You’re invited! February 15, 2012
Posted by jbedell in : Uncategorized , add a commentUMass has a thriving coalition to improve relationships between the campus and community, particularly around the thorny issue of college drinking. Each spring the Campus and Community Coalition presents Lamplighter Awards to groups and individuals who’ve made a strong contribution to the cause. Here’s the invitation I designed for this year’s event.
On display February 8, 2012
Posted by jbedell in : Uncategorized , add a commentUniversity Health Services uses a large display board at event tables ranging from new student orientations to employee benefit fairs. I’ve found it works best to make an assortment of mix and match pieces so that the boards can be quickly customized for any event. Here’s a recent set.
In black and white February 5, 2012
Posted by jbedell in : Uncategorized , add a commentWhile it’s fun to design with a ‘sky’s the limit!’ budget, designers are more commonly asked to keep it simple. The Dean of Student’s Office at UMass gives each incoming student a booklet outlining the university’s drug and alcohol policies. They were spending thousands on an expensive color piece and asked me to get their costs down with something in basic black. The result was this attractive yet cost-effective booklet. It’s saved the university a bundle over the last few years.
Keeping it fresh November 8, 2011
Posted by jbedell in : Uncategorized , add a commentAn effective social norms campaign requires both familiarity (we want every student to know the message by heart) and freshness (we don’t want them to get sick of seeing the same thing over and over). We’re running three distinct “mini-campaigns” this academic year. The third has just launched.
The long game October 14, 2011
Posted by jbedell in : Uncategorized , add a commentPerhaps because I began my career working on a 65-page magazine, I’ve always liked the challenges of a long publication. Whether its a magazine, book or report, getting scores of pages to hang together as a cohesive whole requires good focus, organization and a lot of patience. Here’s a link to a 214-page manual I did for More than a Meal, a program to promote good nutrition in Adult Day Health programs.
“Better” can be bigger! October 12, 2011
Posted by jbedell in : Uncategorized , add a commentSometimes a design piece needs to work in many different formats: print, online and perhaps even on the side of buses and trucks. This ad for University Health Services looked sharp on UMass campus delivery vans.
Faculty and Staff Assistance Program October 11, 2011
Posted by jbedell in : Uncategorized , add a commentThe FSAP is a brief counseling and referral center where employees of UMass and other local organizations can come for help with personal or workplace issues. I have designed two posters a year for this organization since 2001 — over 20 posters total! A recent favorite is included below. The challenge in these pieces is to make an eye-catching poster that appeals to a wide range of potential clients (these hang in offices in the community and across campus). Tone is important: we don’t want to get too heavy, nor do we want to be seen as making light of serious problems.
Social Norms marketing October 10, 2011
Posted by jbedell in : Uncategorized , add a commentSocial norms marketing highlights the discrepancies between the ways we assume our peers behave and their actual behavior. For example, surveys consistently reveal that college students drink less and make better decisions than they think. The Center for Health Promotion at University Health Services is on the cutting edge of social norms marketing, and I’ve learned a lot from them. At least once a year we roll out new messages and images based on recent data and tested in student focus groups. These appear on shirts, key chains, notepads, dorm posters, table tents and sides of local buses. The goal? Memorable messages that help college students realize that actually, everyone isn’t doing it.
Collegiate Recovery Drop-in Center October 10, 2011
Posted by jbedell in : Uncategorized , add a commentThis year University Health Services launched a great new initiative: a drop-in center where students in recovery can come to spend time with their peers in a comfortable, supportive environment. It’s basically a cozy living room with good coffee. The design challenge? A fresh logo — ASAP! — that can work on many items including magnets, mugs, invitations and online. The solution: Something collegiate and a little sporty, to emphasize the team environment they’ll experience here.
