The Bush School
The Bush School’s new brand carved out an ownable niche by connecting its century-long commitment to experiential learning with its unapologetic DEI values, helping it stand out in Seattle’s crowded school landscape.
Sector
Deliverables
Visual Identity
100 years of experiential, no shorthand.
The Bush School was celebrating 100 years of serving Seattle families with a progressive and experiential education. In fact, Bush was a very early adopter of the experiential education model. However, over time, the phrase “experiential education” failed to differentiate.
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.
Varied perspectives, connecting the work.
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.
Shaped by time on campus with kids.
We visited campus multiple times, sitting down with students to hear firsthand how they experienced learning at Bush, the different angles they brought to a single problem, the different backgrounds they brought to a single classroom. Those conversations confirmed what the research suggested: experiential education and DEI weren’t two separate efforts, but two expressions of the same belief in varied perspectives. That clarity, paired with our understanding of how independent schools typically position themselves, let us carve out a distinct space for Bush that no competitor could easily claim.
Clear position in crowded Seattle.
A new visual identity and clear messaging has amplified Bush’s ability to flex its strengths and differentiate itself in a crowded market. Their most important audiences feel motivated and fortified to welcome in new prospective families.
