University of Oxford
Helping the world’s number one university to secure the future of its positive global impact.
Home to the world’s finest teaching, learning and research for over nine centuries, we helped this amazing institution focus on its future and its global impact.
Sector
Education
What we did
Discovery & Definition
- Audits
- Consultation
- Workshops
- Interviews
- Brand proposition
- Naming
Design Development
- Creative concepts
- Messaging and tone of voice
- Campaign communications
- Campaign identity
- Content creation
- Digital design, UI and UX
Delivery
- Tone of voice guidelines
- Campaign guidelines
- Campaign toolkits
- Motion design and video
Context
The unparalleled academic excellence of Oxford, alongside the global influence of its alumni, donors and friends, is an unbeatable combination. The University is uniquely positioned to address universal challenges in climate, health and society in a rapidly changing world. But to do so, it needs support. The Oxford Excellence campaign – the biggest of its kind outside of North America – will raise at least £4 billion to invest in the academics and students whose work will tackle the world’s most complex and urgent challenges, engaging with audiences including its unrivalled global alumni networks.
Working with the Baxter & Bailey team on the Oxford Excellence team has been one of the highlights of my year. Their supportive, creative partnership has helped Oxford bring to life a striking campaign branding whose authenticity, ambition and originality resonates strongly with our internal and external audiences. B&B have helped us to tell our story in a fresh, new and compelling way; it’s wonderful to see people responding so positively to its messaging.
Solution
Many institutions talk about excellence. But only Oxford can genuinely claim to have led the world in excellence for over 900 years. We helped Oxford to wholly embrace its long history of excellence, embedding the principle in the campaign’s name, in its messaging and in its central organising idea. Visually, the Oxford Excellence campaign takes the University’s iconic logo as its starting point, transforming its simple footprint into a kinetic, flexible portal to frame, focus and highlight stories of excellence.
Impact
The campaign film we wrote, animated and edited launched Oxford Excellence to the world in May 2026. Our campaign guidelines, toolkit, templates and tone of voice principles have ensured that Oxford’s talented and committed Development and Alumni Engagement teams have the creative and technical tools they need to deploy the campaign flexibly, creatively and responsively.
Special Thanks
Thanks to our wonderful clients Liesl Elder, Bethan Willians, Kate Lawton and their excellent colleagues from across the institution. “It takes a village,” as Liesl quite correctly says. And a special note of gratitude to Vice Chancellor Irene Tracey for her vision and drive.