Work — Virginia Military Institute
Research & Strategy

Equipping a timeless institution to tell a timely story

Project Scope

Brand campaign
Brand platform
Competitor audit
Content development
Creative testing
Image and perception study
Personas
Research

SimpsonScarborough conducted a comprehensive research study with more than 1,000 people that revealed a consistent trend: attributes that current cadets and VMI faculty and staff want the institution to emphasize—such as academic quality and a more nuanced picture of VMI cadets—are also highly valued by prospective cadets and their parents.

The research also found that both current and prospective cadets value having a career in which they can make a difference more than having a highly structured military life.

Strategy

We mobilized around these insights and developed a strategy integrating the Institute’s long-held values of honor and discipline with the deep desire to do good in the world, which is often overlooked in the VMI experience.

Related Work

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