Through a decade-long partnership, ABND has served as the brand partner overseeing FLAME University's strategic brand evolution. This collaboration began in 2011 with foundational work in branding and communication, smoothly progressing through a comprehensive rebranding, positioning, and brand identity effort upon the institute’s attainment of University status. ABND undertook the university's experiential branding, conceptualised and executed branded flagship events, and, most notably, in 2022, played a key role in refining the repositioning strategy and communication.

Rebranding:

Despite being the pioneers of Liberal Education in India, the main challenge FLAME faced was getting parents to understand the meaning and value of liberal education. To give Liberal Education a new form and to establish what it truly meant at FLAME University, ABND conducted in-depth qualitative research with 4 key stakeholders – the faculty, parents, students (FLAME and non-FLAME) and alumni, through a process that involved interviewing over 300 people.

ABND realised that students and parents chose FLAME because of the diverse perspectives that the University helped build. Therefore, the Brand Essence for the ‘new’ brand of FLAME University was ‘Diversity of the Mind.’ This fresh brand thought revolved around the seamless blend of diverse disciplines upon one unified platform, thereby creating a culture of complete learning that is not one dimensional. FLAME believed that the real world does not function in silos and therefore, neither should education.

Brand Identity:

The visual identity of FLAME University, embodied in its crest, ingeniously encapsulated the institution's multidimensional learning ethos. Centred around a dynamic 'F', the emblem derived inspiration from FLAME's fundamental tenets of liberal education, emphasising its interdisciplinary and diverse nature.

Brand Repositioning in 2020:

Amidst a landscape where numerous institutes, schools, colleges, and more laid claim to interdisciplinary curriculum in the wake of the introduction of the NEP 2020, FLAME recognised the imperative to distinguish itself as the vanguard of Liberal Education in India. With a legacy of over a decade at the forefront of knowledge, FLAME embarked on a journey to redefine Liberal Education. This endeavour necessitated a comprehensive exploration of stakeholder perspectives over a six-month period. Through in-depth interviews with various constituents including parents, students, alumni, faculty members, and institutional leaders, ABND sought to uncover prevailing perceptions and future aspirations, ultimately guiding the articulation of its Brand Essence.

ABND identified that distinguishing itself from institutions merely offering academic and extracurricular activities, FLAME University was committed to outcomes-driven education, extending its influence beyond the confines of student years to cultivate lifelong connections with its alumni and faculty community. The positioning for FLAME was crafted to go beyond just learning for life, but rather be an association for life. This was translated to the idea of ‘Everlasting’

To operationalise this essence, ABND categorised all of FLAME’s offerings into ten distinct propositions. Each proposition—Everlasting Learning, Experiences, Impact, Insight, Connections, Support, Moments, Inspiration, Legacy, and Purpose—reflects FLAME's commitment to holistic development and impactful experiences, thereby reaffirming its status as a trailblazer of Liberal Education in India.

Visual System:

In embodying the concept of Everlasting, FLAME University's visual language drew inspiration from the boundless expanse of the horizon. This imagery aimed to symbolise the perpetual connection that FLAME cultivates throughout a student's journey—from the initial encounter before joining the FLAME community to their transition into the professional realm and beyond. A comprehensive revamping of all university collaterals and communication was conducted across both physical and digital touchpoints.