Lessons from Choate’s Viewbook
melinda wissmann
Why is the campus visit such a powerful enrollment tool? It’s not because of the information families learn, but the feelings they have. At Kelsh Wilson, we believe viewbooks work the same way. In projects like the one we just completed for Choate Rosemary Hall, it’s our job to inspire those feelings before the visit happens—in fact, to help make it happen.
In Choate’s case, prospective students respond not just to the school’s impressive academic program and the wonders of its 458-acre campus, but also to the personality of the place—its openness and diversity, energy and creativity.
In strategic, creative ways, Kelsh Wilson captured this personality in print:
- A series of original drawings bring a distinctive texture to the viewbook and search piece, illustrating highlights from inventing things in the school’s makerspace to the comfort of finding your niche among friends.
- Storybook-style headlines give the publications an attitude all their own: “How to Make Almost Anything” for a spread on design thinking or “Into the Woods” for a page highlighting Choate’s immersive environmental experience.
- A striking variety in page layouts signals the variety and vitality of the school community—and helps hold reader interest.
Are these the right ideas for every school? Absolutely not—and that’s part of what makes them perfect for Choate.
With each new project, the Kelsh Wilson team asks the same questions as when we began our collaboration with Choate:
What feels just right for this school?
What statement can it make that no one else can?
What will set it most strongly apart?
