed to reintroduce itself with strength, clarity, and a renewed sense of purpose, reclaiming relevance with prospective students while rebuilding confidence among supporters.
Insight:
The same tenacity that saved Sweet Briar was the very quality it cultivates in its students. The brand needed to amplify the indomitable spirit already embedded in the institution and its community.
Solution
Yes& partnered with Sweet Briar to shape a bold comeback narrative. Our first campaign, “Fierce,” declared that the college was not just open, but unshakable. The message connected Sweet Briar’s resilience to prospective students’ own drive to define themselves on their own terms.
Once Sweet Briar was firmly back on the radar, we evolved the platform into “Women Making History.” The new messaging aligned with the college’s forward-looking leadership curriculum and sustainable agriculture initiative, reinforcing that Sweet Briar preparing students to shape history.
The work spanned brand development, digital campaigns, and philanthropic messaging—ensuring the story resonated with both prospective students and the donors who believed in the college’s future.
