Elevating Avenues World School's Global Branding Strategy

Avenues World School offers an elite education experience characterized by bilingual learning, an interdisciplinary curriculum, project-based learning, and a comprehensive college preparatory program. Avenues’ stunning campuses serve K-12 students on six continents, gracing New York and São Paulo to Shenzhen and Silicon Valley.

Avenues aimed to challenge this status quo. Spearheaded by its in-house R&D team, comprising educators and researchers from diverse backgrounds, the school envisions an evolution in education. Through innovative methodologies tailored for the contemporary global citizen, Avenues is committed to redefining the educational landscape. The school's pioneering mindset leads to the development, experimentation, and implementation of novel approaches that culminate in enhanced student outcomes.

As an alpha-tier school nestled in various unique global settings across the world, Avenues World School boasts an extraordinary value proposition that, unfortunately in China, proved challenging to readily grasp. China’s traditional education culture, which has historically perceived education through a meritocratic lens, as well as a high-involvement parenting style that characterizes many Avenues Shenzhen families, can yield an ideological mismatch when the school’s internal lexicon and communication strategy lack a native approach. To pull off such an innovative value proposition in China’s education industry, maximize enrollment, minimize attrition, and build brand equity, Avenues required adept navigation.

MADJOR and the Labbrand team were engaged to deep dive into the world of Avenues, understanding the school and the brand in and out to provide the most valuable assessments and recommendations. After thorough research, analysis, and competitor auditing, MADJOR and Labbrand helped Avenues not only bridge the gap between the school's transformative vision and the local cultural fabric but also create a resonant bridge for parents seeking educational excellence in a landscape historically rooted in tradition.

Enhancing Avenues' Brand Experience: Creating Connections

In refining Avenues' approach, we identified key issues. We assessed their online and linguistic interactions, while also reviewing 10 competing schools. We conducted 16+ targeted interviews with influential stakeholders and immersed ourselves in the campus environment.

Our findings unveiled both pain points and avenues for growth.

During the course of these interviews, we identified three critical challenges faced by Avenues:

• Complex Value Proposition: Avenues' distinctive value proposition was not easily discernible.
• Parental Disconnect: A disconnection with parents led to skepticism.
• Limited Presence: Avenues' premium experience suffered due to inadequate visibility.

To address these issues comprehensively, we initiated a thorough audit of Avenues' online touchpoints, with a particular focus on their WeChat official account and website. Our objective was to enhance user experience and foster more meaningful engagement with parents. Employing our UNIQ brand experience analysis model, we meticulously evaluated Avenues' online platforms. This encompassed a broad spectrum of factors, ranging from integrated digital functionalities and content strategies to technical upkeep and user behavior tracking. Our evaluation spanned critical aspects such as UX/UI design, localized messaging, value proposition articulation, content planning, and brand voice. By delving into these dimensions, we identified the specific gaps that needed attention.

Based on a comprehensive analysis of Avenues' key competitors, we have pinpointed specific areas for enhancement. As part of our strategy, we have proposed the development of a comprehensive visual identity guide, the establishment of a dedicated parent portal, and the optimization of the website's UX and content. These strategic optimizations are designed to elevate Avenues' digital presence, foster a deeper connection with its intended audience, and prominently showcase the exceptional premium educational services that Avenues offers.

This undertaking has yielded substantial outcomes, including a reinforced and culturally attuned brand message, an enhanced parental perspective, a notable surge in enrollment figures, and a markedly more captivating and relatable brand encounter for Avenues within China's fiercely competitive education landscape.