Saint Louis University Chaifetz School of Business
Saint Louis University’s Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business has been developing the next generation of business leaders for over a century. It strives to build a better world through business, innovation, inclusion and impact.
Explore Paradigm’s work in university branding as well as marketing for higher education in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 Dean’s Reports.
Role
- Brand Positioning & Guidelines
- Content Development & Copywriting
- Print Design
Industry
- Higher Education
Challenge
The Chaifetz School of Business desired a united brand voice to lead its community forward and a way to amplify it. The School needed an eminent medium to share the year’s most significant accomplishments, outline ambitious plans and hone in on the core tenets of the Jesuit mission.
Though the School successfully navigated the pandemic and the appointment of a new dean, it wanted to distinguish itself as a business institution that creates change — not only through education but also through action in the community. It needed experts in marketing for higher education — and Paradigm was ready to answer the call.
University Branding
Our team first took on a university branding project with the Chaifetz School of Business. Similar to the work Paradigm did for Saint Louis University’s Research Institute, we identified a common goal across the School’s faculty, students and community members. Each individual looked to shift perceptions of business toward being a force for good.
For the Chaifetz School, every action stems from moral principles and the desire to create engaged community members who will leave a positive impact. We captured its personality and story in a singular phrase:Where Mission Meets the Market.
The 2021 Dean’s Report
Content Strategy
Following in the footsteps of the SLU Research Institute Impact Report, we sought to create an annual Dean’s Report for the Chaifetz School of Business. This report would not only align with university branding but also highlight yearly achievements, celebrate members of the Chaifetz community and showcase its mission and future aspirations.
Our experts in marketing for higher education began by conducting interviews with notable faculty members, enterprising students and successful alumni. Our goal was to achieve a greater understanding of the Chaifetz School of Business.
Through this, we uncovered a common thread: business and education are guided by SLU’s Jesuit mission.
The story of the Chaifetz School’s recent past and future ambitions focused on three pillars: inclusion, impact and innovation. We placed diverse pieces of the past two years, such as student initiatives, coursework and faculty research, under its guiding pillars and articulated their importance to the Chaifetz School’s 100-plus-year legacy.
Print Design
The 2021 Dean’s Report visually associates with SLU’s university branding while also highlighting the singularity of the Chaifetz School’s brand. Standout features shine against traditional SLU elements — Fountain Blue and Oriflamme Orange secondary colors pop against a sea of deep blues while script fonts highlight pivotal phrases.
Our designers wove graphic treatments throughout the report, adding diversity and sophistication to the imagery. As experts in marketing for higher education, we wanted to direct traffic back to the School’s website — QR codes were subsequently included in the report, linking to further information and video resources.
The overall design even lends a hand to the mission of the Chaifetz School, making key focus areas easily identifiable through title spreads. The three main sections of the report, Inclusion, Impact and Innovation, are pillars from our university branding. Their inclusion signals that the Jesuit mission is alive and well through the Chaifetz School’s educational platforms and real-world initiatives.
When put together, the Dean’s Report demonstrated to the business community, students and donors that the Chaifetz School of Business is an eminent institution putting values into action.
1,000+ Premium Copies Mailed
2,300+ Standard Copies Mailed
The 2022 Dean’s Report
Content Strategy
The 2022 report, titled “Transforming Today. Inspiring Tomorrow,” stepped away from segmenting programs, faculty awards and service endeavors by the pillars of the School. Instead, we chose to center the tone of the 2022 report around one. “Impact” became the theme, with storytelling centered around the change created by individuals in the Chaifetz community.
The School added value to this avenue of marketing for higher education through the addition of eight pages. With the added space, our copywriters highlighted student outcomes, new classes and workshops, community engagement and noteworthy awards. Beyond that, the Dean’s Report welcomed new faculty members and celebrated those who made strides in business education throughout the previous year.
Print Design
The design further expanded the legacy of our university branding. Traditional SLU colors and custom Chaifetz School elements lived together in harmony. Grand Blue, Fountain Blue and College Church Gray took center stage in this edition, with blocks of color highlighting valuable sections. Line art stretched across the pages, guiding eyes through each story.
1,900 Standard Reports Printed
1,800 Standard Reports Mailed
The 2023 Dean’s Report
Content Strategy
Titled “Unleashing Opportunity. Inspiring Progress,” the 2023 Dean’s Report included the hallmark features of previous report content. However, this edition allocated a spread for every institute so that leadership could personally select stories. Our copywriters interviewed respective directors and inspiring stories emerged — from the relaunch of the Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame to the 39 Country Initiative.
Notably, the 2023 report also marked the retirement of Edward Jones Dean Barnali Gupta. We crafted a spread in her honor, where students, faculty members and community partners shared memories of their time with Gupta over three years.
Print Design
Additionally, our designers adopted a renewed approach to our university branding in the 2023 edition. Graphic blocks in SLU blue, Grand Blue, Fountain Blue and Oriflamme Orange directed attention to important sections of each spread — diverting from the line art used in previous reports. Subtle fleur-de-li patterns added texture to the pages without detracting from rich imagery.
1,000 Standard Reports Printed
900 Standard Reports Mailed
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