Unlike a traditional project, the brief for Eynesbury College was self-defined and strategically constructed to address a complex and sensitive business challenge.

Following the merger of SAIBT/CELUSA and Eynesbury College, and alignment with the newly formed Adelaide University, the objective was to create a modern, future-focused brand that could:

• Signal the formation of a new institution

• Align with Adelaide University while maintaining a distinct identity

• Support immediate student recruitment and stakeholder confidence

This needed to be delivered within a highly political environment, balancing competing stakeholder priorities, brand sensitivities, and market perception risks.

I led the project as Creative Director, working in close partnership with a Graphic Designer, with a strong focus on strategic clarity, stakeholder alignment, and brand integrity.

Reverse Brief Development & Strategic Framing

• Identified ambiguity in the initial direction and proactively developed a reverse brief to define objectives, constraints, and success criteria

• Secured alignment and sign-off from the Eynesbury College leadership team before creative development commenced

• Ensured clarity across critical tensions: merger vs takeover, alignment vs distinction, interim vs future-state

Research & Insight Development

• Conducted competitor and category analysis using AI-assisted research (Perplexity AI)

• Identified positioning opportunities within the pathway and higher education landscape

• Mapped stakeholder expectations across students, agents, university partners, and internal teams

Collaborative Concept Development

• Led a highly collaborative creative process with the designer, developing multiple brand directions

• Explored visual identity systems, typography, and brand expressions that balanced prestige, warmth, and modernity

• Ensured concepts were both strategically grounded and execution-ready across touchpoints

Brand & Messaging Architecture

• Developed the positioning statement, brand pillars, personas, and messaging framework

• Anchored the brand in human-centred themes such as community, care, equity, and academic excellence

• Created a clear narrative linking Eynesbury College to Adelaide University while reinforcing its unique role as a launchpad for student success

System Design & Implementation Readiness

• Delivered a scalable brand system including logo, colour palette, typography, and application examples across digital and print

• Designed for consistency across all touchpoints, ensuring ease of adoption by internal teams and partners

Stakeholder Navigation & Alignment

• Managed multiple stakeholder groups with competing priorities and sensitivities

• Facilitated alignment between Eynesbury College, Navitas, and Adelaide University stakeholders

• Balanced brand protection with commercial urgency to enable timely delivery

Tools & Methods

• Perplexity AI (competitor and category research)

• Adobe Creative Suite (visual development and brand system creation)

• Claude (creative and messaging exploration)

• Collaborative workshops, iterative reviews, and structured feedback loops

• Full Stakeholder Alignment: Achieved sign-off across all parties in a complex, high-stakes environment with competing brand interests

• Strategic Clarity: Successfully positioned Eynesbury College as a distinct yet aligned partner to Adelaide University

• Market Readiness: Delivered a fully realised, scalable brand system ready for immediate rollout across channels

• Successful Launch: Brand launched at the 2025 Business Partners Conference with overwhelmingly positive reception