GCU American Pursuit Campaign

The “American Pursuit” campaign by Grand Canyon University (GCU) was designed to address the rapidly evolving landscape of higher education. As competition intensifies, GCU sought to distinguish itself as a beacon of opportunity for students across all stages of life. The campaign’s objective was to showcase GCU as a pathway to purpose, aligning the Christian worldview with the free market system to offer affordable, high-quality education accessible to all Americans.
The campaign leveraged a full-funnel strategy from brand awareness to lead generation to engage diverse target audiences, including traditional campus students, online adult learners, career changers, veterans and Hispanic families. The messaging emphasized GCU’s commitment to helping students discover their purpose and pursue authentic happiness through service to others. By highlighting the commitment to providing a Christ-centered education and the freedom to earn degrees on flexible schedules, the campaign resonated with audiences seeking personal and professional fulfillment.
Visually, the campaign incorporated motifs such as hay fields, families and flags to evoke the ideals of the American dream — freedom, prosperity, community and service. The warm palette blended with GCU brand colors and inspirational music deepened the emotional connection and reinforced the message of hope and purpose. The content strategy included a robust mix of web and TV videos, radio spots, billboards, digital banners and print ads, all unified by the theme of “the pursuit to serve others.”
The impact was significant. A Brand Lift study revealed a 13.5% increase in ad recall, a 6.4% increase in brand awareness and a 1.7% increase in consideration, with users actively searching for GCU post-campaign. The American Pursuit campaign reinforced GCU’s position as a leader in education and affirmed its mission to foster a community of purpose-driven individuals committed to serving others.