West Point Association of Graduates -
Client Case Study

In 2009, the West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) was in a unique situation: they were facing a major fundraising campaign, had a new donor communications liaison onboard — and lacked a clear brand identity.

That’s when Samantha Soper — the Association’s newly appointed Director of Development Communications, now the Senior Director of Donor Relations & Advancement Services — called on a resource she knew from her time at a previous college: Stacie Ross and her new firm, Impel Creative.

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“I really value that Impel is the type of agency that has both right and left brain thinking. They not only find the perfect shade of green; they’ll also catch a typo in a caption. It’s a level of detail coupled with big-picture thinking you don’t find just anywhere.”

Samantha Soper, Senior Director of Donor Relations & Advancement Services, WPAOG

Challenge

Today, the relationship that started with a phone call and request for “a little help” has blossomed into a long-term commitment to communicating the West Point message in a way that’s unique to the school yet true to the standards the institution must upheld to its 80,000+ graduates and other stakeholders.

The United States Military Academy at West Point has been educating, training, and inspiring leaders of character for the United States Army and for the nation for more than 200 years. Its stature in the country — as well as the world — is one of a premier learning institution. As the Alumni Association for the school, the West Point Association of Graduates is tasked with maintaining open communication with all of the Academy’s graduates — to date around 80,000 individuals, many of whom work in leadership roles in the military, business, or government.

In 2009, that communication consisted mostly of a class notes flier that carried the familiar school colors — black, gray, and gold — and not much else in terms of branding or identity. At the same time, the Association was planning a major fundraising campaign to assist with cadet experiences like sports and leadership conferences. Soper was brought on-board to lead the communication efforts.

Services:
Re-Branding
Brand Strategy
Publication Design
Development Communications
Campaign Branding
Event Branding
Video & Motion Graphics
Advertising
Management & Budgeting

When the relationship began, WPAOG was entering a $350 million dollar campaign. Impel helped guide the visual messaging for the campaign. Work included everything from donor appeal support, to the case statement, to videos. 

“We have some unique communication challenges at West Point, especially in terms of design and imagery. Every one of our students wears the same thing, and those uniforms must always live up to the standards of the school. While this is very much who we are and what our graduates value, it also makes it hard to demonstrate the personality of the institution,” she notes.

The fundraising campaign demanded unique communication tools, giving Soper the opportunity to take a fresh look at the visual and brand statement the Association was making with graduates. “That’s when I called Stacie. Impel very quickly came up with a design solution that was sophisticated and modern, but still formal. It was true to who we are, because you can’t be too casual with our message.”

Impel Creative has worked with West Point Association of Graduates on their Annual Report for over nine years, providing a fresh perspective each year.

Solution

Over the years, Impel has created a variety of dynamic tools for the Association, including fundraising campaign materials (Gala materials, videos, giving opportunity brochures, impact statements, and more) as well as on-going communication tools (annual reports, development appeals, videos, member magazines, and more).

While the list of Impel-designed marketing materials has grown steadily, these solutions came from the team’s desire to create a strong foundation. Specifically, Impel worked closely with Samantha to tour the campus, interview stakeholders, and comb through thousands of photograph assets.

The research gave Impel the opportunity to understand the culture at West Point in a new way. It provided insight that allowed them to create communications that carried the school’s familiar colors, while still delivering a high end new look.

“The work Impel has done for us has given the school a lot of notoriety for being sophisticated and modern,” Soper says. “The overall aesthetic is something you would find in a top consumer magazine, and we’ve heard from a lot alumni that they are proud to leave our publications sitting on their coffee tables at home.”

“Impel has a knack for quickly and truly understanding a client’s needs, audience, and style. I continue to consider Impel an integral part of my team. They are an undeniably talented group!”

Samantha Soper, Senior Director of Donor Relations & Advancement Services, WPAOG

Videos have been an important part of the communication materials. Visit our Vimeo channel to see more of this work. 

The Relationship Today

The attention the initial fundraising campaign received — including exceeding goals by nearly 15 percent — led to more identity work: new stationary, business cards, and other communications tools. Impel also created a cohesive look and feel to launch the Association’s Alumni Magazine.

The relationship has lasted nearly a decade not only because of the work like this — but also due to something that is harder to quantify: the trust Soper has in Impel. “I really value that Impel is the type of agency that has both right and left brain thinking. They not only find the perfect shade of green; they’ll also catch a typo in a caption. It’s a level of detail coupled with big-picture thinking you don’t find just anywhere.”

The Impel team has also made sure that the Association’s on-staff designer can easily pick up projects and make changes, if needed, keeping costs in check. Impel designed the Alumni Magazine in a way that allowed internal Association resources to produce the magazine on a regular basis.

“We can give them an odd ball request or last-minute project, and the team just ‘gets’ it,” Soper says. “Plus, they are just fun to work with. I feel like they are an extension of our staff — it’s a true partnership.”