Where Edges Meet
Championing the liberal arts with Vassar College, and the added value of hospitality branding.
Why give a damn about Vassar?
The idea that liberal arts colleges are at significant risk of falling into oblivion has been around for decades – every few years, we see articles with headlines like, “The Liberal Arts May Not Survive the 21st Century,” or “Are The Liberal Arts In Trouble?” and we consider a world where one of the most important approaches to higher learning no longer exists.
It’s in this climate that Vassar College came to us. Being one of the elite liberal arts institutions brings with it a lot of good, but when the liberal arts are being called into question as an approach to higher education, it can present some challenges.
Other institutions might find themselves in an identity crisis. But instead of running away from their roots, Vassar chose courage over comfort and doubled down. After all, in a time where we find society more polarized than ever, where disagreement is confused with disrespect, a liberal arts education – particularly the one that is received at Vassar – is, perhaps, more important than ever.
And it was with this in mind that we sought to connect Vassar to the cultural conversation of today—and to create work that we can all obsess over.
Finding Our Human Connection:
“Go to the source.” It’s a phrase that’s almost a mantra at Vassar College – and its one that represents a firm belief in making your own assessments and decisions based on fact. It’s about never taking things at face value – and forming an opinion through critical thinking, open debate and observation. A fiercely active and vocal collective, the Vassar community is unafraid to question and, if we’re honest, a little rebellious and ruggedly individual.
Which, we have to admit, is pretty cool with us.
The history of Vassar, after all, is a Comedy of Errors when it comes to their boldness. They formed in 1861 as a women’s college immediately before the Civil War started (and therefore all the women had to compensate for the men off at war – in other words, not busy themselves with education). They went co-ed in 1969 immediately before the first lottery draft for the Vietnam War began (and men were being sent to war – again). They went need-blind in their admissions process in 2007, immediately before the financial collapse of 2008.
But the thing is, when Vassar knows something is right to do, when they’ve gone through the careful consideration and made a decision – they’re going to do it. It’s just in their nature. No matter how uncomfortable it might be.
And in this beautiful tension – this healthy friction – we found our human connection:
Inspiration that leads the advancement of society is found at the edges—of tensions, borders, and collisions of ideas.
Where Edges Meet.
Which inspired our strategy:
Making People Feel Something Real:
It doesn’t always work this way, but in this case, the creative expression was quite a literal or direct translation of that brand strategy idea into market-facing language, look and feel.
Pushing ourselves to tap into the human experience of what happens when we find ourselves connecting across collision, we centered on the very real reaction of a spark – and what a spark can lead to. An aha moment, a change in course, a friendship, a new idea a change in course, or even, sometimes an entire movement – sparks are where the magic happens. They’re what power us into the future.
And at Vassar, that tension drives the spark that powers everything they do –
From their impassioned discourse
To their unified individualism
To their naturally cultivated style
And, lastly their, fearlessly consequential mark on the world
From admissions to reputation to leadership communications, our work showcased how the spark that is lit at Vassar ends up changing the course of history.
And…
if you thought this was already a bold move in an unfriendly climate, then this next assignment really showed off Vassar’s courage and boldness – and ended up being a really exciting assignment for us. In 2019, Vassar asked us to take our work to the next level and bring the brand to a physical experience that could truly let them live their promise as being a place where edges meet.
The “Inn and Institute”
was a somewhat radical idea for a small liberal arts school – so, of course and true to form, that’s why Vassar was doing it. Creating a space where scholars, leading thinkers and public figures could come together to share with others – to bring their own edges into a shared space.
But it wasn’t just about bringing those individuals of consequence to campus, it was also about bringing communities together, through a restaurant and community space meant for individuals of all perspectives and lived experiences.
The Cultural Payoff:
Championing the liberal arts education and positioning it as the key to a brighter future for all (not just the Vassar community)
Combatting false narrative of Vassar as a women’s college meant only for the privileged few and replacing it with one of radical inclusion, rebellion and progress
Owning a commitment to the liberal arts and public discourse by investing in a physical space to convene
