Best of CASE District VII Award
 

Institution: Marlborough School

Title of entry: At Marlborough, You Matter: Journal Viewbook

About this entry: Our innovative approach to the journal viewbook challenges the conventional norms of school marketing materials, particularly in the saturated Los Angeles independent school market. Recognizing the wastefulness of traditional viewbooks, often discarded shortly after use, we sought to create something practical, meaningful, engaging, and most importantly, interactive and fun for prospective students.

Drawing inspiration from customizable journals found in stores and online, we crafted a journal-style viewbook infused with thoughtful prompts tailored to each section we wanted to highlight about our programming. From font selection to layout, our goal was to create a visually-appealing and user-friendly experience that told the story of life at Marlborough, while allowing students to think through what matters most to them.

Our journal viewbook encourages self-reflection, allowing students and families to envision themselves within the Marlborough community while thinking through their own values and aspirations. Using a belly band to include important dates and admission information, as well as Marlborough-themed stickers with empowering messages geared towards adolescents, we were able to provide prospective students with a one-of-a-kind product. The feedback we have received has been emphatically positive, with many expressing gratitude for feeling truly understood and seen by the school.

By prioritizing practicality and personalization, our viewbook not only informs families about the power and difference of a Marlborough education, it also empowers students to engage in self-reflection and hone in on what matters to them as they think about the next step in their educational journey, setting a new standard for school marketing materials.