York House School
York House School came to Monday on the brink of major change. Steeped in tradition but far from stuck in its ways, the school had just launched an audacious strategic plan for inclusive girls’ education. It was time for the brand to catch up. York House wanted its transformative on-campus experience to reflect across every marketing channel—and to invite a more diverse student body to flourish there.
Brand R+D to reach the right audience
To welcome a new wave of prospective families and students (a.k.a. “Yorkies”), the school first needed to break free of some misperceptions. Many believe private schools are reserved for the privileged, but York House is making a future-ready education more accessible for more young women. Branding for education feels most authentic when it’s rooted in insights from the people who live it every day. So, Monday dug deep into research and focus groups with current Yorkies and staff to create a series of audience personas, pinpointing the values, pain points and common interests of students and parents. These personas set the foundation that anchored our forthcoming strategy, ensuring it would ring true for the school’s audience—and so would their future admissions marketing.
Strategic verbal identity and brand positioning
We distilled the heart of York House into ownable, inclusive language that captures why the school is so special. We reflected that spark and spirit in the brand’s verbal identity, then defined editorial best practices and channel nuances in a writing style guide that keeps every copywriter on the same page. That brand voice is loud and clear in the school’s courageous new positioning—inspiring future Yorkies to discover the power of their own voice.
Refreshed visual identity and a total brand toolkit
York House has a rich history in Vancouver. Pieces of their existing identity, like the school logo and distinctive tartan pattern, are deeply woven into their story. Monday paid tribute to the brand’s heritage with an identity that feels decidedly 21st century. A vibrant colour palette and energetic patterns complement the contemporary typeface and visual layouts. We set the York House team up to make the most of the refreshed visual brand with a suite of graphic assets—from flexible email modules to digital and print assets. With everything documented in their new brand guidelines and toolkit, York House has one source of truth for visual standards and strategy.
Rolling out the new brand
Monday’s ongoing partnership with York House is colourful and collaborative. As the school continues fulfilling its strategic vision, our deep involvement behind the scenes has us feeling like honorary Yorkies. From fresh photography and concepts for a student recruitment campaign to user-centric copy for the soon-to-launch website, we’ve been shaping creative building blocks to support the next chapter of enrollment marketing at the school.
Photography
Rachel Pick
Alana Paterson
Asst. Bree Avery