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George Fox University (GFU), established in 1891, has a legacy of academic rigor, spiritual growth, and community impact. Located in Newberg, Oregon, GFU is the state’s top private university, a reputation built on its commitment to its “Be Known” philosophy. However, in a rapidly changing world, GFU sought to deepen its resonance with prospective students and their families. In 2020, amidst a global pandemic, they partnered with Watson Creative to develop a campaign that could inspire and unite audiences while navigating unprecedented uncertainty.
GFU’s challenge was to enhance its brand relevance without losing its core identity rooted in faith. The goal was clear: craft a narrative that captured the resilience, joy, and grit of its community while showcasing its academic and spiritual leadership.
Watson started by leading workshops with university leaders, faculty, and students to unearth the essence of George Fox. Stakeholder interviews and audience analysis revealed three unifying themes: Faith, Grit, and Joy. These became the pillars of the campaign.
The “Faith, Grit, Joy” campaign unified GFU’s messaging across all platforms. Watson delivered:
Watson also emphasized the university’s distinctive values through its Be Known and Stand Tall themes, weaving them into all deliverables, including a robust digital experience.
The campaign’s impact was profound:
Community engagement soared, with increased attendance at events and higher retention among incoming students. The campaign not only met but exceeded GFU’s expectations, leaving a lasting impression.
“The Watson team was the best collaborative partner...they spent time with our team, listened to stakeholders, workshopped with our employees and customers, and understood the competitive landscape. All the pre-work with our team to understand who we are and where we want to go was critical to the outstanding deliverables they crafted for us. The Watson team was fantastic to work with and helped us make a leap in our messaging.” – Vanessa Spier, George Fox University · Executive Director of Marketing Communications
Build from insight. Strategy isn’t guesswork—it’s groundwork. We listen, research, and distill what matters to guide smarter decisions and set a solid creative direction.
Make it meaningful. From naming to narratives, we create content that speaks with purpose—rooted in truth, tuned to your audience, and built to connect.
Design for behavior. We craft digital experiences that are intuitive, scalable, and aligned with how real people move, click, swipe, and search.
Bring brands to life. Physical spaces, moments, and memories matter. We design experiences that feel human—and stay with you long after the lights go out.
Drive connection. Our marketing approach blends data and instinct—getting the right message to the right people, in ways that actually move them.
Partner on progress. We work alongside your team to solve real problems, shift thinking, and build internal alignment—without the agency ego.
