INTO University Partnerships

INTO partners with universities around the world, but its materials used a white-label approach that made it hard for each university to stand out. We shifted the strategy so each university's brand led, with INTO as the trusted partner behind it. I built the co-branding framework and brand guidelines used across 20+ partner universities, and led design for 11 co-branded partnership launches as the joint venture network grew from 6 to 12 partners.

A cost-cutting mandate became a brand repositioning. We replaced 100-page printed brochures with a multi-format system of compact print, online catalogs, and live, searchable academic grids built with IT and development teams. When the company moved to a new CRM platform, I designed university-branded email template systems for 30 partners, which leadership presented to all joint venture partners at the annual conference. Results: an 84% increase in application rates, a 72% increase in click-to-open rates, and a 25% increase in open rates.

I led a team of three designers and a production manager, building the templates and quality checklists that let each designer own partner work independently. I also had dotted-line design leadership of 12 marketing specialists, one at each joint venture partner university, guiding their work to keep each brand consistent within the system. We partnered with business development, product, legal, IT, and regional teams across multiple countries.