Danbury High School Builds New Brand, Hatters, with IMPACT Partnership

June 29, 2018

Danbury, Connecticut, - Varsity Brands, which is comprised of BSN SPORTS, Varsity Spirit and Herff Jones, has partnered with Danbury High School, in Danbury, Connecticut on a multi-year agreement with the IMPACT Program. Through the Varsity Brands’ IMPACT program, schools benefit from partnership resources, such as rebranding services and continuing education programs, when they align with the best in class leaders in sport, spirit and achievement – BSN SPORTS for uniform and equipment needs, Varsity Spirit for all things cheer and dance, and Herff Jones for every graduation and yearbook need.

In contrast to their status as the largest high school in Connecticut, Danbury High School did not have an established, constant image in the community. With conflicting mascots and logos with multiple shades of their orange and blue school colors, the school’s branding lacked consistency and was in need of a rebrand in order to re-establish school pride. As a benefit of its partnership with the IMPACT Program, Danbury High School developed their new Hatter mascot with Varsity Brand’s school branding team at VIP Branding.

Danbury High School capitalized on the transformation by promoting their new Hatter mascot and logos through their online, 24/7 Sideline Store built by BSN Sports, from which students, staff, and community members can purchase customized fan wear. Additionally, Danbury High School involved their students in the rebranding process by entrusting the maintenance of the Sideline Store and launch of their brand to their marketing class and DECA program. The students also developed a billboard and commercial campaign to promote their new brand in the community.

The final step of Danbury High School’s rebranding process came at graduation, when the senior class walked the stage in Herff Jones graduation caps and gowns bearing their new school seal and distinct orange and blue. "Graduation was the culminating event of a year-long process of rebranding Danbury High School. IMPACT came to us with their ideas and from there we worked as a team to bring a sense of unity and pride back to DHS,” said Mr. Dan Donovan, principal of Danbury High School. Mr. Donovan noted the impact of the unified look, “The colors and quality were well received by the students. At our graduation, we received nothing but compliments on how impressive our graduates looked."

Danbury High School’s first year as the Hatters was commemorated in their Herff Jones Yearbook, with the theme of campus unity- from athletic teams to extracurricular clubs, and their new consistent and recognizable identity.

About the IMPACT Program
Varsity Brands launched the IMPACT Program in 2014 to foster pride in schools by encouraging participation, recognizing achievement, and building community and school spirit.
By collaborating with educators, coaches and students, Varsity Brands representatives use the resources of the IMPACT Program to partner with the school to provide solutions to meet the unique needs of each school. VIP Branding, and IMPACT Partnership Resource, helps schools ensure that their brand appears consistently throughout their campus, from exterior signage to mascot appearance in murals, yearbooks, newsletters and beyond. Ultimately, the goal is to improve student engagement and community involvement through an identity so that all stakeholders feel pride and ownership.

About Varsity Brands
With a mission to inspire achievement and create memorable experiences for young people, Varsity Brands elevates the student experience, promotes participation and celebrates achievement through three unique but interrelated businesses: BSN SPORTS, a Varsity Sport Brand; Varsity Spirit; and Herff Jones, a Varsity Achievement Brand. Together, these assets promote personal, school and community pride through their customizable products and programs to elementary and middle schools, high schools, and colleges and universities, as well as church organizations, professional and collegiate sports teams and corporations. Through its 9,000 dedicated employees and independent representatives, Varsity Brands reaches its individual and institutional customers each year via catalog, telesales, e-commerce sites and direct sales channels.