CASE STUDY:
Innovating Brand Identity
for Columbia Climate School

Project Focus:

Brand Identity, Digital Marketing

Design Firm:

Up&Up Agency

Role:

Sr. Digital Art Director

OVERVIEW

Columbia University’s Climate School, dedicated to educating future leaders and developing innovative solutions to combat climate change, aimed to revitalize its digital marketing campaign.

The objective was to craft a compelling strategy with clear messaging and engaging visual designs to boost enrollment. The campaign sought to push boundaries by delivering cohesive and captivating digital content that embodies the school’s values, showcases its immersive and interdisciplinary Ivy League experience, and positions it as the premier destination for climate studies.

CHALLENGES

Columbia University’s Climate School faced several key challenges:

Creative Fatigue: Reusing old ad assets led to declining interest and fewer enrollments (fig. 18).
Unengaging Messaging: Vague sustainability messaging weakened their brand value.
Gen Z Engagement Gap: Columbia struggled to connect with prospective students due to a lack of authentic messaging.

fig. 18 - Previous Columbia Climate School display ads

SOLUTIONS

Discovery & Research

Our team mapped campaign data against admissions results to focus on high-demand majors and regions. This strategy aligned with a key insight: while Gen Z’s environmental optimism is waning, their desire for systemic action is at an all-time high (fig. 24).

Because this generation seeks catalysts rather than just degrees, we moved away from safe, traditional marketing. Instead, we used a 'disruptor' strategy with visuals and messaging that mirrored the gravity of the climate crisis, positioning the school as the premier destination for those demanding real-world solutions.

fig. 24

Branding Strategy

Big climate problems need bold thinkers. We connected with Gen Z by showing exactly how Columbia empowers students to fight climate change through real research and resources.

As Sr. Digital Art Director, I translated our copywriter's strategy into concepts that depicted high-stakes ecosystems such as forests, oceans, and the atmosphere. This created a disruptive visual language that replaced previous stagnant campaigns (fig. 117).

fig. 117

Building on the approved 'Earth and Tree' aesthetic, I introduced a human-centric narrative for the next round of concepts, shifting the focus toward the individuals driving change.

By blending environmental elements with portraits of climate activists, the design highlighted the school's unique combination of human ambition and scientific innovation.

This visual strategy effectively communicated a sense of urgency and purpose, leading to its selection for the final campaign.

OUTCOMES

Key Performance Indicators

Brand Awareness: Successfully delivered 6M+ ad impressions across multi-channel campaigns.
User Engagement: Secured 1,000+ conversions within a 6-month period.
Cost Efficiency: Maintained a highly competitive $53 CPA (Cost Per Acquisition).

Client Feedback

Columbia Climate School noted exceptional satisfaction with the campaign, specifically highlighting the impactful visual aesthetics and the seamless creative flow that resonated with the target demographic.

CONCLUSION

The fight against climate change demands a movement. By replacing stagnant campaigns with bold storytelling and authentic visuals that resonated with Gen Z’s hunger for impact, we didn’t just boost enrollment—we ignited purpose. With 6 million+ impressions and 1,000+ conversions, this project proves that when science meets high-end creative, the world takes notice.

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