Marketplace to rebrand university

Oxford Brookes University has appointed Marketplace to revamp its brand identity, which is set to be unveiled next summer as the university celebrates its tenth anniversary.

The consultancy was appointed after a credentials pitch against Spencer Landor, Citigate Lloyd Northover and Riley Consulting. Oxford Brookes refuses to disclose the fee for the work.

The work includes a strategic review of Oxford Brookes, as well as the creation of a visual brand identity for the university.

Oxford Brookes had briefed ‘about five’ predominantly local Oxfordshire consultancies to look at the university’s brand proposition (DW 25 October).

The branding programme forms part of Oxford Brookes’ five-year ‘strategic mission’, says director of corporate affairs Julie Treanor.

‘We are “branding” in the fullest sense, including the portfolio of services we offer to our customers and the way we communicate with them,’ she says.

It is moving towards a two-semester instead of a three-term year in 2003 and is seeking to woo corporate clients and attract more research programme funding.

Marketplace created the original Oxford Brookes identity when it changed from a polytechnic to become a university in 1992.