For The Shipley School, a top-flight independent school in Philadelphia where 25 percent of students are National Merit, Zehno developed a new magazine that extended the school’s branding. Designed to perform specific functions for alumni, admissions, development and parent relations, the new magazine powers the school’s communications.
Challenges
- Transform the mag from flat to fab.
- Demonstrate how Shipley’s teaching philosophy differs from other schools in the market.
- Highlight signature academic experiences that make Shipley unique.
Results
Impact for parents
Frames big-picture educational issues for Shipley parents — and prospective parents.
Key messages
Extends the school’s branding — and key messages — as a far-reaching communication tool for development, admissions, alumni and parent relations.
Awards
The magazine captured top UCDA awards for best magazine and best redesign.
AROUND SHIPLEY AND DONOR PROFILE
CLASS NOTES
What Zehno did
- Position paper: Audit and strategic recommendations.
- Prototyping: Magazine redesign, content strategy and editorial plan.
- Template preparation: Full prototype templates and content strategy.
- And more.
Tips for your team
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Use the magazine to illustrate the school’s key marketing messages. Powerful storytelling helps position your school in a crowded market.
- Explicitly ask magazine readers to spread the word about your institution’s achievements — and provide the facts for them to do so.
- Flip the structure — features at front, bits at the back — to emphasize big-picture thinking.
DOES YOUR MAGAZINE MATTER?
Next time budget slashers descend on your office, be prepared to answer what it actually accomplishes.