Missouri S&T rang in the New Year with the introduction of a refreshed brand identity. And it represents something more than a revamped aesthetic. It’s about building a sense of pride among all Miners. It’s about celebrating our shared heritage of looking beyond the surface to uncover solutions. Because no matter how many miles or years separate us, we are united by a universal truth: Miners Dig Deeper.
Those three words — Miners Dig Deeper — articulate the essence of Missouri S&T’s brand. More than a slogan or a tagline, the phrase defines our personality, character and core. It expresses the essence of what it means to be a Miner. And now, Miners Dig Deeper will be integral to how we communicate who we are to our many constituents — from alumni and donors to prospective students, research partners, employers and the public.
Missouri S&T began the process of developing a refreshed brand identity nearly 18 months ago with extensive market research. Through surveys, focus groups and forums, we affirmed our strengths, uncovered new insights about our brand and pinpointed what makes Missouri S&T distinctive. Our findings confirmed that S&T is recognized for academic excellence, respected for innovation and highly regarded for the return on tuition investment. Our findings also demonstrated that our reputation, while strong among prospective undergraduate students, has room to grow.
From social media to stationery, web design to workshop presentations, a brand identity has many moving parts. Implementing all of them will take time. The preliminary launch of the Miners Dig Deeper concept is under way with a redesigned university website, an online brand toolkit and a new look for the Shillelagh.
In the coming months, expect to see changes in Missouri S&T Magazine and other publications as we energize how we tell our stories. On campus, brand training workshops will help members of the university community incorporate the verbal, visual and virtual aspects of Miners Dig Deeper into their communications efforts. This groundwork will set the stage for a more public launch of the brand in fall 2016. For more information, visit brand.mst.edu.