Leach Advisors Services: Environmental Branding + Creative Strategy
Client: Baruch College/City University of NY
Industry: Higher Education / Public Health
BACKGROUND
CUNY Baruch College—a leading public institution in Manhattan—was preparing to implement a campus-wide no-smoking policy. Understanding the potential backlash from students, the College engaged Leach Advisors to create an approach that emphasized health, belonging, and behavioral change over compliance enforcement.
From our research, we realized that the campaign had to be more than a compliance effort. So, we conceived a “Clean Space” themed program to create a cultural shift among the Baruch community—promoting health, mutual- and self-respect, and student pride in Baruch’s campus environment. Recognizing the campaign’s broader potential, Baruch sought to integrate the “Clean Space” messaging with other institutional initiatives, such as environmental sustainability and community responsibility.
OBJECTIVES
Reframe the new smoking ban as a student-endorsed, community-supported initiative through values-based messaging and environmental design.
The “Clean Space” campaign aimed to:
- Reintroduce the Baruch community to the No Tobacco policy through refreshed messaging centered on Respect and a Self-Honor Code of Conduct.
- Encourage voluntary compliance through values-based messaging, rather than enforcement-driven tactics.
- Sustain awareness of the Clean Space initiative through modern, high-visibility media formats.
- Establish a feedback loop via focus group discussions to track impact and perception among students.
TARGET AUDIENCES
- Primary: Baruch College Undergraduate + Graduate Students
- Secondary: Baruch Faculty, Administrative Staff, Campus Visitors
KEY MESSAGES + CALL TO ACTION
At the heart of the campaign was a simple but powerful message:
“Clean Space is about more than policy—it’s about pride, respect, and our shared responsibility to each other and our environment.”
The call to action encouraged the Baruch community to model respectful behavior by honoring the tobacco-free policy voluntarily—no policing, no shaming—just shared values and mutual accountability communicated in a way to build community rather than divide it.
STRATEGY
Leach Advisors conceived the idea of Clean Space as a behaviorally informed campaign using high-traffic campus environments as vehicles for subtle message reinforcement. Drawing on design psychology, we embedded prompts into stairwells, elevators, and high-traffic common gathering areas—locations where moments of idle time or decision-making could be influenced.
The campaign’s tone was empowering, not punitive—framing smoke-free living as part of a modern, inclusive student culture. Messaging was shaped through co-creation with students and aligned with public health goals.
Leach Advisors developed a multi-platform awareness campaign built around emotionally resonant themes of community, self-respect, and environmental responsibility. Messaging was intentionally positioned to be supportive using inclusive language and imagery that welcomed participation.
The campaign was guided by key Baruch brand attributes:
- Modern
- Intelligent
- Progressive
- Environmentally Responsible
- Socially Interactive + Welcoming
All communications strictly adhered to Baruch’s associated legal and brand guidelines.
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS DELIVERED
- Campaign naming, tagline + identity
- Full suite of environmental designs (digital + print signage, decals, wayfinding cues)
- Message framework based on social norming + salience
- Partnership with student government for campaign rollout
- Integration plan for facilities + operations teams
- Facebook gamified engagement (student testimonials, pledge campaigns)
- Social validation (points-based rewards, “Clean Space” branded MetroCards, hats, bracelets)
IMPACT
Benchmark assessments were achieved through quarterly follow-ups measured through:
- Community feedback
- Student focus groups
- Observed behavioral changes in tobacco use on campus
Indicators from stakeholder interviews + qualitative feedback suggested strong resonance with the campaign’s inclusive tone and modern, values-based messaging strategy.
Key outcomes within 2 months of campaign launch:
- 41% increase in tobacco use policy awareness
- Significant tobacco-related incident reduction
- 300+ student pledge submissions
- 70 students featured in “Clean Space” posters + digital media
- 1,500+ Facebook interactions
This campaign demonstrated how institutional policy compliance can be communicated in a way that builds community rather than divides it. By framing tobacco-free messaging within the context of respect and environmental stewardship, Leach Advisors helped Baruch College elevate a regulatory mandate into a shared cultural value.
