Marketing and Communications Our Voice
When you talk with a friend or colleague, there’s a familiarity in the things they say, the words they use, and the way they say them. The same should be true when our audiences hear from Westmont. The following guidelines help make sure that we always sound like us.
Our brand statement distills everything that Westmont College stands for. It creatively articulates the Westmont experience and the impact it has on every member of our community.
We arrive at Westmont full of hope and potential.
We bring our faith, our knowledge, our beliefs, and our talents.
And the relationships and experiences we have at Westmont push our faith, expand our knowledge, challenge our beliefs, and enable us to use our talents more fully in the service of Christ.
Because learning to lead a life of significance begins with a deep love of God. It’s tempered by rigorous training in every area of human knowledge. And it’s strengthened by the freedom to shift and grow, as we reconsider what we know, think, and feel in our search for the truth.
And that’s what brings us here. Only here.
In the foothills of Santa Barbara, at a unique vantage point where we can see the ascending peaks of the mountains and the vast expanse of the ocean.
And from this one-of-a-kind location where faith and intellect intersect, we unlock our potential to broaden our impact and deepen our understanding.
Through a deeper understanding, we can unite the spirit and the mind.
With a greater impact, we can lead and serve in every sphere of society. It’s thinking that takes us ever further.
Deeper thinking. Wider impact.
We arrive at Westmont full of hope and potential.
We bring our faith, our knowledge, our beliefs, and our talents.
From day one, we tailor the Westmont experience to fit each individual student. And that starts with getting to know who they are from the moment they set foot on campus.
Use the first person plural (“we” or “us”) to talk about the Westmont experience from the perspective of our community. “We” represents all of us, and helps messages to reflect our personal approach. As a rule of thumb, whenever you’d use “Westmont College” as the subject of a sentence, use “we” instead.
And the relationships and experiences we have at Westmont push our faith, expand our knowledge, challenge our beliefs, and enable us to use our talents more fully in the service of Christ. Because learning to lead a life of significance begins with a deep love of God. It’s tempered by rigorous training in every area of human knowledge. And it’s strengthened by the freedom to shift and grow, as we reconsider what we know, think, and feel in our search for the truth.
We encourage students to ask the questions Christians aren’t supposed to ask. So when they leave here, their belief system isn’t something they’ve inherited from their parents or adopted from their pastor. It’s all their own, ready to be lived.
When writing, always look to connect how the freedom to think results in the confidence to act.
And that’s what brings us here. Only here.
In the foothills of Santa Barbara, at a unique vantage point where we can see the ascending peaks of the mountains and the vast expanse of the ocean.
Our location is a natural resource—not just our campus, but also the beaches, bluffs, and byways throughout the region. Let’s make sure we tap into that resource when writing about the Westmont experience. This includes using our location as a metaphor for “Deeper thinking. Wider impact.” For example, the great many views found on campus reflect our far-reaching impact on the community. And our elevated topography is a physical reminder of our propensity for diving deeper into all areas of human and spiritual knowledge.
And from this one-of-a-kind location where faith and intellect intersect, we unlock our potential to broaden our impact and deepen our understanding.
We never ignore the facts to fit our faith, or vice versa. We draw ideas and insights from both sides—allowing our students to reach their maximum potential.So when you’re writing, stress the balance of biblical truth and worldly knowledge.
Through a deeper understanding, we can unite the spirit and the mind.
With a greater impact, we can lead and serve in every sphere of society.
It’s thinking that takes us ever further.
We’re deep thinkers, but that doesn’t mean we have our noses stuck in a book 24/7. We do all of that thinking to better equip ourselves to change the world around us. Messages should demonstrate how deeper thinking prepares us to make a wider impact.
Deeper thinking. Wider impact.
This is not a tagline—not exactly. You won’t be using it in headlines, and you probably shouldn’t use it in every piece you write. But it is the big idea that our story is built on, and it can offer an emotional hook and a starting point for crafting communications.
The information we share is our message. How we say it is our voice: it’s made up of the words we choose and the pace and tone we use in putting those words together. The proper voice makes our content more emotional, approachable, and memorable. These six personality traits drive the voice and image of our entire brand.
Friendly
Appealing, engaging, authentic,
approachable
Communal
Cultivating a shared belief system,
yet deeply personal
Openhearted
Inclusive, open to exploration
and interpretation
Elegance
without pretense
Simple, yet refined and respected
Conviction
with civility
Bold, forthright, unabashed,
tempered with humility
Confidence
without arrogance
Unassuming, secure, guided by
moral principle and faith
To bring our brand alive in headlines, we’ve established a few frameworks for consistently creating powerful copy. Body copy should always support our brand. But if you’re using the word deeper, thinking, wider, or impact in a headline, avoid using it more than once or twice in the text that follows.
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Using deeper or wider Our creative platform includes two powerful adjectives: deeper and wider. Deeper captures our all-in attitude. Wider captures our boundless potential. Headlines using deeper and wider can stand on their own, or be paired Deeper opportunity. |
Using thinking or impact We value the power of thought because we know the impact of ideas. Using variations of thinking or impact is a straightforward way to tell the world what we do and why we do it. Below are a few ways to pull it off: Think astrobiology and |
Challenge accepted Don’t let our humble demeanor fool you. Each of us—students, faculty, and staff— is hungry to take on new challenges. And because we’re confident in our ability to succeed, questions that pose an ambitious challenge naturally evoke the response, “challenge accepted.” Here’s how it can unfold in headlines: Challenge my faith? Challenge accepted. Challenge my perspective? Challenge accepted. Challenge me to change the world? Challenge accepted. |
Be challenging, not aggressive.
We want to challenge current and
prospective students to take on the
serious issues, but we should avoid
messages that feel negative or critical.
Good Example:
Challenge me to make an impact?
Challenge accepted.
Bad Example:
Stop making excuses and start
making an impact.
Be inspiring, not cheesy.
Think halftime speech, not motivational poster.
Good Example:
Think deeper. Aim higher.
Bad Example:
The deeper your thoughts, the higher you’ll soar.
Be personal, not slangy.
We want our audiences to feel like they’re connecting with a human being. But that person should be more like a trusted mentor, and less like a high school classmate.
Good Example:
Dive in head (and heart) first.
Bad Example:
Be down for anything.
Be confident, not cocky.
We’re smart, ambitious, and good at what we do. But we should never put someone else down to make ourselves look better.
Good Example:
Deeper thinking might be an understatement.
Bad Example:
Rise up to our level.
Be serious, not somber.
Faith, knowledge, and having an impact are all topics that deserve to be taken seriously. Just make sure our messages always feel encouraging and upbeat.
Good Example:
There’s no way to become a perfect
Christian. There are a million ways to
become a better one.
Bad Example:
If you think you’re a perfect Christian,
think again.
Three things to avoid
- Don’t fall into the same cadence with every spread. Mix it up.
- Friendly doesn’t mean trendy. Our writing should be timeless.
- Creative doesn’t mean complicated. There should always be a clear hierarchy that allows one strong point to rise to the top.
Four things to aim for
- Be powerful. Bold statements capture attention.
- Be specific. Our writing is richer with proof points and tangible descriptions.
- Motivate. Our writing should inspire action, and it should be clear what we’re asking the reader to do.
- Be relevant. Our writing should connect to the work we’re doing today.
Does this communication capture the spirit of
”Deeper thinking. Wider impact.”?
Does it include a benefit?
Does it pay off the benefits with attributes?
Does it sound like something a person with our brand’s personality traits would say?
Does it integrate the Westmont personality and voice throughout the entire piece — not just the
headlines and subheads?
Does it have a focused message?