Edit Barry and Allison Le (E&A Collaborative) - Mission Driven Brand Consultancy

In this episode, Tracey sits down with Edit Barry and Allison Le, co-founders of E&A Collaborative, an award-winning women-owned brand consultancy specializing in higher education and mission-driven branding. With nearly two decades of experience, Edit and Allison share their insights on the challenges facing higher education marketing, the growing trend of “Blanding” (branding becoming homogenized and generic), and how institutions can break free from the sameness to stand out in an increasingly competitive landscape. The conversation dives into topics like how students seek belonging rather than just prestige, the role of AI in branding, and why higher ed institutions struggle to showcase their true personality. They also unpack Harvard’s radical website redesign and discuss how other universities can be bold without needing Harvard’s reputation. If you’re interested in brand strategy, higher ed marketing, or creative differentiation, this episode will spark new ideas on how to challenge the status quo.