Insights

Nice to knows and need to knows.

The hottest trends and latest insights from around the world of higher education.

Announcing the New CEO of SimpsonScarborough

Today, on our 13th Founder’s Day, I am extraordinarily proud to announce Jason Simon’s promotion to Chief Executive Officer of SimpsonScarborough. Jason Simon joined SimpsonScarborough six years ago...

Announcements
Woman journaling in a book.
Higher Ed Marketing's Missing Role: The Content Strategist
There's a hole in your org chart.

As big as it is, it's incredibly difficult to see because the role has yet to exist. It's a content strategist. Some institutions have content strategists. If they...

Strategy
Woman designing on computers in a creative office space.
What Exactly is Website Accessibility (And Why Does it Matter)?

When designing a new building there are laws the architect and contractor must follow to make sure the building is accessible to all people. These accessibility standards can be as straightforward as...

Digital
An elephant standing in an open field.
The Blind Men and the Elephant

In the closing moments of the 2019 Brand New Conference, Forest Young (global principal and head of design at Wolff Olins) referenced the parable of the blind men and the elephant while recounting...

Design
Ryan Reynolds Aviation Gin Peloton Twitter Post
What Higher Ed Marketers Can Learn from Peloton (and Aviation Gin)

Just before the holidays, I got an email from a client and close friend who is the VP of Marketing at a small, private college. He wrote:

“Just launched this big digital campaign for our one of our...

Thought leadership
How to Reach Gen Z, Part 2: Messaging

This is part 2 of our 3 part series on Gen Z, where we share trends, key takeaways, and actionable insights from our research on Gen Z.

Thought leadership
Man focusing on computer
The Pressure to be Perfect

A few months ago, a client launched their new brand creative, including a new identity system. I spent the better part of two days on Reddit reviewing comments and memes from students on the topic. I...

Thought leadership
SS-CBUS-Lifestyle-Web-1413
Best Practices of Higher Ed Web Design

So you're about to embark on your next .edu redesign. One of the crucial first steps is to know your audiences and to know them well (hint: it's not your administration, faculty, or board.) This will...

Thought leadership, Digital, websites
SS-CBUS-Lifestyle-Web-1133
AMA 2019: Let’s Try Something New

If you left the 2019 AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education after the first ten minutes, you might have gone straight home to close up shop at the university marketing and communications...

Thought leadership, AMA Higher Ed
ColeLonderee_1
An Interview with SimpsonScarborough's Creative Director, Cole Londeree
Cole Londeree is SimpsonScarborough's recently promoted Creative Director, overseeing an ever-growing creative team of six including graphic designers, copywriters, and videographers. She reports to...
Announcements, Creative
An Uncommon Approach to an Uncommon Campaign
The Campaign for the Uncommon Good was taking shape long before we ever arrived on campus, but to see it cast into public view — and inch ever-closer to its goal of $275 million — makes it all the...
Thought leadership, Client Work, Digital, Research, Video, Creative, Strategy
A Year in the Life of Launching a Brand

College Homecoming – that unmistakable combination of crisp fall air, changing leaves, and deep nostalgia for days gone by. But there's also something about being on a college campus that feels like...

Client Work
Person typing on a computer
Time to tidy up your .edu

Each time we are engaged in a higher education website redesign, we find ourselves in a conversation about the purpose of the .edu as it serves many different audiences with vastly different needs. ...

Thought leadership, Digital, websites