Brand Strategy & Creative Collaboration Across Stanford

We partnered with faculty, researchers, schools, centers, internal marketing teams, and external agencies to help shape dozens of initiatives. 

select projects

Stanford University Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence

Stanford Filming Interactions to Nurture Development

Stanford Seed

Stanford Accelerator for Learning

Stanford Graduate School of Business: Brand Refresh

Stanford Graduate School of Business: GSB Marketing & Communications

Stanford Graduate School of Business: Department Collaborations

Stanford Graduate School of Business campus beauty shot with well-maintained grassy area, trees, outdoor seating, and illuminated interior and exterior lights at dusk.
A Stanford University one student sitting at a picnic table outdoors under a tree, working on a laptop and another laying beside her working on a laptop for relaxed campus vibes.
stanford15-77.jpg
Drone shot of aerial view of a Stanford Graduate School of Business with red-roofed buildings, green trees, sports fields, and a mountain range in the distance under a blue sky with wispy clouds.
A students and a professor engaged in conversation outdoors on Stanford GSB campus, one woman wearing a blue hijab and a name tag, another woman wearing glasses, and a woman with curly hair, set on Knight Management Center.
Reflection of people sitting and talking on Change Wall at Stanford Graduate School of Business, visible through reflective glass with white text overlay that reads "[Ways to Change]".
Three people sitting on wooden chairs on Stanford Graduate School of Business campus. The man is wearing white earphones and writing in a notebook, while the 2 women are relaxing and in conversation together.
A person with curly hair carrying a backpack skateboarding on Stanford University campus with trees, houses, street lamps, and stone planters.
A view of Stanford Graduate School of Business campus at sunset, showing multiple modern beige buildings with red-tiled roofs, green trees, outdoor benches, and a central courtyard with outdoor seating, and Hoover Tower is visible in the distance.
Staff and faculty gathered outside Highland Hall, a colorful, multi-level building with purple, yellow, and orange sections, seen through a metal gate on Stanford GSB campus.
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A crowd of students standing and walking in front of Bass on Knight Management Center campus with large windows and a tan facade. The scene is outdoors under a clear blue sky, with trees and other campus buildings nearby.
Two students walking and riding bikes outside the Cecil H. Green Library at Stanford University on a sunny day with Hoover Tower in the background.
Close-up of a person's hand placing sticky notes on a whiteboard, handwritten Stanford Graduate School of Business tagline "Change lives. Change Organizations. Change the World."

We became trusted collaborators for a wide range of Stanford teams, each with different audiences, goals, and challenges.

Brand strategy
Advertising campaigns
Videography 
Sound + music design
Brand refresh
Ambient advertising
Icon development
Brand Architecture
Social Media Strategy
Photography
Copywriting
Art Direction
Experiential Events
Website Design
Motion Design
Internal Brand Identity
Print Design
The Brief

Over several years, we collaborated on branding, marketing, infrastructure, storytelling, digital experiences, events, campaigns, and communications across numerous Stanford schools, centers, and initiatives.

THE Challenge

Across Stanford, each school, institute, and initiative serves a unique audience with distinct goals, stakeholders, and constraints.

Some needed to enroll students. Others needed to attract donors, engage entrepreneurs, communicate groundbreaking research, or launch entirely new programs.

Stanford University Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence

Featured in Forbes

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Featured in Forbes // 

in collaboration with Stanford HAI, Madeleine Wright, Jeanina Casusi 
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Stanford Filming Interactions to Nurture Development

Image library for Stanford FIND: Children and adults holding hands and playing together outdoors.
Image library for Stanford FIND: A woman and a young girl examining a globe together in a colorful classroom setting. 
in collaboration with Shawn Edmondson
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Stanford Seed

Award-winning video + photography

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Award-winning video + photography //

Seed Effect Full Length
Chris Royall
Award Winning Stanford Seed image: A man in an orange and blue striped shirt and a yellow safety helmet stands in front of a concrete building under construction, looking into the distance in Africa.
Award Winning Stanford Seed image: A man wearing a traditional blue African shirt stands in a poultry farm aisle, holding eggs, with multiple chicken cages filled with chickens and eggs on either side.
Award Winning Stanford Seed image: Three women sitting together on a bed in a room, smiling and having a conversation in Africa.
Award Winning Stanford Seed image: Three women working in a textile business in Africa, with fabric and sewing supplies around them.
Brand Clarity case study 
in collaboration with Linda McCulloch, Stanford Seed, Tiffany Steeves, Kendra Gladych, Elena Zhukova
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Our Approach

Every project brought together different combinations of faculty, researchers, marketers, communicators, creative directors, writers, developers, photographers, videographers, and agency partners.

Our role was to help teams find clarity, tell better stories, and create experiences people could actually connect with. Whether leading strategy, shaping messaging, directing creative, implementing new processes, designing digital experiences, or supporting launches, we helped multidisciplinary teams communicate ideas that matter.

Stanford Accelerator for Learning

A newsletter page for Stanford Accelerator for Learning featuring a timeline of various education conferences and summits with photos of speakers and panels at each event. Includes descriptions of each event and their dates. 
in collaboration with Isabel Sacks
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“Brand-ish helped the Stanford Accelerator for Learning develop from an emergent collection of exciting research projects to a brand with a fresh, but professional look and feel, giving us legitimacy with our key audiences as our reach expanded. The team at Brand-ish is efficient, whip-smart, highly skilled, and always takes the time to not only understand our brand, but uplevel it in ways we hadn’t even thought of.”

—ISABEL SACKS 
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Stanford Graduate School of Business: Brand Refresh

Stanford Graduate School of Business Brand refresh color palette animation.
Award Winning Stanford GSB image: A bright red-painted interior stairwell with square windows allowing sunlight to cast shadows on the walls. A person with glasses and a backpack is ascending the stairs in low shutter photography.
Stanford GSB brand refresh inspiration architecture image. The image shows a courtyard of a blue campus building with a swimming pool. Olive trees with potted plants and wooden chairs are arranged around the pool area, under a clear blue sky.
Stanford GSB brand refresh inspiration architecture image. Looking up at a colorful, modern staircase with rectangular frames in green and purple, viewed from the bottom of Highland Hall.
Stanford GSB brand refresh inspiration architecture image. Interior of a modern space with a purple large sphere, wooden tables and benches, a staircase with purple vertical bars, green walls, and exit signs of Highland Hall.
Stanford GSB brand refresh inspiration architecture image. Looking up at a spiral staircase from the bottom of library, with bright light at the top and white railings surrounding the open space.
Exterior Stanford Graduate School of Business campus at dusk of a modern multi-story building with a courtyard, outdoor seating, and landscaped gardens.
Stanford GSB brand refresh inspiration campus architecture image. Modern indoor space with a large wooden table and chairs, people working on laptops, and circular ceiling lights on a yellow-orange wall.
Close-up one of two "Change Walls" located at Knight Management Center. "Monument to Change as It Changes" kinetic art installation by artist Peter Wegner with bright red, orange, and yellow colors.
Campus beauty shot: located at Knight Management Center "Monument to Change as It Changes" kinetic art installation by artist Peter Wegner with student walking in front. Displaying two inverse circles in yellow and magenta.
Stanford GSB brand refresh inspiration architecture image. Modern building with large glass windows, an interior space with brightly colored chairs and tables, and people inside, surrounded by trees and greenery at Highland Hall.
One of two "Change Walls" located at Knight Management Center. "Ways to Change (The Adverb Wall)" kinetic art installation by artist Peter Wegner an LED and glass digital wall installation.
Stanford Graduate School of Business campus shot: Two women sitting on outdoor lounge chairs working on laptops, at Highland Hall, pink flowers, and a tiled roof in the background.
A motivational poster supporting Stanford GSB Story brand refresh. Has layered geometric shapes derived from Philip Knight's footprint art installation on campus overlaid with text about purpose and growth.
Stanford Graduate School of Business, Nike co-founder Philip Knight's footprints are part of an art installation called Your Future Collaborators by artist Peter Wegner, located on the walkway in front of the Bass Center
Poster supporting Stanford GSB Story brand refresh, "WE FIND PURPOSE TOGETHER" and smaller pillar text "Principled Leadership," "Transformative Experiences," "Positive Impact Through Action," and "Pushing the Boundaries of Knowledge."
Poster supporting Stanford GSB Story brand refresh, "WE FIND PURPOSE TOGETHER" and smaller pillar text "Principled Leadership," "Transformative Experiences," "Positive Impact Through Action," and "Pushing the Boundaries of Knowledge."
Three Stanford GSB students sitting outside in front of "Monument to Change as It Changes" kinetic art installation, smiling and talking during town hall meeting on campus.
Town hall meeting in conference room filled with staff, two screens display a presentation for 'The Stanford GSB Story,' to rollout the Stanford GSB Brand Refresh
Showcasing GSB Story pillars using shapes and imagery during town hall meeting filled with faculty and staff for 'The Stanford GSB Story,' rolling out the Stanford GSB Brand Refresh
Showcasing GSB Story pillars using shapes and imagery during town hall meeting filled with faculty and staff for 'The Stanford GSB Story,' rolling out the Stanford GSB Brand Refresh
A motivational poster with the text "We find purpose together" and "Positive impact through action". It promotes Stanford Graduate School of Business brand refresh pillars and features blue geometric shapes on gray background with black text.
A motivational poster with the text "We find purpose together" and "Positive impact through action". It promotes Stanford Graduate School of Business brand refresh pillars and features blue geometric shapes on gray background with black text.
A motivational poster with the text "We find purpose together" and "Transformative experience". It promotes Stanford Graduate School of Business brand refresh pillars and features red geometric shapes on gray background with black text.
A motivational poster with the text "We find purpose together" and "Transformative experience". It promotes Stanford Graduate School of Business brand refresh pillars and features red geometric shapes on gray background with black text.
A motivational poster with the text "We find purpose together" and "Pushing the boundaries of knowledge". It promotes Stanford Graduate School of Business brand refresh pillars and features purple geometric shapes and gray background with black text.
A motivational poster with the text "We find purpose together" and "Pushing the boundaries of knowledge". It promotes Stanford Graduate School of Business brand refresh pillars and features purple geometric shapes and gray background with black text.
A motivational poster with the text "We find purpose together" and "Principled leadership". It promotes Stanford Graduate School of Business brand refresh pillars and features yellow geometric shapes on gray background with black text.
A motivational poster with the text "We find purpose together" and "Principled leadership". It promotes Stanford Graduate School of Business brand refresh pillars and features yellow geometric shapes on gray background with black text.
Digital poster advertising the Latino Leadership Banquet at Stanford Business School of Business with event date, location, and registration link, featuring people conversing and using technology outdoors.
A motivational outdoor banner on Stanford Graduate School of Business Knight Management Center campus with the text "We find purpose together" attached to the pole holding the streetlamp. 
in collaboration with Linda McCulloch, Anastasiia Sapon, Elena Zhukova, Jenna Guswiler, Dominic Decarlo, Cory Hall, Elizabeth Wyleczuk-Stern, Jenny Hutchinson, Page Hetzel, Tricia Seibold, Kiefer Hickman, Sheila Singh, Bonnie Cegielski, Stanford Marketing & Communications, The Imagineering Company, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, Faculty, Staff, Researchers, and External Agencies (Specific collaborators varied by project)
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Stanford Graduate School of Business: Marketing & Communications

A red vertical banner with white text that reads 'Change the World' is hanging from a lamp post at Stanford GSB. Green tree branches and leaves are visible in the upper part of the image, and the sky is clear and blue.
A red vertical banner with white text that reads 'Change Lives' is hanging from a lamp post at Stanford GSB. There are multiple trees and a crowd of people walking and standing around campus.
A woman is speaking at a conference at Stanford Graduate School of Business, with GSB branded banners and a large presentation slide displaying the quote 'What would you do if you weren't afraid?' The audience is seated, listening to the speaker.
Wayfinding at Stanford Graduate School of Business showing a metal staircase, a yellow wall with small square cutouts, and a directory sign with a branded building map.
Wayfinding at Stanford Graduate School of Business: Wall decals indicating P3 Patterson Building, with additional signs for conference room P321 and other rooms P327A to P327D in a hallway.
Interactive digital display screen at Stanford Graduate School of Business campus, with details like an interactive map, calendar and eateries.
A passenger of the London Tube, reading a newspaper. Above her, an advertisement promoting Stanford Ignite: Impact in London.
Digital screen displaying a hashtag promotional message for Stanford GSB Life, "Tag your GSB Moments" to engage staff, faculty, and students
Natalie Rumao and Toni Bird are seen through a glass window, smiling and engaging in a brainstorm using sticky notes on the windows of the Stanford GSB campus building with a reflection of buildings, Hoover Tower, and trees.
Four Stanford GSB students, engaging in a lively conversation outdoors on campus on a bright sunny day.
A smiling Stanford Graduate School of Business student holding papers and a pen, engaging in conversation with a young man sitting with a laptop, in Arbuckle Dining Pavilion on Knight Management Center campus.
View of Stanford University's Graduate School of Business campus with modern buildings, people walking, and a clear blue sky using low shutter photography.
People dining outdoors at Arbuckle Dining Pavilion on Knight Management Center Stanford GSB campus on tables with umbrellas with trees and Hoover Tower in the background.
Drone shot aerial view of a Stanford University Graduate School of Businesscampus with red-tiled roofs, surrounding greenery, and mountains in the distance under a partly cloudy blue sky. 
in collaboration with Linda McCulloch, Anastasiia Sapon, Elena Zhukova, Jenna Guswiler, Dominic Decarlo, Cory Hall, Elizabeth Wyleczuk-Stern, Jenny Hutchinson, Page Hetzel, Tricia Seibold, Natalie Rumao, Kiefer Hickman, Sheila Singh, Bonnie Cegielski, Stanford Marketing & Communications, The Imagineering Company, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, Faculty, Staff, Researchers, and External Agencies (Specific collaborators varied by project)
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Stanford Graduate School of Business: Department Collaborations

Group of diverse professionals at Stanford Graduate School of Business engaged in a collaborative work session with sticky notes and pens, set in a modern office space with presentation screens.
Award Winning Photography from Stanford Graduate School of Business: Professionals engaged in conversation in classroom, with shelves of yellow and blue storage bins in the background.
Open booklet showing an agenda for the Stanford GDP conference, with times and topics. The hashtag #StanfordGDP is visible on the bottom right.
Conference brochure and name tag on a textured surface. The brochure reads 'Stanford Global Development and Poverty Conference, Shared Prosperity + Health, Advancing Global Development Through Innovation and Institutions'.
A conference room filled with seated attendees facing a stage with two large screens displaying the title 'Stanford Global Development and Poverty Conference.' Three panelists are seated on the stage. 
in collaboration with Linda McCulloch, Anastasiia Sapon, Elena Zhukova, Jenna Guswiler, Dominic Decarlo, Cory Hall, Elizabeth Wyleczuk-Stern, Jenny Hutchinson, Page Hetzel, Tricia Seibold, Natalie Rumao, Kiefer Hickman, Sheila Singh, Bonnie Cegielski, Stanford Marketing & Communications, The Imagineering Company, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, Faculty, Staff, Researchers, and External Agencies (Specific collaborators varied by project)
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“Some of my fondest memories from working at Stanford GSB is working with Amber and Nicole. They are delightful, positive, and creative forces. They are true collaborators able to translate, educate, and excite those they work with. Their ability to tackle project objectives and goals to find solutions to problems both in the designs and the user experience of their pieces is truly remarkable. I hope we can find a way to work together again in the future.”

—LINDA McCULLOCH 
CREATIVE DIRECTOR, STANFORD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

The Result

Each project defined success differently. Some focused on enrollment, while others measured engagement, website traffic, event attendance, fundraising, partnerships, or audience awareness.

While every engagement had unique goals, they all shared one outcome: helping important work connect with the people who needed it most.

  • Following launch of their rebrand, Stanford GSB’s internal marketing website had a 76% increase in traffic in the first few weeks

  • Increased engagement across digital platforms and events 

  • Departments engaged with new tools, templates, and resources solidifying continuity within the larger institutional brand

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