The ask

How to attract the best and brightest in one of the most competitive of environments? First impressions are vital – communications elements must tantalise whilst promising a deliverable experience. University College London (UCL), generally acknowledged as one of the best universities in the world, chose us to develop and produce a prospectus to whet the appetite of these highest-calibre potential students.

The task

With a new set of brand guidelines to work to, our Undergraduate Prospectus would turn out to be a bit of a test run. Our greatest challenge was how to deliver information about course offerings whilst remaining true to the spirit of UCL. We developed a clear, modern design that was consistent, logical and professional, befitting an institution as prestigious as UCL. Our segmentation made cross-referencing a breeze. To ensure consistency, we commissioned and art directed extensive location photography and managed image selection to an exacting standard, adding over 3,500 images to UCL’s image library.

The proof

A formal review judged our prospectus considerably better than in previous years, a finding shared by our client, who remarked, “A refreshing, creative design, clearly based on thorough analysis of objectives and content of our materials. Bentley Holland’s ability to resolve knotty problems, meet exacting deadlines, and give a professional and friendly service means we have been happy to return to them repeatedly”. Which they have; we pitched for and won two further pieces – the Graduate Prospectus and the Study Abroad Guide – extending our initial design strategies and executions to create a high-quality suite of student acquisition literature.