The campaign narrative applies the Defy Gravity brand story to the campaign’s overall themes, objectives, and ambitions. It’s a foundational text that helps us tell the campaign story in a creative, engaging, consistent, and emotionally compelling way.

Nothing great in art, science, or culture is ever accomplished without challenging received wisdom or testing the limits of what can be done. Ideas that once seemed contrarian or quixotic are often the ideas that change everything.

From pioneering work in the humanities to the breakthrough development of insulin, stem cell therapies, and neural networks, the University of Toronto has a long history of daring the impossible and transforming society through the ingenuity of its faculty, students, and alumni.

Defy Gravity: The Campaign for the University of Toronto will build on this grand tradition and elevate what our community does best. It will help bring together top minds from every conceivable background and discipline to collaborate on the world’s toughest challenges. It will nurture ideas and initiatives that have the greatest potential to transform lives, shape global debates, and open up new avenues for art, science, culture, and human flourishing. And it will inspire a new generation of compassionate thinkers to brave every obstacle to pursue their passions and realize their potential.

During this time of recovery, rebuilding, and reconciliation, our campaign will provide alumni and supporters around the globe with ample opportunity to engage in the life of the University, invest in future leaders, seed groundbreaking work, and support projects that strengthen their communities. Together, we can take on what might seem impossible today and generate the ideas and talent needed to build a more equitable, sustainable, and prosperous future.

In developing the creative concept for our advancement campaign, we kept these items top of mind:

• The University's core values—our drive for inclusive excellence and the importance of a caring and engaged community
• The University’s three priorities—city building, strengthening international partnerships, and reinventing undergraduate education
• The U of T vision and mission—expressed in an emotionally relatable way to our various audiences

We needed an idea that would capture these considerations while delivering a larger narrative about the University's relevance and impact. Defy Gravity does exactly that.

The concept leverages the University’s brand expression, conveying its vision, mission, character, and value proposition. It reinforces everything U of T stands for: a community that braves the impossible to transform society, a community that defies gravity.

Integrating with the institutional brand has proven successful for many universities around the world. This strategy will also prove effective for U of T, with Defy Gravity driving our advancement campaign—as our tagline, positioning, and creative platform for wide-ranging fundraising materials.

A Framework for Inclusive Excellence

We have developed seven key themes to capture the essence of the campaign and provide a platform for advancing U of T's commitment to inclusive excellence. All seven are bold and inspiring and speak to the campaign's ambitions, objectives, and desired impact.