student walks as the sun cast shadows between Loggerhead and Terrapin Halls near the Seahawk Quad

"Where You Will" Campaign

We're excited to share that our “Where You Will” campaign will officially launch on August 19, aligned with the first day of classes this fall. This campaign is designed to inspire our students, alumni, faculty, staff and community by celebrating where UNCW can take you and where your journey will lead next.

About the Campaign

Rooted in the community with boundless opportunity, UNCW's future is shaped by its unique coastal environment. Building on a storied history as Wilmington's grassroots institution, we've developed a campaign to refine our market position and share our story with the world.

The Goal

First and foremost, UNCW needs to clearly articulate who we are and what we offer across all platforms in a consistent way. Then, we need to debunk any misconceptions about UNCW as an institution — in particular, any misconceptions about the quality and availability of opportunities for students. Finally, we need to help the community develop an even stronger affinity for UNCW by delivering a clear, authentic and attractive impression of the experience we offer.

The 3 Pillars

Our brand pillars reflect UNCW’s core beliefs. They inform everything we do. Every headline and design element we create should enrich our community and our students by fostering belonging, nurturing connections and amplifying potential.

Academic Excellence Powered by Place

Faculty who turn the coast into a living classroom
Programs and academic experiences that strengthen Wilmington and beyond
Unique programs like maritime cybersecurity, coastal engineering and coastal policy

Innovation That Moves Communities Forward

Practical solutions to regional challenges
Support and partnership with industry
Globally relevant coastal research and expertise

Personal Growth in a Setting That Moves You

A place where ambition and wellbeing coexist
A vibrant coastal community connected to nature and history
Students not only earn credentials but also perspective, leadership and community contribution

Voice & Tone

These words reflect the personality of our university. The tone will shift depending on the audience, but all brand communications — from social media posts to printed materials to the web — should use these words as a guide.

Innovative

UNCW’s voice should mirror its inventive spirit: lively, inspired, ready to explore what’s next. Use verbs that move and phrases that energize. Let optimism and creativity shape the rhythm of the message.
Rooted

UNCW speaks with the strength of its coastal roots, shaped by the tides of Wilmington and the generations who have called it home. Our words should feel connected to the land and sea, reflecting heritage and belonging.
Informed

UNCW’s tone reflects curiosity backed by discipline. We show our rigor through clarity, not complexity, by speaking with precision, purpose and respect for research.
Welcoming

Every sentence should open the door wider. UNCW’s voice is friendly and human; one that invites you in, not one that speaks from a distance. Choose approachable, empathetic language that centers on “we” and “you.”
Authentic

UNCW’s authenticity comes from truth: real people, real stories. Our copy should sound conversational yet credible, confident yet humble. Focus on tangible actions, not empty claims.
Dependable

UNCW’s tone should carry quiet confidence — the kind built from nearly 80 years of keeping promises to students and the state. Use clear, reassuring language that projects reliability.

Campaign Colors

The colors we’ve chosen for our campaign are a key factor in differentiation and brand recognition. As such, it is vital that our colors are reproduced faithfully and combined in the right way.

All campaign marketing materials must be grounded in our brand color palette to ensure a strong visual connection to the university. Consistent use of these colors is essential for effective brand recognition. Unauthorized colors should never be used.

We've updated the university color palette to include the new campaign colors. Visit the Color Palette page to explore the updated colors.

Explore UNCW's Color Palette

Website Style Guide

To create a consistent digital experience, the web team, in collaboration with the Office of University Relations (OUR) and Echo Delta, is implementing the Where You Will campaign across the university website beginning in August. The following guidance helps ensure the campaign is represented consistently across all web properties.

Website Launch

We're Taking Care of the Big Changes

Leading up to the launch, the web team and OUR are updating the university's main webpages so the website feels campaign-ready on the first day of classes. We're also making sitewide design updates that will automatically bring campaign elements to many areas of the website.

You Don't Need to Update Everything Right Away

There is no expectation that your website will be fully updated on the first day of classes.

Because many of the changes are happening behind the scenes, you can take your time adding the new campaign components to your site. We encourage you to incorporate them gradually throughout the semester as part of your regular website updates. Please see "use official campaign web components" for more details.

Preview the Changes

Before the campaign launches, we'll share a sample website so you can see what the updates look like and become familiar with the new components before making changes to your own pages.

Use Official Campaign Web Components

The web team is providing a suite of Where You Will web components, available in early August for use across university websites.

Please do not create your own Where You Will headings, buttons or incorporate the campaign tagline into page content. To maintain a consistent brand experience, all campaign messaging and visual elements should be implemented using the official web components provided by the web team. These components are designed to ensure accessibility, consistency and alignment with the overall campaign.

Requesting the Components & Timeline:

We encourage you to take a thoughtful, phased approach to implementing the new campaign components. There is no expectation that your website be fully updated by the first day of classes. Instead, incorporate the new components, buttons and campaign elements throughout the semester as part of your regular website maintenance and content updates. A phased rollout supports a consistent campus-wide implementation while also helping the web team manage requests efficiently and provide timely support to campus partners.

What to Expect

Beginning in August, the web team, Echo Delta and OUR will strategically introduce campaign elements across university web platforms, including:

Adding new campaign-specific web components and global website elements
Updating the homepage hero video
Refreshing SWOOP to align with the campaign
Incorporating campaign-inspired design elements into the Chancellor's monthly e-newsletter
Integrating campaign design and messaging throughout the fall/winter issue of UNCW Magazine

We also soft-launched a dedicated Echo Delta landing page ahead of August. Initially, the page supports select fall marketing initiatives focused on traditional undergraduate enrollment, with additional campaign content and functionality added throughout the year.

Campaign FAQs

Where do I go for training and consultation?

A recap of the training provided by Echo Delta is available on our Campaign SharePoint site. Please submit an OUR Project Request to receive access.

How do I request and find campaign assets & style guidance?

We have shared a starter package of templates, visual assets and a campaign style guide via SharePoint with initial campaign stakeholders. The style guide is designed as a companion to our university brand standards rather than a replacement.

These templates are designed for confident users of Adobe Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator.

If your area would like to participate in the Where You Will campaign, please contact our team. We'd be happy to discuss your goals and determine the best way to support your efforts.

Available Templates & Resources

Style Guide
Training & Video Recap from Echo Delta
Ad Files
College 8x10 Booklets
College Program Two Pagers
College One Pagers
Logo Badge
Social Posts
Rack Cards

Additional assets are coming, such as email signature guidance and PowerPoint templates.

Requesting Access

Open the OUR Request form
In the “What services are you requesting?” drop-down, please select:
- Where You Will campaign
- Creative Services
- Marketing
In the "Detailed Description of Project" field:
- Note that your request is for the "Where You Will Campaign"
- Specify which templates and resources you'd like access to. See the list above for available options.
Finish completing and submit the project request form.

When is the official launch?

We are not planning a formal launch event; instead, we’ll use the First Day of Classes (FDOC) 2026 as a shared starting point to bring the campaign to life across university channels. We have a flexible approach to the rollout. There is no expectation that everything about UNCW’s look and feel changes on day one.

How do I align my marketing and communications (marcom) with the campaign?

You can begin to align your divisional/unit marcom with the campaign in simple, manageable ways:

Refresh content across platforms with updated messaging: Pair Where You Will with strong, action-oriented language that speaks to outcomes and momentum
Incorporate campaign colors into your designs: Seahawk teal, Seahawk navy and white.
Share content from OUR channels as we head into the fall semester

For web-related alignment, please visit our "How do I align my website with the campaign?" question.

What should I do if my team is considering paid media this fall?

If your team is considering paid media opportunities for the fall, please loop in Marketing Director Liza Saunders as early as the RFP or vendor search stage. The university has several strong, existing vendor partnerships and, in many cases, it may be more efficient and cost-effective to build on those relationships rather than starting from scratch. Early coordination with OUR helps ensure campaign alignment and makes the most of UNCW’s collective investment in marketing and advertising.