Case Study: How Livsey School Re-engaged Their Community and Boosted Fundraising Revenue
The Challenge
Livsey School is an award-winning public school with decades of academic success thanks to a culture of parental involvement. But in anticipation of redistricting and changes in the area’s socioeconomics, they knew they needed to overhaul their communications to stabilize volunteerism and keep that support in place. The school’s leadership asked Heck Yeah! for help with their engagement strategy and branding.
Strategy and Services Provided
We began with communication basics, launching a website (their first ever!) and collaborating on a supportive weekly email blast, offering the “who, what, where, when and why” for all things academic and social. The school’s original leopard mascot (”Leo”) was institutional and lethargic — and not generating much love. So we replaced the literal mascot with a stylized, strong, energetic, and proud personification to revitalize school spirit and reflect the energy kids aged K-5 typically embody. We also asked the illustrator to depict Leo in several poses with with the intention of applying him to collateral and branded school merchandise for an additional source of consistent passive revenue.
With these foundational elements in place, we were able to further provide:
- Logo Designs: For the School and Its Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)
- Print Design: Flyers, Posters, Handbook, Directory, Yearbook, Presentation Materials, Spirit Wear and Swag
- Digital Services: Branded Email Template
The Results
Livsey School was able to communicate more effectively than ever with the school community, which rallied around the new strong, kid-friendly Leo mascot. This outreach effort helped them maintain a high level of parent volunteerism, boosted fundraising initiatives, and nurtured communal pride in the “little school that could.” And the additional recurring revenue from Leo-branded swag sales was icing on the cake!
The Official New Livsey Logo - Illustrator Jeff Gregory
Brand Refresh via Website (1.0) Design
We approached Rich with a need for enhanced communications. Given his familiarity with Livsey School, he suggested we explore a ‘brand refresh’ — an approach that respectfully retired the literal leopard logo from 1971— and move forward with a vibrant caricature of a proud, empowered, stylized mascot that would serve as the foundation of everything student/parent-facing. This high-level assessment proved extremely valuable as the simplified new direction saved the school money, as it was much cheaper to reproduce in black and white copies, while the popularity of Leo on spirit wear and other swag items consistently generate passive income for the school. Perhaps most importantly, the kids, and adults too, really LOVE Leo!!
— Dr. Jamie Wilson, Principal, Livsey School
Other Select Project Assets
