Collaboration
The Isenberg School of Management, our long-term client, came to us for help designing an annual report that would stand out from other mailed pieces, instill pride in alumni, and stop donors in their tracks.
Approach
Isenberg calls their annual report the Dean’s Report, and the overarching goal for the design of the 2019-2020 edition was to create something with visual and physical impact, with fewer pages and succinct content that would focus on, and illustrate, their strength and stability during COVID-19.
To design the cover and develop graphic treatments for each spread, we took inspiration from the architecture of the school’s copper-clad Innovation Hub — designed by BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group and Architect of Record, Goody Clancy. For the cover, we used a simple replication of the pillars in gold, wrapping around the back of the piece and jumping off of the maroon background. A tab system connects to the same pillars, and helps the reader navigate the piece. Connecting to the school’s new brand identity, inside spreads and the pocket of the report use the “I” icon as a continuous thread.
For the 2021-2022 Dean’s Report, Isenberg went deeper on content, we updated the cover concept, and used tabular section formatting. Once again, we gained inspiration from the Innovation Hub architecture, but with a fresh perspective. Copper foil inlay on the architectural wireframe stands out from a clean, white cover design. Content sections are navigated by color and custom format graphic dividers.
Overall, the final reports are a push toward a more editorial design, while remaining polished and professional — further establishing Isenberg as a leader in a strong field of competition. Business Innovation Hub photography by Max Touhey
This does not constitute an endorsement of any kind.
