Varsity Tutors | Brand ReVAMP

Putting the conversation before the credit card.

When I joined Varsity Tutors in 2018, it was a small edtech startup that connected students with highly qualified tutors. My first task was to clarify the brand. Then, give it a voice and a presence that employees could feel good about, tutors could believe in, and consumers could trust. Through every stage of the user lifecycle, we shifted from a heavy transactional approach to an inviting conversational approach, improving awareness, loyalty, and growth.

Brand Voice

Challenge:

• The voice and brand of Varsity Tutors was all over the place. At times, it was confused, a bit shady, and felt somewhat like a used car dealership.

Solution:

• I led an overhaul by conducting brand perception surveys, interviewing customers, and listening to calls.

• I coordinated brand workshops with dozens of employees—facilitating brainstorms to identify how we wanted to be seen and how we were seen. 

• I distilled the insights into a brand voice document that served as the foundation for every touchpoint, from call scripts to TV spots.

• Working with our designers, I helped craft our design system, which further ensured all the work was consistent and aligned with our new voice.

Result:

• Marketing and product teams were motivated and actively used the tools we developed.

• Our voice quickly transitioned from “get the sale” to focusing on the student's needs.

TV Spots

In the midst of the pandemic, we created 2 TV spots to introduce our new online classes and to show how online learning can be enjoyable. These two spots were good examples of how our new brand could engage the learner, rather than beat them over the head with a sales pitch.