Punahou School | Honolulu, HI
“As a family, we value Punahou’s open, creative environment, which allows students to find their own way. It’s much more like a college experience in that it empowers students to create an experience for themselves.”
—parent
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Punahou asks each community member to embrace every person, conversation, situation, or offering as a chance to learn and to grow—to continuously shape and define themselves, during their years at Punahou and throughout their lives.
The new program’s design and messaging carries this same tone of deep respect and enthusiastic ambition for the audience. Outcomes-focused writing, poignant, authentic community stories, and attention to lyricism evoke Punahou’s storied past and reverence for the school’s sacred surroundings.
The design pairs immersive, artistic photos with abstract textures reminiscent of Hawai`i’s multifaceted landscape, people, and culture, inviting the audience to understand the environment in a new and more expansive way.
This introductory booklet for prospective parents combines moving descriptions of Punahou’s program with gorgeous photography and beautiful color washes inspired by the school’s surroundings. Poetic and powerful, the booklet evokes parents’ fondest aspirations for their children’s education and invites them to learn more.
“Our partnership with Crane + Peters transformed the way we talk about ourselves externally and especially the way we talk about financial aid. It’s ongoing work but we still use the elements that Crane + Peters created for us in our communications.”
—EMILY MCCARREN, Former PRINCIPAL
overview of our partnership
1. DISCOVERY + ANALYSIS
We began our partnership with an in-depth discovery process including extensive interviews, focus groups, and classroom visits. In addition, we took a deep dive into Punahou’s existing communications and completed a marketplace scan to assess competitors’ strategies.
2. INSIGHTS + IMPLICATIONS
We documented the initial findings from our research, including possible starting points for the updated branding program, in a report shared with Punahou’s leadership. We workshopped the report with the leadership team, ensuring buy-in before moving forward with the Big Idea.
3. BRANDING + MARKETING
To communicate the Big Idea to Punahou’s internal and external communities, we developed a suite of print and online materials, including an introductory booklet, parent piece, giving piece, financial aid piece, digital ads, and stationery.
4. ROLLOUT + SUPPORT
To facilitate and sustain the new brand launch, Crane + Peters provided consultation and extensive brand guidelines to assist in the school’s communications going forward.
