Brandeis Magazine

Distinguished by its academic rigor, Jewish roots, and commitment to repairing the world, Brandeis has launched a national branding campaign calling attention to the qualities that have made it a unique institution since its founding 75 years ago.

Using a mix of humor and seriousness, and emphasizing Brandeis’ Jewish heritage, the campaign aims to reinforce the four pillars on which Brandeis was built: Jewish values, a reverence for learning, academic excellence, and the continuous fight against hatred and discrimination.

A two-page advertising spread emblazoned with a Passover Haggadah-inspired headline — “Why is this university different from all other universities?” — kicked off the campaign in the May 21 edition of The New York Times Magazine.

The ad describes Brandeis’ historic founding and societal purpose in the wake of World War II, and the rigorous academics that have attracted and produced so many accomplished scholars and artists. It highlights luminaries associated with the university — from Leonard Bernstein and Eleanor Roosevelt to its Nobel Prize winners — to help tell the Brandeis story to a national audience.

“We have seen a great need to clarify — and, when necessary, tout — the Brandeis brand,” says President Ron Liebowitz. “We need to remind alumni, thought leaders, and others across the country that Brandeis possesses one of the most distinctive histories in all of academia, and clearly communicate to everyone how and why we were founded, what we have accomplished in 75 short years, and why our story is especially relevant today.”

A variety of ads will run in subsequent editions of The New York Times Magazine and in The Atlantic. The campaign will also appear in several online outlets, including digital editions of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Atlantic.

New York advertising agency DeVito/Verdi is handling the campaign, spearheaded by agency president Ellis Verdi ’77.

Future ads will focus on famous alumni, important breakthroughs, outstanding faculty, and the long-standing value of inclusion at Brandeis.

“We have the opportunity to highlight our Jewish roots and values while amplifying our commitment to the overall openness the university has stood for from the start,” says Lisa Kranc ’75, chair of the Board of Trustees. “We are proud that we were the first — and, today, the only — secular Jewish-founded institution in the United States.”

The campaign is unusual in higher-education advertising, as it speaks primarily to parents, alumni, donors, and national thought leaders, rather than to prospective students.

“The aim of this campaign is to bring back the essence of what makes Brandeis special and highlight its importance in higher education,” Verdi says.