CIHS - GradComm

Quick Solution
to a Major Problem

Integral research leads to human health.

As one of the most unique higher education institutions in Southern California, the California Institute for Human Sciences is a university research center and public learning community committed to exploring the interconnection of mind, body, and consciousness through research-informed programs in integral health, integral noetic sciences, and psychology.

A unique offering shouldn’t follow the mold.

Despite its unique offerings and celebrated faculty, CIHS was struggling to find its niche in the higher education landscape. By trying to fit the mold of other higher education institutions, CIHS’s messaging and marketing collateral had moved away from the attributes and ideas that made it unique. As a result, CIHS was suffering from inconsistent marketing and messaging, low brand awareness, and flagging enrollments. With fall semester on the way, CIHS needed a quick solution to a major problem. GradComm was happy to deliver.

Ready, set, FLOW!

CIHS agreed with this course of action, and GradComm got to work. First, we focused on a tagline that would capture CIHS’ unique identity while providing a rhetorical foundation to help improve brand awareness, create messaging cohesion and clarity, and drive enrollment.

Then, we developed a website and marketing materials to bring it to life.

Derived from a statement made by their own founder, the tagline “Transformative Education. Transcendent Experience.” is a simple but elegant encapsulation of the one-of-a-kind value proposition that CIHS offers its students. Instead of shying away from what makes CIHS unique, this tagline leverages the language of transformation and transcendence in a way that speaks directly to the interests, desires, and hopes of its prospect audience.

GradComm then designed a new home page and four program pages that showcased CIHS’s unique offerings. GradComm then launched a multi-platform, digital media buy that included a host of Search Engine Marketing and social media solutions to extend brand awareness and start driving enrollment.

The initial media buy resulted in the college receiving a record number of online inquiries totalling more than double their current student enrollment.