PERSONAS

To effectively communicate Wharton’s brand and tailor messaging across platforms, we must understand the key personas that engage with Wharton. These personas represent the primary audiences we serve, ensuring that our tone, messaging, and design choices resonate with their needs, expectations, and aspirations.

Below is a list of Wharton’s seven core personas, each with distinct motivations and engagement touchpoints:

1. Prospective MBA & Undergraduate Students

Highly ambitious, intellectually curious individuals seeking a transformative business education. Driven by career advancement, leadership development, and global impact. Weighing Wharton against other top business schools (M7, Ivy League, global competitors).

What they care about:

  • Cutting-edge curriculum (analytics, leadership, finance, innovation).
  • Career outcomes and alumni success.
  • Global learning opportunities, entrepreneurship, and real-world application.
  • Culture, diversity, and inclusion within the Wharton community.

How we communicate with them:

  • Inspiring, future-focused language that highlights career transformation and leadership opportunities.
  • A balance of prestige and accessibility, showcasing both Wharton’s rigor and its welcoming, diverse community.
  • Data-driven proof points: employment stats, salary growth, and alumni success stories.

2. Current Wharton Students

Individuals navigating the academic, social, and professional aspects of Wharton. Engaged in coursework, networking, and leadership development. Looking for ways to maximize their Wharton experience.

What they care about:

  • Access to faculty, research, and career development resources.
  • Networking and community-building opportunities.
  • Hands-on experiences (consulting projects, global immersions, startup funding).
  • Exclusive Wharton events, clubs, and thought leadership forums.

How we communicate with them:

  • Engaging, action-oriented language that encourages participation.
  • Clear, direct messaging about opportunities, deadlines, and resources.
  • Content that highlights student success stories and peer impact.

3. Executive MBA & Lifelong Learners

Mid-to-senior-level executives looking to sharpen skills, pivot careers, or lead at a higher level. Entrepreneurs, C-suite leaders, and specialists who want continuous learning without pausing their careers.

What they care about:

  • Accelerating their leadership and business acumen.
  • Industry-relevant, data-informed insights.
  • Real-world case studies, networking, and global perspectives.
  • Flexibility (hybrid, online, and immersive learning options).

How we communicate with them:

  • Direct, high-impact messaging focused on measurable outcomes and ROI.
  • Confident and sophisticated language, with real-world case studies and testimonials.
  • A practical, business-first approach that emphasizes results-driven learning.

4. Wharton Alumni

A diverse global network of business leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and changemakers. Proud of their Wharton affiliation and eager to stay engaged through networking, lifelong learning, and giving back.

What they care about:

  • Strengthening professional and personal networks.
  • Staying ahead with cutting-edge business insights.
  • Mentoring, recruiting, and supporting current students.
  • Giving back to Wharton through philanthropy, mentorship, and industry influence.

How we communicate with them:

  • Warm, community-driven language that reinforces a lifelong connection to Wharton.
  • Exclusive access to thought leadership, industry reports, and alumni events.
  • Celebrating alumni achievements, reinforcing the power of Wharton’s network.

5. Corporate & Industry Partners

Companies and organizations that hire Wharton graduates, fund research, and collaborate on thought leadership. Fortune 500 companies, startups, investment firms, nonprofit organizations, and global institutions.

What they care about:

  • Access to top business talent and recruitment pipelines.
  • Exclusive industry insights from Wharton’s research and faculty.
  • Strategic partnerships in innovation, consulting, and thought leadership.
  • Opportunities for corporate learning and custom executive education programs.

How we communicate with them:

  • Clear, direct business language that highlights ROI and strategic benefits.
  • Data-backed storytelling showcasing Wharton’s thought leadership and research impact.
  • High-touch, exclusive engagement opportunities (events, research collaborations, and talent access).

6. Faculty & Academic Researchers

Wharton’s world-class professors, lecturers, and researchers. Experts in finance, leadership, innovation, data science, economics, and entrepreneurship. Thought leaders shaping business policy, corporate strategy, and global markets.

What they care about:

  • Amplifying their research and shaping public discourse.
  • Cross-disciplinary collaboration with peers, industry leaders, and policymakers.
  • Funding, grants, and institutional support for academic initiatives.
  • Elevating Wharton’s brand through global recognition.

How we communicate with them:

  • Scholarly, yet accessible language that bridges academia and business impact.
  • Professional, credible, and substantive messaging that elevates their research and insights.
  • Highlighting faculty voices through op-eds, white papers, podcasts, and thought leadership platforms.

7. Media, Press, & Thought Leadership Audiences

Business journalists, financial analysts, policymakers, and global influencers. Writers and editors at Forbes, WSJ, FT, Bloomberg, HBR, and other top-tier business media outlets. Audiences looking for data-backed insights on business, finance, tech, and economics.

What they care about:

  • Quick access to Wharton’s faculty expertise.
  • Data-driven analysis of emerging business trends.
  • Credibility, thought leadership, and impactful soundbites.
  • A clear understanding of Wharton’s perspective on global business issues.

How we communicate with them:

  • Concise, data-backed insights that emphasize expert authority.
  • Providing quick-turn, high-quality faculty commentary.
  • Positioning Wharton as the go-to source for business intelligence.

Special Groups

Learn about the brand guidelines for your specific group.

FACULTY & STAFF

EXTERNAL GROUPS

ALUMNI

STUDENTS

The Brand Guideline Sheet is included with each logo system. This essential resource offers a clear visual and technical breakdown of the logo architecture, including the approved color palette and specific usage requirements. Created with accessibility in mind, these guidelines empower all team members — regardless of design expertise — to apply the Wharton visual identity with precision, ensuring brand consistency across every platform. The PDF is editable (similar to an EPS file); just ask your vendor to open the file in their vector software (e.g., Adobe Illustrator or Figma).

View a Sample of the Brand Guideline Sheet

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