University of New Mexico West

Rio Rancho, New Mexico, 2010–2017  

Description of engagement: Campbell Consulting was engaged to assist UNM West in Rio Rancho, New Mexico to design a new brand for the campus and implement a marketing program. The purpose was to increase awareness of educational opportunities available at UNM West and drive increased enrollment.  The seven-year partnership ended June 30, 2017.

The marketing challenge: UNM West had been offering classes at a West Side location for several years and had just moved into a new building at the Rio Rancho City Center. Local area knowledge of where the campus was located and the variety of courses available to prospective students was very low among residents of Sandoval County of all ages as well as among college-age residents.

The marketing solution 2010 – 2013:  Create a new brand identity to be used as an umbrella from which to market the benefits a small campus, located in Rio Rancho would bring to UNM students living in Sandoval County.  “A Different Breed of Lobo” was produced and implemented as the umbrella positioning for UNM West. The idea was to build upon the already strong connection with the UNM Lobo in the market and identify UNM West as part of UNM, yet different. Marketing solution 2013 – 2017: Expand the target audience to include local area high school and their parents, working students return to college and existing students. Maintain the “A Different Breed of Lobo” and create “Different Breed of Lobo” 2.0 to reach students where they live, play and study. Add interactive platforms to the traditional marketing mix. Install large chalkboard images on campus walls where the UNM West student could pose, take selfies and post them on their Facebook pages; creating an organic sharing of UNM West pride.

Services provided included:

  • Strategic consultation, marketing assessments, and staff workshops for new brand image
  • Negotiation and management of media services
  • An annual integrated marketing plan to yield:
  • Posters and banners for advertising in local area shopping malls and in area high schools
  • A set of 15 seconds video ads in area movie theaters and YouTube
  • Newspaper, magazine and radio advertisements
  • Electronic marquee billboards at the Santa Ana Star Center
  • Community leader Opinion Editorials in the Albuquerque Journal, Rio Rancher observer???
  • Community outreach portfolio of collateral
  • Web-based and social media communications
  • Life-size chalk drawings on campus walls for student selfies
  • Student testimonials embedded within the UNM West website and broadcast on YouTube
  • Created hashtag #UNMWEST for twitter?
  • Selfies happened organically in with students posting on the UNM West facebook page

Results: UNM West experienced a 75 percent increase in enrollments from 2013 to 2015. (Source UNM West Administration.)

Samples of the work produced for UNM West include: