Ignite a Brighter World is the largest visibility campaign in the university’s history. Strategic promotional placements externally, internal collaborations, and impactful partnerships have been rolling out all academic year, in the L.A. region and targeted markets nationwide.
MarComm’s Marketing and Brand Management team has been leading these initiatives, in collaboration with campus partners including Academic Affairs, Enrollment Management, University Advancement, Student Affairs, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Mission and Ministry, and Athletics.
The campaign serves three overarching goals: to raise LMU’s overall awareness and name recognition; to solidify LMU’s academic reputation; and to instill pride and ambassadorship. The initiatives aim to raise the value of an LMU degree and support the university’s strategic plan commitment to extend our reach beyond the bluff. Specific objectives provide support for the university’s priorities, including increasing enrollment successes, raising event attendance revenues, supporting the university’s comprehensive campaign efforts, elevating the university’s rankings, supporting faculty recruitment, promoting student and faculty achievements, generating momentum and instilling pride within our students and student-athletes, distinguishing the university by showcasing its Catholic, Jesuit, and Marymount mission, and other goals that align with the university’s interests.
Ignite a Brighter World launched internally in August with a campus banner series celebrating LMU pride and the students, faculty, and staff heroes who embody LMU’s mission. As the fall semester continued, the pride-building and storytelling gained momentum through the following unmissable integrated marketing efforts:
- A video series featured students and faculty who ignite a brighter world through their research, student leadership, and professional paths.
- Global Conversations events featured Dr. Henry Louis Gates in conversation with restaurateur David Chang; acclaimed writer and LMU professor Julia Lee; and beloved education icon, LeVar Burton.
- At the 68th Alumni BBQ and the Beyond the Bluff event series, alumni around the country celebrated LMU pride and our Ignite a Brighter World campaign. These regional activations took place in Washington, DC, New York, Boston, Orange County, San Diego, San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle.
- The Education Summit, held in partnership with the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, convened regional business, education, and policy leaders to explore how we can work together to prepare the workforce for the future.
- A new partnership with the Los Angeles Rams, announced in September, brought unprecedented national visibility to LMU and unique academic opportunities for students.
- The Ignite Lion Pride campaign celebrated our student-athletes and LMU Lions fan culture.
- Anima Mundi, a creative multimedia spectacular, wowed audiences as we honored the 50th anniversary of the merger of Loyola University and Marymount College.
- A new regional and national ad campaign launched with major placements on the L.A. Metro, regional movie theaters, city-wide light poles, and New York’s Times Square!
- A wide-reaching digital campaign reaching priority audiences in LMU’s major prospect and alumni markets, on platforms including Google, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, TikTok, Snapchat, and streaming TV.
- Storytelling and social-first video content on LMU social media reinforce campaign narratives with record-breaking, award-winning reach and engagement.
- In parallel, dozens of unique graduate marketing campaigns capitalize on the university’s external visibility momentum to generate more interest in graduate programs.
- LMU Silicon Beach Think Tank partnered with the Distinguished Speaker Series of Southern California to present Dr. Moogega Cooper, NASA JPL’s Planetary Protection Engineer, who shared her experience as a black woman in STEM for Seaver Alumni, faculty and the community.
- In collaboration with LMU’s research leaders, faculty, and students, LMU Membership in the Alliance for SoCal Innovation provides new research relationships, best practices, knowledge sharing and increased visibility amongst R1 industry partners to spotlight some of the most urgent social, economic, and spiritual issues of our time.
This spring, the LMU community can expect even more engaging activations:
- The regional and national ad campaign continues, with high-impact digital, audio, and outdoor placements, including highly visible spots at LAX, one of the world’s busiest airports.
- Beyond the Bluff regional activations continue in Chicago, Dallas, and Phoenix.
- The higher education leaders campaign is reaching presidents, provosts, and other university executives with targeted communications, as we seek to elevate LMU’s reputation as a leading research institution.
- LMU continues a yearlong celebration of the Loyola-Marymount merger, with a primary sponsorship and major presence at the Religious Education Congress, the largest annual gathering of Catholics in the U.S.
- The Ignite a Brighter World t-shirt contest encourages student creativity, with a winning design sold at the LMU bookstore.
- As a primary sponsor of today’s U.S. Senatorial Debate, LMU will showcase our students and university on-air in regional and national NBC television promotions.
- Professional conference sponsorships and civic organization memberships deepen LMU ties with partners in academia and the business community that mentors and hires LMU students. Spring event sponsorships include the American Association of Colleges and Universities, the LA Chamber of Commerce, LA Business Journal, Alliance for SoCal Innovation, and SEG3.
- The 3rd Annual LMU Innovation Symposium, presented in collaboration with CBA and SFTV, will delve into the dynamic intersection of film, entertainment, and international business in the digital age, bringing together industry leaders, visionaries, and creative minds.
- LMU continues to cement our community partnerships by sponsoring Playa Vista’s Lunar Celebration raising the visibility of LMU’s Chinese Program and student cultural clubs.
Watch for ways to participate in and amplify Ignite a Brighter World this spring. If you have other ideas to bring your area of campus into the campaign, share them with LMU MarComm.