Spirit Studios

A big noise in music education

Manchester-based Spirit Studios has developed some of the world’s best sound and audio talent. But not enough people knew about them. Our challenge was to build their brand from scratch.

Brief

Despite an impressive heritage (with The Stone Roses and 808 State recording or studying there) not enough people knew who they were, what degrees they offered or that they were based in the heart of Manchester. With a fast-growing and increasingly competitive market, we needed to create immediate impact, improve their low brand awareness and boost student numbers.

Solution

We wanted to make it clear what Spirit Studios stood for and what their offer was. Together we aimed to create a brand that positioned itself as a leading provider in music and sound degrees to school and college leavers. We wanted to appeal to this audience in a vibrant, exciting and expert way. To recruit the next generation of music and audio professionals, we needed to build the brand up from guidelines and tone of voice to exterior building design and social templates.

We also set out to grow female numbers from 19% to 30% of the student intake by 2025.

Results

The impact and engagement with the rebrand has been amazing with activity increasing significantly on the website and social channels.

2020/21 student applications grew by 59% with over 25% of new starters applying through our Clearing campaign. While 2021/22 student applications grew a further 47% with the intake rising by 57% Y-O-Y. Overall, acceptance rates have soared to 34% with 28.9% of the student intake now female, trans or non-binary. Their first Master’s degree course launched in September 2023 at full capacity with 33% female students.

Thanks to the vibrant signage people now know where the home of Spirit Studios is. The brand has also helped to create a greater sense of pride and a real community spirit.

Awards

2023 Heist Gold Award – Best Brand/Reputation Campaign

“It’s taken Spirit Studios 35 years, but finally we’ve a brand that’s perfect for us. It’s exciting, practical and easy for the team to use, so it ensures longevity and consistency for our audience.”

– Ian Hu, Spirit Studios Director