Strategic Rebrand and Integrated Marketing Turnaround Drives Highest Enrollment in 13 Years

Who Are They?

Pepperdine Graziadio Business School is a nationally recognized institution offering graduate-level business education with a focus on values-based leadership and applied learning. Known for its strong reputation, Pepperdine Graziadio offers a range of MBA, executive, and specialized business programs for professionals at every stage of their career.

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Where Were They Before They Worked With Us?

Pepperdine Graziadio had seen several years of stagnant or declining enrollment, struggling to compete in an increasingly crowded graduate education landscape. The school’s brand visibility had diminished, and prospective students lacked a clear understanding of its unique value proposition. Leadership recognized the need for a more modern, integrated approach to marketing to reverse the trend and drive growth.

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What Problems Were They Facing?

• Lack of clear positioning and brand differentiation in a competitive market

• Outdated brand strategy with undefined audience segmentation and targeting

• Fragmented marketing operations and inconsistent digital performance

• Low media visibility and limited external awareness

• Under-leveraged partnerships and content strategies

• Rankings challenges affecting brand perception and enrollment outcomes

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What Did I Do To Solve It?

I led a full-scale rebrand and go-to-market transformation to reposition the school and reignite enrollment:

• Rebuilt brand strategy—targeting, positioning, messaging, and value proposition

• Created fast-moving PR engine leveraging thought leadership to drive national media

• Executed event strategy to foster engagement and drive registration

• Improved digital marketing through user-generated content and paid media

• Secured AEG partnership, launching the university’s first Sports & Management program

• Built content strategy and ambassador program to scale engagement

• Overhauled rankings strategy across departments to elevate school visibility

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The Results

• Achieved highest enrollment in 13 years

• Earned $500M+ in media impressions through national coverage

• Event strategy drove 250M+ impressions and 4% YoY lift in registration

• Digital and content efforts led to 60% increase in engagement

• Secured a university-wide partnership with AEG, leading to the launch of a new Pepperdine location at LA LIVE and the creation of the school’s first-ever Sports & Management program

• Rankings overhaul delivered a 20% improvement in overall rankings

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