How the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is building a modern brand

The value of higher education has been on a steady decline for Americans over the past 15 years. According to a September Gallup poll, only 35% of U.S. adults said a college education is “very important,” compared to 75% in 2010. 

This is what a marketer would call a brand problem. The University of North Carolina is unveiling a refreshed brand identity and reorganizing its marketing structure to meet these 21st-century challenges. 

The centuries-old university has a storied history as a top-ranked academic institution and a legendary sports brand (thank you Michael Jordan). Chancellor Lee Roberts says that awareness isn’t UNC’s problem. Everyone in North Carolina knows the school, and applications continue to climb each year. 

“The truth is, it is a competitive landscape across higher ed. We are in a competition for research dollars, for rankings, and for the best students,” Roberts says. “We thought it was time to do a better job telling our story in a