See how a mission-based marketing and branding approach put The Saklan School, an independent school in Moraga, CA on the map. This case study was presented at the CAIS Trustee Heads Conference in San Francisco on 1/21/2012 by Colby Creative, Marketing with a Mission

1. Your Mission is your Brand
The Saklan School

2. What’s a Brand?
What’s a Brand?

3. brand: a mark made by burning or otherwise
to indicate kind, grade, make, or ownership

4. Your branding says a lot
about you.
• it indicates ownership
• it shows what kind of organization you are
• it makes you recognizable
• it separates you from the herd

5. Branding is:
•the embodiment of your mission
•bringing your mission to life
•your personality

6. Branding is not:
•Logo
•Typeface/graphics
•Colors

7. It’s a whole concept.
•Mission statement
•Creative campaign
•Logo
•Visual Style
•Voice
•applied to the whole school

8. mis.sion n.: An inner calling to pursue an
activity or perform a service.

9. state.ment: 1. Something stated as a single
declaration or remark: assertion

10. The Old Mission
The educational mission of Saklan Valley School is to
expand the heart, mind and character of each individual
by providing successive academic and personal challenges
in an environment of support and encouragement.
In each student we seek to develop a respect for and
responsibility to self, peers, community and the world.
We are committed to fostering in each student a genuine
and lasting love of learning.
Saklan is a community of students, teachers, and parents
united for academic excellence via a personal approach to
educating the whole child.

11. A Mission Statement Should Be:
•clear
•true
•disciplined
•meaningful
•memorable

12. Consider
your audience’s
perspective
Think outside in

13. Address (mis)perceptions:
•Too small/limiting
•Unnecessary
expense
•Too far
•Special needs kids

14. Fix real challenges
•Vague, East Coast
prep school identity
•Lack of awareness
•Facilities

15. The $20,000 Dollar Question:
What makes paying for a Saklan education
worth it to you in an area with
a highly-rated public school system?

16. Here’s why:
•Small class sizes encourage kids to take risks, explore their potential, and
take leadership roles.
•Creative teaching that provides more opportunities to grow, stimulate
curiosity, and develop self-guided learning.
•A safe, age-appropriate culture that promotes personal growth, connection
and interpersonal skills.
•Excellent teachers at every grade level with a common philosophy of
education.
•High test scores - 100% of class receives admission to their first choice of
high school. ERB scores averaging in the 90th percentile.

17. Goals for the new Mission
•Establish Saklan’s niche as enriched education that
better meets the needs of above average students.
•Own creative thinking/thinkers
•Communicate the value of a balanced social/
emotional/developmental approach to learning.

18. The Saklan Mission

19. To challenge students to
think creatively,
act compassionately.
live courageously.

20. Mission Accomplished
•Challenge implies a high level of academic
performance.
•Focus on creativity speaks to families with bright
kids who are seeking a deeper educational
experience than public schools can provide.
•It differentiates a niche that Saklan serves.
•It tells you what is important at Saklan.

21. New Brand Concept

22. Small school.
Big thinking.

23. Brand character
• Creative
• Bright
• Big
• Neighborly

24. Here’s how we
How we Brought it to Life
brought it to life.

28. think
live
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act
creatively
courageously
Business Card

29. Viewbook/Growth Chart

33. New Mission. New Name.

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52. think creatively. act compassionately. live courageously.

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