BENILDE-ST. MARGARET’S
Elevating Private School Marketing: The Power of A Redesigned Lookbook
Benilde-St. Margaret’s is redefining private school marketing with an elite, collegiate-focused school lookbook led by bold graphic design. The goal was to capture this transformative vision and bring it to life through this redesigned enrollment marketing school publication that embodies both excellence and community.
Elevating Traditional School Marketing with Bold Design
For students in grades 6-12, attending Benilde-St. Margaret’s (BSM) represents a gateway to a prestigious academic world. To reflect BSM’s drive for excellence, we produced a refreshed lookbook that both inspires and informs. Like many private education institutions, prospective students and parents receive a folder or booklet filled with information when they inquire or visit for the first time. To bring BSM’s new direction to life, we pivoted on the traditional sheaf of paperwork to produce one sleek and cohesive lookbook.
BSM prides itself on fostering a community that outlasts graduation. A foundational aspect of a Benilde-St. Margaret’s education from the moment you first walk through the front doors, you become a Red Knight for life. CEL brought this sense of community and showcased BSM’s prestigious educational opportunities into physical materials.
Collegiate Inspiration Advances Prep School Strategies
First impressions are paramount, with 94% of first impressions being design-related (Source: Kinesis), CEL determined a bold, collegiate-inspired design with an emphasis on the inclusive BSM community was going to lead the concept of the redesign.
When developing the outline of the new lookbook, the designers at CEL sought to create a dynamic layout, connecting different concepts together with consistent design elements. Key features include:
• Iconography and Statistics create clear, engaging visuals to showcase BSM’s achievements at a glance.
• Interactive Elements, such as QR codes for easy access to digital resources to both support the messaging as well as condense the booklet’s overall size.
• Dynamic Layout that blends evergreen and timely content, integrating photos and typography to highlight student experiences, thereby simplifying the update process for BSM.
BSM ‘By the Numbers’
Benilde-St. Margaret’s reputation and exceptional achievements shine through impressive statistics. Twin Cities families searching for the right private school understand the value of a holistic academic experience. BSM students aren’t just prepared for academic success, they’re given the support and guidance to thrive in life after graduation. Within the lookbook’s design, CEL created a consistent typography style to highlight the shining differentiators at BSM.
Benilde-St. Margaret’s college prep-based curriculum ensures student success every step of the way. More than that, becoming a Red Knight can be a family legacy and allow students to make real-world connections, beyond the classroom. This BSM Red Knight pride was a guiding force for the lookbook’s design by elevating student imagery beyond just a mere backdrop and instead becoming the central focus of the layout. The students themselves represent BSM’s core values, and the lookbook highlights their unique identities and lets their authentic testimonials shine through. Throughout the lookbook, we aimed to portray the realistic BSM experience from the perspective family through a current a student, and much of that was done through imagery and statistics.
CEL doesn’t just produce creative, effective, and lasting marketing; it transforms and elevates clients to lead their communities confidently.
