Challenge: Boston University was opening a new Student Innovation Center and wanted to understand how to most effectively convey the key mission and benefits of the center to drive usage among the student population.

Objective: To gauge student reactions to/interest in the center overall, and evaluate positioning/communications messaging strategies that would be most effective in motivating the student body to try the center. Potential names for the Innovation Center were explored as well as a variety of name treatments (look/design).

Solution: Plan-it conducted a series of focus groups among a range of BU students from various majors and grades to gauge interest in the concept and impact of various name and design approaches.

Result: Plan-it recommended the most compelling name and a communication strategy for the new center. “The Build Lab, IDG Capital Student Innovation Center,” was launched with experiential learning programs, offering a minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. For the first time, BU subsequently made the US News & World Report list as of one of the Most Innovative National Universities.