Project Highlight
UBC Civil
Merch
Turning student engagement into department pride and collective identity.
The Challenge
Our department was facing a lack of student engagement and needed a fresh approach to bolster spirit and create a better sense of community. We identified merchandise as a potential solution that could also double as incentives for giveaways.
Key skills deployed: design, branding, market research, project management, leadership, vendor relations
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The Process
As the project lead, I was at the helm of an exciting mission: to re-energize our department’s image and captivate our student body. To ensure we hit the right chords, students were invited into the creative process and surveyed with draft designs to capture their ideas and preferences.
My initial plan took an unexpected detour as student feedback poured in. They wanted more art, less trend. I turned to a freelance artist to help bring my idea to life. In my creative brief I asked him to incorporate a blend of civil engineering subdisciplines, anchored by a vision of a sustainable tomorrow.
As each draft design emerged, we dove back into the feedback loop, refining and polishing to bring us closer to one design that truly resonated. This iterative process wasn’t just about creating merchandise, but crafting a visual story that our audiences could identify with.
Throughout this journey, I steered the ship, overseeing the finances, coordinating marketing communications, and managing inventory. Each stage was a blend of creativity, strategy, leadership, and management, all converging to transform our department’s image.
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The Results
We launched our new merchandise to fantastic feedback. Students embraced the fresh look wholeheartedly, as seen in strong sales that saw our most common sizes selling out within the first two months. What’s more, the design became so popular that we started using it across different marketing materials.
This project wasn’t just about creating new merch; it was about turning student engagement around and bringing a renewed sense of pride to our department.
By listening to the students and involving them in the process, we created something that truly resonated with them and reflected our department’s spirit. The outcome was more than a success; it became a symbol of our collective identity.