Saint Louis University Chaifetz School of Business

Challenge

The Chaifetz School of Business desired a united brand voice to lead the School forward and a way to amplify it. The School needed an eminent medium in which to share the year’s most significant accomplishments and hone in on the main tenets of the Jesuit mission.

After the Chaifetz 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.

Brand Positioning

The Paradigm team was presented with the opportunity to highlight the Chaifetz School of Business’ significant accomplishments and ambitious future plans. Similar to the excellent 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 towards being a force for good.

For the Chaifetz School, every action is guided by moral principle and the desire to create engaged community members who will leave a positive impact. We captured the School’s personality and story in a singular phrase: Where Mission Meets the Market.

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 that would highlight yearly achievements, celebrate members of the Chaifetz community and showcase its mission and future aspirations.

Our team began by conducting interviews with notable faculty members, enterprising students and successful alumni to achieve a greater understanding of the Chaifetz School of Business. 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 the SLU brand while also highlighting the uniqueness of the Chaifetz School’s brand. Throughout the report, standout features shine against traditional SLU elements — teal and orange secondary colors pop against a sea of dark blues and script fonts highlight pivotal phrases. Our designer wove graphic treatments throughout the report as well, adding diversity and sophistication in imagery. QR codes are spread throughout the report, linking out to further information and video resources.

The overall design even lends a hand to the mission of the Chaifetz School, making key areas of focus easily identifiable through title spreads. The three main sections of the report, Inclusion, Impact and Innovation, signal that the Jesuit mission is alive and well through the Chaifetz School’s educational platforms and real-world initiatives. The design displayed to the business community, alumni, current students and donors that the Chaifetz School of Business is an eminent institution putting values into action.