A brand from the ground up

The Montessori Lyceum Gooise Meren is a completely new school opening in Naarden. It will be a comprehensive school offering MAVO, HAVO, Atheneum and Gymnasium. The school teaches according to the Montessori method, with extra attention to art and culture, digital technology and sustainability.

Client request

The school management asked us to position the school, create a suitable brand identity and apply it across all communication materials. We were immediately enthusiastic, because this is exactly where De Toekomst’s different services come together perfectly. A great project to start from scratch, provide strategic advice, develop a strong concept and work it out all the way to campaign level.

Our work

Market research and positioning
Before developing the brand identity, we first carried out market research among parents with children aged 10 to 16 in Gooise Meren. We also considered the school’s positioning in relation to competing schools in the immediate region. During a creative workshop, we worked on the brand values, mood board and brand architecture. We defined the positioning, developed the brand values and wrote the brand story. This also resulted in the beautiful pay-off ‘Jij maakt morgen mooier’.

Visual identity
A brand’s visual identity starts with a mood board and archetype, for which we designed several brand concepts. After clear choices from the client, we designed the logo and matching visual identity, including typography and colours. We developed the visual identity across various materials and created a clear brand manual.

Website
Based on the visual identity, we designed a website. A website that connects with the target audience and supports the goal of generating registrations. After several feedback rounds, the design was finalised and we could start the development phase. The development team built the website. The content manager then filled the website with all content, after which we thoroughly tested it on all devices. Once the client approved it, the website could go live. Bring on those registrations!

Student recruitment campaign
Of course, students also had to be recruited for this new school, so it was time to think about a recruitment campaign. And what works better for that than an introduction video featuring students? Together with our casting agency, we selected young models who could be used for this video production, as the school was still new and did not yet have students of its own. A photo shoot was also essential, because strong and appealing imagery is needed for both the website and online marketing.

The result

Strategic advice and positioning, a brand identity, a website and an introduction video. That was where it started. But that was not all, because launching a new school and generating attention requires more. Our sign team was also involved. After all, the school building needed visibility too, with an eye-catching banner and flags. The school’s brand awareness also needed to grow online. Instagram seemed like the perfect channel to promote the school, so we ran campaigns there.

And the result speaks for itself. The completely new school was able to fill four classes right away. A great achievement, of course, and just as importantly: a happy client.

“I think De Toekomst stands out because they really think along with the client’s wishes and needs, and because of their great flexibility. De Toekomst truly helped us present our school in a distinctive way. More than once, we needed something very quickly. Thanks to De Toekomst, this always worked out. De Toekomst was recommended to us by a colleague in education. I would, in turn, recommend them to other colleagues.”

Jan Adels – Rector, Montessori Lyceum Gooise Meren

We created this video for the recruitment of new students.