College of Arts and Sciences
One brand, boundless possibilities.
Challenge
CAS is more than a liberal arts and sciences college—it’s home to 40+ departments and programs, where students can pursue endless possibilities and faculty are dedicated to changing the world. So, we developed a brand identity that highlights their unique interdisciplinary community.
Solution
The redesign began with strategic positioning that outlines the college’s cross-departmental approach: “When arts meet sciences, the possibilities are boundless.” This statement and positioning informed the visual brand identity, brand messaging, and style guide for all 26 undergraduate and graduate departments.
We started with a tagline treatment that took the form of an equation, representing the multiplying effect of their programs: “Arts x Sciences = Boundless Possibilities.” Simple enough for all their communications, it also led to a thought-provoking new masthead for the alumni magazine.
The look-and-feel came next: bold colors, eye-catching visuals, and contrasting modern and classic typefaces defined the visual identity and underscored the CAS commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration. Brand messaging, which also spoke to the “multiplying effect” of collaboration, took on a confident, optimistic, and open-minded tone, amplified by the BU Brand voice.
The redesigned alumni magazine included all-new sections from our Editorial team. “Abstracts” highlights faculty, students, and staff who are finding solutions to real-world problems; “The Big Question” looks to professors with big ideas on global concerns; and “Class Acts” spotlights alumni news and work. Along with the Dean’s Letter, we also published a full-spread ad to announce the new brand identity.
We also developed website banners, promotional mailers, print and digital poster templates, PowerPoint templates, and cross-departmental branded t-shirts, as well as a full style guide of their new branding for the communications team.
Together, the strategic messaging and visual identity of this redesign have readied the College of Arts & Sciences for years to come. They are well-positioned to attract ambitious students and faculty, redouble their commitment to research, and connect ideas across liberal arts and sciences disciplines to solve modern problems.
