Brand Communication MILLFIELD

Its mission to discover brilliance in every child and vision to be the world leader for the development of children secured success in this category for the Somerset school

Millfield launched the Discover Brilliance marketing campaign in January 2020. With change in the management team, a re-evaluation of the Millfield brand was undertaken, utilising the expertise of an Old Millfieldian in the change-maker field.

The school’s purpose, vision, mission and values were reviewed, as well as how that’s communicated to the outside world, and adopted, articulated and integrated it into all that it does.

As a young school (founded 1935) that isn’t shackled by tradition, Millfield’s personality as a bold, progressive school, not afraid to be part of the conversation and challenge the status quo, had been lost. What the school stood had to be redefined:

Its purpose: to break the mould and provide an educational experience that honours the individual.

Its vision: to be the world leader for the development of children.

Its mission:

• Discover brilliance in every child.

• Be the world’s best at immersing pupils in limitless academic, creative and sporting opportunities.

• Be the market leader in providing transformational bursaries.

‘Discover Brilliance’ became the unifying thought and feeling that connects all parts of the school from pupils aged two to 18 to staff, parents and Old Millfieldians to provide a consistent brand message: a promise that Millfield will help everyone to discover their brilliance. Giving children the opportunities to develop a curious mindset to uncover their brilliance, and staff the environment to deliver brilliance in the classrooms, on the sports field, in performances, from their desks. Everyone has their own brilliance story to share.

A new creative wrapper was produced, with all photography and design produced in-house, for print and digital ads. Using single images of students in their field of brilliance, on bright pink and blue backgrounds, helped portray a fresh, modern school that wants to stand out.

The images give the school’s lesser known, but equally brilliant arts and academic departments, a place in the spotlight and is a declaration that Millfield is for all. Links reveal their individual stories on the school’s website. Prospective students and parents see a person that they can aspire to, relate to and feel excited by.

The campaign was rolled out at a London train station, a supermarket, via social media, through industry publications and relocation sites, and features prominently in the new school website, alongside a new promotional film, This is Millfield.

Interest in the school has grown significantly, with waiting lists made across many of the key age-entry points.

Without any prompting, students have openly talked about discovering their brilliance at Millfield in conversations with prospective families.

Brilliance has been embedded into the school culture with these initiatives:

• Brilliance Curriculum: showing how subjects overlap to aid understanding e.g. studying ocean warming in geography after learning about specific heat capacity in physics.

• Discover Brilliance Fund: a campaign to raise £100m by 2035 for bursaries.

• Millfield Brilliance Award (MBA): a prize which will recognise leadership and altruism in students.

• Brilliance Conference for staff inset. Head Gavin Horgan says: “we’re delighted to receive this award for the Discover Brilliance campaign, It’s a real honour for it to be recognised among such outstanding competition.” millfieldschool.com

“WE’RE DELIGHTED TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD for the Discover Brilliance campaign. IT’S A REAL HONOUR FOR IT TO BE RECOGNISED AMONG SUCH OUTSTANDING COMPETITION”