Douglas College

The DO Movement: The Rebrand That Redefined Douglas College

Douglas College, one of British Columbia’s prominent public post-secondary institutions, faced a pressing challenge: low brand equity and limited differentiation from competitors. Opinion research revealed a lack of trust and recognition among stakeholders, as well as a need to redefine its image to attract prospective students and position itself as a credible educational choice.

Boyle Design was asked by Douglas College to undertake a transformative rebranding initiative, crafting a strategic visual identity program aimed at reinventing the college’s profile within the competitive landscape of higher education.

From Insights to Identity: Crafting a Modern and Differentiated Brand

The project began with a rigorous research phase, delving deeply into the competitive educational landscape. The analysis aimed to uncover what set the College apart in a crowded market. Key insights emerged through collaboration with McAllister Opinion Research, whose audience data illuminated pivotal brand attributes. These findings identified core pillars that define the Douglas College experience: a commitment to fostering community; creating a strong sense of belonging; and emphasizing the practical application of knowledge. These elements became foundational to reshaping the College’s brand identity and narrative.

The research revealed a critical challenge—the existing brand held little public equity. Addressing this went beyond using data to refine the College’s positioning. Instead, we were tasked with a deeper, transformative effort: reinventing Douglas College’s identity to forge a bold new positioning and brand that could inspire and resonate with its community.

Rather than adhering to the traditional crest style often employed by academic institutions, we proposed a modern, inclusive logo that students could identify with—something that would make them proud to be a part of Douglas College. The design reflected the college’s ethos of being a student-centered institution, focusing on empowerment: ‘Discovering who I am and where I am going.’

Presenting the name of the college back to the client, along with a vision for how its messaging and image could significantly transform the brand’s perception, opened a reimagined pathway for telling the Douglas College story. This process demonstrated how thoughtful branding could redefine and elevate the institution’s narrative. In the case of Douglas College, the new logo was redefining, and its design became the strategy.

This reimagined approach saw the visual identity become a cornerstone of the overall brand strategy, signaling change and distinctly setting Douglas College apart from competitor institutions. By engaging students in the rebranding process, we ensured the final identity resonated deeply with its core audience, fostering connection and pride.

Defining What It Means to ‘DO’

The campaign centerpiece, the DO Activation Campaign, was crafted to empower students to take decisive steps toward their futures. This initiative highlighted Douglas College as a hub of action and opportunity, emphasizing its dynamic and practical learning environment. The campaign’s message became a lasting component of the institution’s identity, inspiring students and stakeholders alike.

The in-house design team at the college was equipped with a dynamic new toolkit to support their extensive media buy campaign, ensuring an impactful rollout of the refreshed brand across all platforms. This toolkit has proven to be more than a launch asset—it continues to be actively used today, ensuring consistent and cohesive brand communications.

Results That Speak to Connection and Success

The modernized logo created compelling, unique identification for the college, redefining its image and increasing brand recognition. The participatory process with students helped rebuild trust, positioning the institution as approachable and proactive. Douglas is now the college and story about empowering students. The brand continues to motivate students, aligning with the college’s mission of supporting personal and professional growth.

Dennis was instrumental in creating a visual identity that has become a compelling part of the Douglas brand. Unlike some other designers I’ve worked with, Dennis does not try to impose trendy design themes or easy solutions in his approach. Rather, he uses an iterative process, pulling ideas and themes organically from the brand research to understand the core brand DNA so that it can be expressed visually. His approach resulted in a design narrative that is totally unique to Douglas College and far more sustainable for us in the long term. I will work with him again.

Dave Robert Taylor
Vice President, External Relations and Advancement