The Bush School

The Challenge

As it approached its 100-year anniversary, The Bush School in Seattle needed a strong independent school brand strategy to stand out in a competitive market. In fact, Bush was a very early adopter of the experiential education model. However, over time, the phrase "experiential education" failed to differentiate.

The Bush School was celebrating 100 years of serving Seattle families with a progressive and experiential education.

Even though Bush had been integrating hands-on learning for longer than its peers, prospective families in Seattle were hearing the phrases "experiential learning," "hands-on," "learn by doing," and "project-based," at every independent and public school in the area. Bush didn't need to change their approach or curriculum—they needed a fresh way to communicate the value of their approach.

Add to that: The Bush School had recently doubled-down on their DEI efforts, putting into action the values that many schools talk about, but fail to fully implement. Not only did they integrate DEI initiatives across the board, they unapologetically communicated about their initiatives in order to keep their community informed and connected to their DEI focus. However the heavy emphasis on DEI efforts led to Bush being known as "the DEI school."

Bush took no offense at the nickname, but they didn't see themselves as "the DEI school." Rather, their DEI initiatives honored their deep-seated values.

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The Insight

Mission Minded’ uncovered an opportunity to connect these two flagship elements of Bush’s identity. Experiential education is about looking at problems multiple ways and from multiple perspectives. DEI efforts ensure that diverse people with diverse perspectives benefit from and enrich the Bush experience. Thus, “varied perspectives” became a unifying idea in the Bush brand.

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The Journey

We visited campus multiple times and sat down with students to hear about their experiences. And, our extensive understanding of the common themes in independent school brand and messaging allowed us to carve a distinct space for Bush.

The Impact

With a fresh visual identity and a clear brand strategy, The Bush School has redefined how it communicates its unique approach. Now, instead of blending into a sea of ‘experiential learning’ schools, Bush stands out as a leader in progressive education. Their messaging not only resonates with prospective families but also strengthens their internal community’s pride in their values and mission.

We are loving using the new branding everywhere and we’ve received really positive and warm feedback!
Mary Albl, Director of Communications, The Bush School