Pivoting the design of the CapU viewbook.
How do you approach the development of a university viewbook during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic? This was a question we had to answer when faced with the 2021–22 CapU Viewbook. I stepped in to the project at a pivotal time, as production had begun prior to the global shutdown. When it became apparent that recruitment efforts would drastically change, some quick decisions had to be made.
Role: Creative direction
Design: Rommel Cabanal; Copywriting: Shannon Colin, Kirk Pedersen; Photography: Taehoon Kim
Capilano University, 2020
We opted to still produce a printed viewbook, but alter our approach by reducing both page count and print quantities. The budget we saved in printing costs was then diverted to digital recruitment efforts and virtual events. The viewbook production took place during the height of in-person restrictions, hence we could not take new photographs for the publication. Instead, we took careful consideration in choosing COVID-friendly imagery, primarily showcasing portraits and small groups of students. While the printed viewbook was distributed in key schools and markets only, recruiters used the digital version as a tool in all virtual recruitment sessions.
