Case Study: Hutton Honors Viewbook

CHALLENGE

The Honors College viewbook was beginning to look dated and a little stodgy. While its content and some of the pictures were updated every year, its overall design and content were several years old. When the College was named after benefactor Edward Hutton in January 2005, it was a fortuitous time for an overhaul.

PROCESS & SOLUTION

Working closely with our client, Professor Edward Gubar, IU Creative Services overhauled the old viewbook's content and design. We tried a somewhat more cerebral approach, using symbolic icons to represent each section of the viewbook; this was a strategy we felt would resonate well with high-ability students.

The structure and tone of the viewbook were also dramatically different from the previous publication, and we divided information into sections such as “New Vantages,” “Imagination,” and “Action.” This new approach to the content of the booklet made it a more compelling, quick read. Interviews with Honors students allowed us to write profiles that capture the diverse, energetic personality of the Hutton Honors College.

Rather than centering the publication on pictures of the Honors College building, or on detailed program information, we chose to focus the publication directly on students. The art director worked closely with a professional photographer to craft student portraits that captured both the students' personas and the essence of the Hutton Honors College experience. We wanted prospective students to read the text and see the photos and think “I would like that person ... I would like it at IU.”

RESULTS

The client and Honors College Dean Karen Hanson were very pleased with the viewbook, and the students who are featured told us that they thought the piece would be very effective in attracting students to IU and the Hutton Honors College.