Texas A&M’s defining moment: Becoming famous for good
The current brand ad had 12 million views on YT alone in its first three months, with an average view duration of 53 seconds. 94% of views are outside the state of Texas.
SYNOPSIS
Sometimes, someone or some institution just gets it right.
In my view, Texas A&M is one of them.
In a crowded U.S. higher-education landscape with nearly 4,000 degree-granting universities vying for attention, the university made a bold promise: it doesn’t just educate, it stands for something bigger than itself.
In 2025, that promise earned Texas A&M a spot on Fast Company’s Brands That Matter – the only university on the list – signalling its voice is now part of the national conversation. Crucially, this objective was, and remains, a core part of the brand strategy. Where many universities chase rankings or research metrics, Texas A&M chose narrative reputation – being famous for good rather than simply famous. The brand platform Together, We Stand as a Force for Good is the vehicle that carries that ambition.
So here’s the CRHEATE Review – in conversation with R Ethan Braden, Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Texas A&M University.
CRHEATE REVIEW
Strategic spark. Creative soul.
It’s fair to say the strategic groundwork underpinning this creative work was rigorous. As Ethan puts it: “Research revealed that many outside Aggieland associated the university primarily with football, sport, agriculture (unsurprising as it’s the ‘A’ in A&M), or scarily, nothing at all. Hardly the foundations of a national reputation.”
We won’t dwell on the significant strategic work here, but it’s worth underscoring: it is a lesson in how to approach contemporary brand building with research and evidence before you take the creative leap. The outcome wasn’t about denying the institution’s heritage, but reframing it – leaning into community, service and collective impact rather than tired clichés.
And yet, it’s in the creative expression that the strategy really finds its pulse.
Visual identity / Epic humanism
To my eyes, the visual language of Together, We Stand as a Force for Good is striking for its scale and humanity.
Epic landscapes and human tableaux dominate. Wide, cinematic scenes reinforce a sense of scale, but also signal a shift away from standard ‘university brochures’ into something more like cultural storytelling. Whether it’s agriculture, disaster response, or collaborative labs, the imagery underscores impact at scale rather than institutional self-interest.
I particularly like this because it taps into perceptions of Texas as a grande canvas, while also leaning into one of the key brand equities – momentum at scale.
Ethan emphasised the importance of portraiture in the work – character studies that put the faces of students, researchers and alumni front and centre. These aren’t stiff, posed headshots, but individuals in motion.
“People are obviously at the heart of what we do, so it’s important to reference and celebrate this in the context of the brand personality,” he says. (The brand personality traits – welcoming, inspiring, confident without arrogance, selfless, spirited and significant – beautifully underpin this creative choice.)
People collaborating is also a recurring visual theme, with teamwork, shared purpose and collective action to the fore. It reinforces the ethos that good is achieved not through solitary brilliance, but through standing together.
This is less about polished marketing slickness and more about authentic, lived moments – “the sort of creative that feels both participatory and aspirational,” as Ethan put it.
And while we’re talking about the visuals, I’ve got to say the work ‘looks great’. Lighting, shot angles, grading, tracking, and editing across film and statics all look great. This craft adds prestige to the institution. There’s always an option to use UGC, but I believe that too often this gets confused with ‘being authentic’, effectively suggesting that beautifully crafted work is somehow false. Tell that to the next Oscar-winning cinematographer!
Tone of voice: Purpose with presence
This represents a huge opportunity in university branding, especially in a space dominated by the ‘sea of sameness’. It’s no surprise, then, that Ethan highlights this as a key way to bring the brand to life creatively.
“The Brand Personality underpins this. We’re Welcoming, like home. Inspiring. Confident, but never arrogant. Selfless, so we prefer ‘we’ over ‘me’. Spirited, full of positive energy. And our work is Significant, which is our impact at scale,” he explains.
One example Ethan shared of this focus on personality is the development of the platform to celebrate the university’s 150th anniversary, which formally kicks off in October of this year. Too often, institutions assume their anniversary is as important to external audiences as it is internally. That’s rarely true, but by focusing first on the internal community, Texas A&M rooted its campaign idea with one word in particular that holds genuine emotional significance.
“The word ‘here’ carries profound meaning for Aggies,” Ethan says. “At our annual Muster, worldwide each year on April 21st, names of Aggies who’ve passed are called, and someone answers ‘here’ on their behalf – affirming that while they may be gone, they’re never absent. It’s a powerful expression of belonging, service, and a values-driven culture that endures beyond any one generation.
So the 150th anniversary campaign will be built as a sub-campaign of their brand platform on the essence of ‘Here For Good’, a simple phrase, and three hard-working words, that communicate reverence (Here), permanence (For Good), and altruism (For Good). “It has tested extremely well and should have huge resonance, especially with our Aggie community.”
A phrase used by the brand – “While some strive to be the best in the world, Texas A&M stands to be the best for the world” – balances humility with bold intent. It avoids hollow claims of excellence and replaces them with impact-oriented language.
That’s a rare tonal achievement in higher education marketing, where clichés like “world-class” and “leading research” often drown out meaning.
As Ethan reiterates, “Our brand insists the story isn’t just claimed, it’s demonstrated through research solving real problems, service before self, and a commitment to communities that extends far beyond campus boundaries.”
The manifesto script was constructed from speeches made by the previous TAMU President. It’s had 10m views.
All creative executions ladder up through four consistent messaging lenses:
Action & Impact
Character & Core Values
Community & Connection
Magnitude & Momentum
Creative in motion: Campaign expression
The Force for Good creative isn’t static. It’s already been activated through a 2025 national commercial rooted deeply in the brand narrative, combining narration with evocative imagery of research, service and leadership.
It’s at the heart of strategic partnerships and media appearances (for example, South by Southwest panels with Fast Company) that put the idea in cultural contexts beyond academia.
And the growing digital footprint with storytelling videos reaching millions (like, 80 million!), a rare feat for university content and a strong indicator that Texas A&M’s brand is now difficult to ignore.
Ethan returns to a consistent theme about brand. “We’re focusing on emotive, narrative-driven content that resonates beyond traditional academic audiences, investing in stories that get remembered, not just seen.”
Taken together, these elements show not just creative ambition but creative execution – the idea lived through motion, text, sound and shared experiences.
This research and recognition film has had 1.4 million views to date.
Final reflections: Why this creative is worth celebrating
For me, what sets Together, We Stand as a Force for Good apart is how authenticity and ambition coexist:
It’s aspirational, but rooted in real actions and lived experiences.
It side-steps traditional academic language, opting instead for narrative clarity, emotional resonance and a ruthless focus on brand equity.
It transforms the university from a place people attend to a collective people belong to – a force that resonates with public concerns about leadership, service, community and impact.
In a sector where brand plays are often predictable, this effort feels purposeful and culturally literate – not because it mimics commercial branding, but because it embraces what Texas A&M genuinely does and what it wants to be known for on a national scale.
Over a couple of conversations, Ethan noted, “We needed to shift from a regional story to a national narrative and reshape external awareness of the university’s impact and contribution”.
Well, the evidence is they’re well on the way. And as excellent as the creative work is, the level of strategic rigour that underpins it is genuinely impressive.