Brand Updates

MSU marketing materials win CASE awards

by

Missouri State University’s editorial and design services team won seven awards at the CASE 2020 District VI Institutional Awards.

You can see the winning pieces in a slideshow: CASE-awards-2020.pdf.

CASE stands for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. It’s a nonprofit that serves professionals who work in alumni relations, communications, development, marketing and other related areas.

MSU’s editorial and design services is part of the university’s Marketing and Communications Division.

MSU’s EDS team entered their work — publications, graphic design, writing and other creative endeavors — in several categories. They competed against other universities from across the district’s eight-state region.

EDS team members, marketing staff members and clients across the university who worked on these projects won the following:

  • Bronze in Editorial Design for a Missouri State magazine piece: “The efactory: A Place for Movers, Shakers, Dreamers and Doers.”
  • Gold in Design-Invitations for the It’s On campaign launch invitation.
  • Bronze in Design-Posters for the 32nd annual Wine & Food Celebration poster.
  • Bronze in Student Recruitment Publications: Publication Packages for items related to MSU’s Admitted Student Day.
  • Silver in Institutional Relations Publications: President’s Reports and Annual Reports for the 2018 Foundation Annual Report.
  • Bronze in Institutional Relations Publications: Research Publication for 2018 Mind’s Eye.
  • Bronze in News Writing-Periodical Staff Writing for feature stories in Missouri State magazine.

Missouri State’s editorial and design services team has a long history of bringing home CASE awards. This means our branding and outreach materials meet and exceed best practices for marketing!

Need help creating brochures or flyers? Try our templates

by

Do you write and design brochures or flyers? Or do you want to create these pieces, but aren’t sure where to start?

We have resources for you.

You can now download templates for flyers and tri-fold brochures in the university’s brand website.

Choose from either Microsoft Word or Adobe InDesign templates.

You will have a great starting point for a layout that is in brand.

You will also see best practices for text, so writing your content in-brand should be easy.

University advancement sub-brand finds its voice

by

With the launch of the university advancement sub-brand, special focus is given to messaging to ensure maximum readability when writing for alumni, donor and friends of Missouri State.

Below are some of the best practices being executed in the development of sub-brand text to boost comprehension, retention and action.

Contributed by Michelle Rose

Shorter is better

  • Shorter paragraphs
    • One to three sentences. Three is max. 25 words max for lead, i.e., first paragraph.
  • Shorter sentences
    • Eight words is perfect sentence length; occasionally longer is OK; 21 words should be max
  • Shorter words
    • Goal is five characters; one syllable or two is ideal

Be visual

  • Use large images
  • Break up text with infographics/numbers/timelines

Ellis Hall

More entry points

  • In text longer than 250 words, ensure there is at least one overall headline, and a minimum of two subheads
  • Create infographics
    • If something is a number, date, fact, timeline, etc., pop it out in a large box rather than keep it in paragraph or narrative-style text
  • Use more “chunks” of information
    • For fact-based stories that don’t have a natural story arc (nonprofiles, nonnarratives), break out each “thought” or thesis into its own chunk, complete with a mini headline or subhead
  • Break out all calls to action

Flex voice to connect with readers

  • Ask more questions (How will you inspire others? Etc.)
  • Be personal by using more us/you/we language (i.e., not “The university will endeavor to accomplish the goals” but “we will reach our goals.”)
  • Don’t use passive sentences
  • Focus on MSU pride and more use of the words from the overall university branding campaign

Let’s get personal

by

VDP example

With a little planning and a lot of data, you can reach your target audience with specialized messaging through variable data printing.

Missouri State is reaching out to prospective students through personalized messaging that provides information that is relevant and timely.

Working in partnership with the publications office and printing services, the admissions office reaches high school students throughout the semester, with targeted publications. Each print piece is complimented by digital campaigns and student calling efforts.

 

 

New series showcases what it’s like to be a Business Bear

by

COB brochure series

The College of Business recently published a series of six department brochures, along with a college brochure, in support of its undergraduate student recruitment efforts.

Through the print pieces, prospective students learn how an education at Missouri State is different – and how they will learn to do business with integrity.

Business majors tell their Citizen Bear stories as only students can – sharing their experiences of incorporating public affairs into their academic prep.

Also included are the benefits and outcomes of earning a business degree at Missouri State.

We’re excited to share this example of brand support.