Bold experimentation will always be the harbinger for great innovation. Well, that or at least that is the start of a hilarious viral video. Here in the labs of Mad Genius, we always have an eye on the future, looking for new technologies in video production, digital design, and more. In this blog one of our most gifted geniuses, Katie Tully, our art director, will offer her thoughts on AI image generation.
Take it away, Katie!
Getting Started
So here’s what I learned, attempting to create generative art with Midjourney. If this process had steps, this would be step one: read all the instructions. Yes, all of them. The second step, again, if this had steps, would be: know what a “Discord” is. If you don’t know what Discord is, go back to that first step.
Thankfully, the Midjourney team has compiled a rather extensive “how do I work this thing” list for any new users. Frankly, I would’ve been lost without it. As a daily Discord user, I had a good baseline understanding of Discord and its interface, which was a huge help. Those unfamiliar will probably need some time to learn Discord.
Unlike some other AI image generators I’ve heard of, Midjourney has multiple channels on Discord for users to prompt the AI from. You’ve got newbies, which is of course for those of us in its namesake and general channels. They also have a daily theme channel, which is actually pretty neat. There was some trial, but mostly error because I couldn’t figure out how to post in it. More than creating prompts and imagining themselves, simply watching prompts process in these channels in real time was fascinating. It can get a bit challenging to keep up when multiple users are prompting the same channel at the same time. I found that direct messaging the bot helped me not get lost in the flow of chatter. Once you get the basics of that, you’ll be off and running.
Midjourney has the user interact with the bot using a command. The /imagine command followed by a text description known as a “prompt” for the AI to generate an image from. Let’s just say you’ll have no shortage of options using Midjourney, as it then generates four options in a grid at 1024 x 1024 px. It gives options to re-run the prompt to generate another grid of images or choose an image to make variations from. Here’s a look at a couple of the prompts and the results.
Prompts and Results
Prompt One
I wanted to keep it simple with the first prompt, just to see what I would do, so I entered the following: “A bird in a tree.”
Prompt Two
That first set of images wasn’t the worst work I’ve ever seen, but I wanted to see how in weeds I get and if Midjourney could keep up. The prompt was the following: “An illustration of a vibrant parrot perched on the limb of a verdant tree in a dense jungle. Blue gradient sky through the foliage, rays of sun casting on the forest floor, Risograph style, minimal shapes.”
The generations from the prompts are pretty good, but they don’t get a perfect score just yet. To be fair, it also could be a bit of prompting error by a novice user. While I didn’t personally try to generate a photo realistic person, I have to admit Midjourney does get a high score in that regard.
A Few Thoughts
Testing Midjourney has been an interesting experiment. Since we paid for it for a month, I’ll finish my degree in perfect prompting. I barely have a grasp on the basics of the software itself, and I’m still figuring out how to write an A+ prompt. That’s really the name of the game here. The variety of parameters you can add to the end of your prompts can dial in the output even further. Things like aspect ratios, negative prompts (i.e. remove something from an image), randomly changing the style, tile for seamless patterns, and weird levels from 0-3000 are a few options worth testing out.
Midjourney isn’t the most user-friendly generative AI out there. Using the AI through Discord adds a second learning curve to the process. It’s difficult to imagine coupling that (how to use it) into our workflow. Then there’s the part where you’re prompted in the public channels. Everyone sees your prompt and result, which is daunting on its own. Not to mention, if you leave the channel for any reason, you’re going to turn into an archaeologist because you’ll be doing some digging. By the time you get back to look for your generations, you’ll have to sift through possibly hundreds of other prompts. Overall, an interesting experiment, you know, once you read the instructions. Read the instructions, people.
Best Use Case for Midjourney
Like I said, it was interesting, but I feel like generative AI is still in its novelty stage. One day, will it replace stock photo, illustration, and video subscriptions? Maybe, but definitely not yet. For now, it’s an “I have this idea in my head and can’t find a stock image or fill-in-the-blank to use as a reference image on a concept board” best use case. Moreover, Midjourney is for inspiration and mood board fodder. Commercial use cases for any generative AI are too legally “iffy” for me to ever be comfortable using completely AI-generated work for clients. That’s a problem for the future, which is a great thing. Because barring AI going all Skynet on us, we’ll all get to see how that changes.
Curious about using AI in your workflow? Are you a Midjourney disciple who would love to train Katie in the art of promptification? Fill out the contact form below and let’s have a sincere conversation about artificial intelligence.
Imagine, if you will, you’re responsible for a company. Let’s say you have your company’s next great idea ready to go. It’s going to change the world and make all the money, but there’s an issue. How do you brand it? What are the steps to get to the next level?
You have a few people in-house that know a thing or two about marketing… Sometimes that’s not enough. There’s a lot to be gained by hiring an agency, but when should you make the call and hire one? We’ve got a few ideas on the subject, so let’s dive into the ins and outs.
Signs You Need to Hire an Agency
Here are a few things to look for when deciding whether you should reach out to an agency or not.
Pivoting to, or Adding a New Target Audience
Adding new service areas can help you appeal to a whole new group of customers. Doing so without any thought towards how you change your messaging to include that new audience could be a missed opportunity.
A merger is another ideal time for some agency help. When two companies love each other very much, they merge into one, and probably leave their existing customers confused. Many of them likely don’t know the merger happened at all and are wondering why the logo on the website is different. Help these wayward souls and clear up their confusion.
It doesn’t matter how great your product is if your target audience doesn’t know about it. If you made the greatest bacon cheeseburger known to man, you wouldn’t serve it at a vegan commune—it’s not what that particular crowd is looking for. Getting in front of as many eyeballs as possible isn’t a bad idea, but it’s all about getting in front of the right eyeballs.
Creating a More Consistent and Fresh Brand Message
Just about any house looks better with a fresh coat of paint. You might not want to change your home’s color every year, going from beige to blue to orange–the neighbors might start to whisper–but you might want to paint it every once in a while to really make it pop.
Some companies have a propensity to vary more and more from their stated brand, or worse, their brand and marketing strategies aren’t keeping up with the times. An agency can help make your brand look brand new.
Nothing can undercut a remarkable product quite like identity missteps. Branding is how the world perceives you and/or your product. Influencing your branding (you can’t outright control it, sorry) and making sure it’s as strong and consistent as possible across every touchpoint can be the difference between a successful launch or a Space X-level explosion at take off.
Stagnant or Declining Sales
We’re sure we don’t need to tell you that in any business, the sales graph should always be trending upward. Sales can start to look flatter than the Kansas plains, or worse, start to dip, if you aren’t careful or get complacent. An agency can help revitalize your business by providing a fresh set of eyes looking through marketing-tinted lenses and generating unique strategies.
The Benefits of Hiring an Agency
Beyond getting to work with some super talented and passionate professionals, there are a few benefits that hiring an agency brings to the table. (Side note: Hiring Mad Genius might come with some pretty good celebratory cocktails at our Drink Tank™. Not actually trademarked, but it looks cool, right?)
Expertise and Experience
Think about the level of expertise your company puts into, well, whatever it is you do. (We’re good, but we aren’t mind readers, we have no idea what you do.) You’re professionals. You’re experts in your field. Creative, branding, web development, and photo/video production are our things. The way you care about [your thing] is the way we care about marketing/branding [your thing].
Access to Advanced Tools and Resources
There’s a lot that goes into our process. Suffice to say, we’ve got more than enough tools and resources to bring to bear. With most agencies, after your campaign is developed, you’re passed off to an outside production company. Not at Mad Genius. We’ve got the latest and greatest in web development software, artists, and the film-quality lighting and camera equipment, right here in house. Mad Genius truly is a one-stop shop.
Making the Call
Ultimately, it’s up to you to assess your specific business goals and needs and make sure they align with an agency’s services. Think about your budget considerations. Sometimes hiring an agency can yield a better ROI for your marketing budget than simply staying the course or working in house.
If you’re ready to talk marketing strategies, branding campaigns, or just get to know us a little better, fill out the form below to set up a meeting. Our geniuses would love nothing more than to chat about how we can help supercharge your brand.
I’ve worked with creative teams for nearly 30 years. In that time, I’ve produced more questions than answers. That’s a good thing. The creative process demands we question, test, and question again, iteratively. Inside the labs of Mad Genius, these questions lead to experiments. Experiments lead to discoveries. Discoveries lead to breakthrough reactions. This cycle is how we uncover new lanes for innovation and simultaneously distinguish the irrelevance of others.
Mad Genius’s culture allows for a constant push-pull of risk and failure, resulting in unanticipated outcomes. We observe, question, test, and analyze, bringing unexpected solutions to clients seeking the impossible.
As our weekly time tracking reports will tell you, it can sometimes be a hard way to work. So, why do it?
Expertise Narrows Critical Thinking
I once read a fascinating article on the deception of expertise. The report offered a surprising premise. Experts (those with 10,000+ hours of experience in a field of study) are no better at critical reasoning than novices when pushed beyond their comfort zones. The article compared the outcomes of a world-renown surgeon and a first-year medical student. Amazingly, the surgeon’s advanced training didn’t improve his speed or accuracy when treating primary care patients. Why? The prevailing explanation is that the surgeon repeatedly practiced the same techniques, honing knowledge and experience in a narrow field. And when presented with something new, something unpracticed, his years of experience had no impact on decision-making. I guess it’s hard to diagnose an ear infection when you’ve focused on removing spleens your whole career!
Okay, so, what does this have to do with creative agencies? Simple.
The world is changing fast. Problems are continuously unwinding. Business goals today are radically shifting. Amassing 10,000+ hours of experience in any marketing field is challenging given how quickly our industry evolves. As a result, the tried and true solutions agencies have relied on for decades no longer work. And people are freaking out.
Embrace It
Don’t fall into the expertise trap. Let go of what you think you know and ask, “what if?” instead. Look for answers in unlikely places. Challenge your ideators and subject-matter experts to push past associative thinking and explore a beginner’s mindset. Of course, that’s easier said than done, but it is doable. It doesn’t involve your entire creative team sitting in a room throwing idea-spaghetti at a wall to see what sticks. However, it does require that your leadership encourage and reward failure with enthusiasm. Put simply, bad ideas are the barometer that measures creativity and productivity. Outrageous solutions usually lead to unexpected results that surprise and delight clients.
So, how do we do it?
Think Little to Find Big Ideas
You’ve probably had your fill of counterintuitive marketing BS, but this approach has rescued tricky projects more than once. It breaks down like this…
Small Teams
When you put ten people in a room to brainstorm, you end up with ten people thinking about one idea at a time. So instead, form five two-person teams. Pair designers and writers, animators and UX specialists, social content creators and account planners. By combining unlike disciplines, you force teams to adapt and learn. The resulting alchemy is space magic we call Creative Fusion. Generate and explore a bounty of revolutionary creative solutions from multiple perspectives in a fraction of the time.
Short Attention Spans
Creatives notoriously fall in love with bad ideas. Artists burn hours perfecting a sketch that is off-brand. Writers tweak and polish headlines that don’t align with target audiences or serve business goals. It happens! Our creative impulses take over, and we can’t help ourselves. The miracle cure for this curse is simple.
Limit the time and space for artists to explore.
Give the team an hour and a stack of note cards. Then challenge them to come up with 75 to 100 possible new iterations. That’s it! They won’t have time to chase creative rabbits. If an idea is too complicated to express on an index card, it wasn’t a viable solution in the first place. Another benefit to pushing the team for quantity before quality is to exhaust the mind of possibilities. Original ideas only present themselves when associative and ungrounded thinking runs its course, and there’s really no shortcut.
Get Comfortable Making Clients Uncomfortable
Consumers are exposed to between 4,000 and 10,000 ads a day. Is the work you’re doing standing above the noise?
Let that sink in. This means you no longer have to overcome the competition; now, you must overcome the media platforms that jade consumers against our industry. People bring built-in perceptions and expectations to the table. They expect hospitals to have board-certified physicians and for oil changes to be speedy. If your messaging only reinforces what shoppers already know, your brand risks being dismissed. Or worse, being knocked out of the buying cycle altogether in favor of something more entertaining or new.
Instead, campaigns should strive to give audiences something to get excited about. Something relevant. Something worth sharing. The best way to do this is to be different.
Welcome to the world of creative employment! Looking forward to seeing your creativity in action. Your first real-world design job will be a steep learning curve. Internships during college can help to soften that curve. There will still be learning to do, and the learning never stops. Design programs change, new techniques pop up, and curveballs are thrown. (*cough* AI *cough*). Here are some helpful hints, a bit of elder wisdom, and some struggles I have experienced in my years in the creative field.
Communication
Ask questions. Have them and ask them. Take time to read up on the project brief and jot down questions. Be that person who goes to a meeting with a list of inquiries. Make sure you have a better understanding of direction and double-check any misunderstandings. As an introvert, I, personally, have had the most trouble with this. With some pre-planning, I feel comfortable participating in the discussion. Not everyone in the creative field is gregarious. It takes time to understand the best way to communicate.
Critiques are scary, yes. They are an integral part of the creative process, yes. They are only for the betterment of the overall design, yes. Getting feedback from the team is so helpful. Someone else will pick up on a way to address that nagging problem. The end design should be in focus after the critique. Getting feedback is just as important as providing feedback. Remember: subjective and objective feedback are two different things.
Clients
Let us talk about clients. You can steer the design process and make recommendations, but they know their brand best, and compromises will be made. Every design is not a winner, and rejection is never personal. The client did not choose your design? Now you know what not to do. Every project is a learning experience to adapt and make changes.
Inner Critic
La la la. My fingers are in my ears. Not listening!
Creatives all have that tiny negative voice in the back of their head. It never completely goes away, but each successful project makes it quieter. Give that voice a name, a cardboard box, and packing tape. Promptly put them in the box, tape it up, and poke some holes in the top. Tell the voice, “You can come out when you have something positive to say.”
Creative Block
Yep, creative block is a common occurrence. How do you overcome creative block? It is a mixture of things. Inspiration is an essential component in breaking through your creative block. I keep a running list of blogs, websites, and magazines for inspiration. Sketching focuses your ideas. If you are unsure of a design, make another option. Get those ideas out; there are no bad ideas.
If all else fails, reference the Take a Break section.
Take a Break
Take a break. Take your lunch break, even if it is putting together a puzzle while eating your mac and cheese. Design fighting you? Take a break, get a coffee, walk around the block, and do some deep breathing or primal screaming. Whatever you have to do to clear your mind. The weekend is not for work emails. Leave it at work; creatives are creatives and not surgeons for a reason. That digital ad can be completed tomorrow, and the Earth will keep spinning.
Smörgåsbord
Keep your passions, particularly your artistic passions. Enjoy Plein Air painting? Make time to set up in the park and paint the scenery. Keep your artistic mind flowing and creating. Anyone interested in joining my print exchange that I am totally gonna start?
LEARN INDESIGN! Notice all the caps? It means yell that to yourself. Illustrator is not a catch-all program. No designing print ads in Illustrator.
Let it breathe and release tension. Not just buzzwords your college professor casually inserts into every critique. Is the headline too close to the margin? Decrease the size and/or move it away from the edges to give it breathing room. Does the design call for the running of words off the page? Make it look intentional.
Slug: not just a common, tough-skinned terrestrial mollusk. It’s a printing term for extra space in the bleed area for printer notes or to show where folds would be.
Don’t worry about learning every hotkey. It takes years to remember them (mostly) all. Did you get stuck in quick mask mode in Photoshop? Hint: it’s the Q key.
You will make mistakes. Mistakes are normal. Say @#%&^!@#^%$#!, then correct those mistakes. You deserve an award if you make it through your entire career without one incorrect printing.
Ending this note with the most meaningful design advice I’ve received and can still remember: When in doubt, K.I.S.S. (Keep it Simple, Stupid). Does the ad need that extra flourish? Simplify. More than three different typefaces? Simplify.
Now, young designers go out into the world and make those mistakes, adapt, and above all, create.
Oh, staff photography! How often have we gathered at company parties to laugh at you? The thousand-miles stares and awkward smiles. The painfully dated hairdos. The lipstick-flecked teeth. And remember that one guy with the bowl cut and the stalker grin? Yeah, the one Barb in Human Resources had a “chat” with. What a mess!
At Mad Genius, we regret to inform you that there’s no way around staff photography. It’s an important part of your legal firm’s web presence. But, we’re here to help you make the most of it, and in this blog, we’ll provide the info you need to make the process as painless—and impactful—as possible.
Staff Photography Showcases Your Company’s Employees in a Way That’s Visually Engaging on a Website
It’s no secret that we live in a visually driven world. Your brand identity is, foremost, shaped by what people see when they visit your website. This means any photography on your site must reflect your professionalism by being, well, professional. It’s not just the quality of the photography that matters, it’s the mood, the character, the vibe (yes, we said vibe) those photos convey about who you are as a legal firm. Taken together, these things play a significant role in shaping your firm’s brand identity.
Staff photography, in particular, offers an opportunity to showcase the people behind the business, reinforcing their authenticity, their humanity, and their expertise. Done right, this helps establish a connection with clients and customers. With so much at stake, choosing the right style of staff photography requires careful consideration of your brand, industry, and target audience.
Understanding Your Brand: The Foundation of Choosing Staff Photography
Before investigating different photography styles, it’s important to reflect on your brand and core values. Who are you as a legal firm? What is the presiding spirit within your walls? Buttoned-up and professional? Relaxed but hardworking? Tank tops every day? Playful but committed crusaders for justice? Staff photography should align with your brand identity and convey that spirit to your target audience.
How to Assess Your Brand Identity for Optimal Visual Representation
The best way to assess your existing brand identity is to revisit the branding elements currently on your site and other marketing materials. Your logo, color palette, typography, and overall design style can offer insights into the visual direction your staff photography should take. A clean and minimalist brand will likely pair well with staff photography that uses simple backgrounds and focuses on individuals. A more vibrant brand will do better to embrace bold and creative compositions that tell a story about each employee.
Multiple Approaches
When we get down to the nitty-gritty, staff photography comes in two flavors: traditional and portraiture. Traditional staff photography—formal poses, neutral backgrounds, and polished appearances—is widely used in the legal and financial sectors. This style conveys professionalism, competence, and reliability, which is never a bad thing in the legal field. If this is how you view your firm – as a reliable helping hand that’s built a lot of trust with the community – then traditional photography might be the best way to visually communicate that.
Alternatively, you might want a more contemporary and creative approach. You may want to explore unique compositions, candid moments, and unconventional backdrops. Such creativity can enhance the visual appeal and differentiate your company from competitors, especially if your brand identity is youthful, dynamic, or unconventional.
Case Studies: A Tale of Two Firms
HRK
CPA firm HRK came to Mad Genius looking to modernize their web presence. While they offered top-tier accounting services, their website was dated and, crucially, their staff photography did not feature a consistent style. Wanting the professionalism of their site to match that of their services, they requested all new staff photography.
But there was a problem. HRK has an office in Washington, D.C., and it didn’t make sense to fly our photographer out to take the shots. At Mad Genius, we know consistency is a crucial element of a polished online presence. Unwilling to let HRK’s website suffer, we created a style guide detailing the exact parameters we used for their local staff photos. They hired a photographer in D.C., and thanks to our guide, their staff photos presented a polished—and consistent— team to their clients.
Wise Carter
The legal firm Wise Carter came to Mad Genius for a total rebranding. While their previous online presence featured the kind of formal, polished professionalism HRK desired, Wise Carter’s brand identity had changed over the years, and they were ready for a more modern, personal approach.
After interviewing each Wise Carter team member to learn about their unique personalities, Mad Genius collaborated with them to determine the best backgrounds, poses, and items to include in each portrait. The results were just what Wise Carter hoped for: a unified tone of easy-going professionalism that also showcased each team member’s unique personality.
Choosing the right style of staff photography is crucial for any company, especially in the legal sector. By understanding your brand and its core values, assessing your brand identity, and considering traditional and non-traditional approaches, you can select a photography style that effectively represents your company’s professionalism, authenticity, and desired brand image. Remember, staff photography is not only about showcasing your employees; it is an opportunity to communicate your brand story and connect with your audience on a deeper level.
We get it. Once upon a time, that budget website made perfect sense. You know the one we’re referring to: Papyrus font for days, the unpopulated blog page, that one typo you always planned to fix but never got around to. In a legal firm’s evolution, there’s a time and place for the starter website that gets the job done (if just).
But that’s not your firm anymore. Whether you’re redesigning your site for the first or the tenth time, you know how important an attractive, user-friendly website is for the success and growth of your practice. It enhances your online presence, improves user experiences, and attracts potential clients. And let’s be honest, those potential clients generate their first impression of your firm based upon the quality of your website, which means choosing the right agency to handle your redesign project is a must.
Mad Genius is here to help with that. In this blog, we will explore five key factors to consider when selecting an agency for your legal website redesign.
1. Cost-Benefit Analysis: What Goes Into the Cost of a Website Redesign?
Bad news: it’s not 2009 anymore. Comic Sans isn’t going to cut it, nor will farming out your website design to your niece. No, not that one. Becky’s daughter. The one with questionable hair and three-quarters of a bachelor’s degree in art history. Yeah, her. If you want to increase lead generation, improve conversion rates, and enhance your brand reputation (and you should want that), you’ll need to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of what you want, what you can afford, and set some realistic expectations.
A modern, thoughtfully designed website helps your firm appear more professional. Even if your firm has won 100 percent of its cases, a website with long loading times that looks like it was designed in Microsoft paint will turn potential clients away before they even read your credentials. Discussing the following elements with potential agencies will help your firm workout the kind of cost-benefits analysis that gets you the most web mojo for your money:
Complexity of design and functionality
Number of pages
Integration of content management systems
Search engine optimization (SEO) requirements
Ongoing maintenance and support
2. Evaluating Expertise: Skills Your Agency Should Have (That Becky’s Daughter Does Not)
Becky’s daughter might have the lowest fees in the game, and she might really want the job so she can afford her next tattoo. But, if you want your website to pop off the page, flow intuitively, and make a convincing case for potential clients to use your services, you’ll need a skilled agency that understands the many moving parts that create a successful site. Be on the lookout for agencies with a strong portfolio that highlights their expertise in:
3. Research: Examples of Successful Legal Website Redesigns and What Makes Them Work
Websites are like cats. There’s more than one way to design them. (Have you seen the cat tattooed on Becky’s daughter’s arm? Let’s just say nature has never seen its likeness. Just as her tattoo artist should have done some research into cats and their proportions…) You should research existing legal websites. What do you see? What do you like? What don’t you like?
Reviewing examples of successful website designs can provide insights into the different approaches that work and which ones you prefer. When designing your website, you want to make a good impression on potential clients, so which law firm websites make a good impression on you? Especially look for websites that demonstrate:
A clear brand identity
Intuitive navigation
Compelling content
Strong calls-to-action (CTAs)
Effective lead generation techniques
4. Navigating the Process: What to Expect When You’re Redesigning
Redesigning a website takes time. There’s a process, and maybe you don’t mind that part of Becky’s daughter’s process is a trip out to California for Coachella right in the middle of your redesign. Either way, we encourage clear and frequent communication with your agency about their workflow, project timelines, and milestones, ensuring clear expectations from both parties. Typically, the redesign process will include:
5. Typical Steps in the Website Redesign Journey With an Agency
Ready to take the plunge and commit to a website redesign? What can you expect when partnering with an agency? (We’re assuming we’ve dissuaded you from choosing Becky’s daughter, so we’ll lay off her for now. For the record: we love cat tattoos. And questionable hair.) There are several common steps throughout the journey, and understanding these steps will help you actively participate in the process and provide valuable input. These include:
An initial consultation to discuss goals and objectives
A discovery phase to gather information about your brand, target audience, and competition
Wire-framing and design iterations
Development
Content creation and migration
Quality assurance testing
The website launch and post-launch support
Redesigning your legal firm website can significantly impact your online presence and business success. It’s a big deal, too big a deal for Papyrus (and no, we don’t care that James Cameron used it) and Becky’s daughter. By considering the factors discussed in this blog, such as the cost-benefit analysis, elements affecting costs, expertise evaluation, successful redesign examples, and the website redesign process with an agency, you can make an informed decision and select the right partner for your website redesign project.
College websites are difficult to make, but with proper planning and strategy, you can build a great one. The trouble is, these types of websites have to perform many tasks for several types of users. How can you please as many people as possible? Carefully.
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User Focus
2
Easy Navigation
3
Fresh Content
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Responsive Design
5
Accessibility
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Searchability
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Consistent Branding
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Avoiding These
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Great College Websites Are User-Focused
With enterprise-level websites like those with .edu on the end, many cooks end up in the kitchen. For the most part, each particular cook is mostly thinking about their own particular sauce. A faculty member may want to see one thing and a dean may want to see another. If you don’t pay attention to the students’ sauce? Well, in the great words of Gucci Mane, “If you don’t got the sauce then you lost.”
To find out how to make your website focused on the user, start doing some research. Who are the “power users” of your website? What do they use the website for? How could you make their experience even better in the next redesign?
To answer these questions, we have a list of common power users for college websites below.
Prospective Students
About Prospective Students
Prospective students are the most important audience for a college website. Full stop. They are the ones who will be making the decision about whether to attend a college, so it is critical to make sure that the website provides them with the information they need to make an informed decision. Prospective students may be high school students, current college students, or adults who are looking to change careers.
What Prospective Students Want
Prospective students are often the number one focus for college websites, as recruiting success is paramount. Elements they want to see on a college website include:
Clear and accessible information about academic programs, admission requirements, and application procedures
Financial aid information, so they can know how they can afford to attend the college
Virtual tours and multimedia content showcasing campus facilities, student life, and the overall campus experience
Student testimonials and success stories to help prospective students envision themselves at the college
Current Students
About Current Students
Current students of a college are individuals who are presently enrolled in the college. They may be full-time students, part-time students, or graduate students. Current students may also be undergraduates, graduate students, or professional students. Keep the demographics of your current students in mind when creating your content.
What Current Students Want
Current students are interested in finding the following on a college website:
Quick access to student portals
Academic information about courses, majors, minors, and requirements
Student life information about clubs, activities, and events
Financial aid information on scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study
Resources such as tutoring, counseling, and health care
Technology resources like computer labs and printers
Contact information for the college’s offices and departments
Comprehensive academic calendar with key dates, deadlines, and events
Events calendar to keep students informed about lectures, workshops, social events, and clubs
Emergency and school closure information
Faculty & Staff
About Faculty & Staff
The faculty and staff of a college or university include professors, lecturers, instructors, administrators, professionals such as librarians, counselors, and financial aid officers, and support staff.
What Faculty & Staff Want
Faculty and staff of your college visit your website to find:
Faculty and staff directory with contact information and expertise areas
Tools such as course management systems
Secure portals or intranet with email access, human resources information, and professional development opportunities
Policies and procedures related to hiring, promotion, and tenure
Information on college resources such as libraries, computer labs, and research facilities
News and updates such as new hires, awards, and publications
Alumni
About Alumni
Former students of a college or university are an important part of the college community. They can provide guidance and support to current students, and they can help to promote the college to prospective students. They can also be a valuable resource for networking and development.
What Alumni Want
Alumni want to stay connected to their alma mater, and they can do that if the website includes information about:
Attending reunions
Donating to the college to support academic programs, student scholarships, and campus facilities
Channels to stay connected such as newsletters, alumni associations, and mentorship programs
Networking opportunities and career services
Alumni success stories with information on their contributions to various fields
Parents & Families
About Parents & Families
Parents and families are a significant part of the college process, and they want to see information that will help them make the best decision for their child.
What Parents & Families Want
The goal is to provide parents and families with the information they need to make an informed decision about whether to send their child to the college. By providing clear, concise, and up-to-date information, a college website can help to ensure that parents and families can make the best decision for their child’s future. Some of the things that parents and families want to see on a college website include:
Academic information to see what they have to offer and how their child’s interests align with the programs offered
Student life information to get a feel for what it would be like for their child to live and learn on campus
Tuition, financial aid, and payment options to address their financial concerns
Safety, housing, and support services available to students
Frequently asked questions, important contacts, and resources to help them stay involved and informed
Community Members & the General Public
About Community Members & the General Public
Community members and the public are also interested in learning more about the college, but they may be looking for different information than prospective students and parents.
What Community Members & the General Public Want
Members of the public may want to see specific information that is relevant to their interests. This may include:
Community impact, such as economic impact and volunteer programs
Event calendars and activities such as concerts, plays, lectures, and other events that are open to the public
Facility information for the library, gym, theater, and other facilities open to the public and how they can use them
Historical information for people who are keen to learn more about how the college has shaped the community
Public access to campus maps and visitor information
Opportunities for continuing education, professional development, or community involvement
Great College Websites Are Easy-to-Navigate
Navigation Labels
Use clear and concise labeling so that users can quickly identify where they would like to go. For example, if your college marching band has a unique name that doesn’t “scream” marching band, just use “Marching Band” in the navigation so that prospective students won’t have to know it beforehand.
Logical Structure
Organize navigation items in a logical hierarchical structure. Group related pages or sections together, and use submenus or dropdowns when necessary to provide deeper levels of navigation. At the same time, minimize the number of clicks that a person needs to use to reach the information they need. If it makes sense to do so, avoid an additional level of navigation.
Use Breadcrumbs & Visual Hierarchy
Another way to make websites easier to read that are often three or four levels deep is to use breadcrumbs. These provide users with a trail of links to show their current location and enable easy navigation back to higher-level pages. In addition to breadcrumbs, add visual cues to establish hierarchy. You can differentiate second and third level items through font weight, size, color, and icons.
Great College Websites Have Updated Content
Nothing destroys a college’s reputation with a prospective student or employee more than outdated or incorrect information.
A college website should aim to provide comprehensive and relevant information to prospective students, current students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders. While the specific information may vary based on the institution’s size, location, and offerings, here are some essential elements that should be included on a college website:
About the Institution:
Mission and vision statements
History and background of the college/university
Accreditation and academic affiliations
Leadership and administration details
Campus facilities and resources
Academic Programs:
List of undergraduate and graduate programs offered
Descriptions of each program, including majors, minors, and concentrations
Faculty profiles and their areas of expertise
Academic departments and schools
Admissions Information:
Admission requirements for different programs and degrees
Application procedures and deadlines
Information for prospective students (e.g., campus tours, virtual visits, open houses)
Scholarships, financial aid, and tuition costs
Student Life:
Student organizations and clubs
Athletics and intramural sports
Housing and residential life
Campus events and activities
Health and counseling services
Career services and internships
Academic Support:
Library resources and services
Academic advising and support centers
Research opportunities
Study abroad programs
Internship and co-op programs
Faculty and Staff Directory:
Contact information for faculty and staff members
Faculty profiles, including their qualifications and research interests
Campus Facilities and Resources:
Campus maps and directions
Information about libraries, laboratories, and research facilities
Computing and technology resources
Dining options and meal plans
Campus safety and security information
News and Events:
Latest news and announcements
Events calendar, including academic and social events
Publications and newsletters
Alumni and Giving:
Alumni engagement programs
Alumni success stories
Ways to give back to the institution through donations and fundraising
Contact Information:
General contact details (phone number, email address)
Specific contact information for different departments, offices, and services
Great College Websites Have Responsive Design
A responsive design is crucial for a college website due to the widespread use of various devices with different screen sizes, such as desktops, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones. Here are some reasons why responsive design is important for a college website:
Enhanced User Experience: A responsive design ensures that the website looks and functions well on all devices, providing an optimal user experience. Users can access the website and navigate its content without any usability issues, regardless of the device they are using.
Mobile Usage Trends: Mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, are increasingly used for browsing the internet. By adopting a responsive design, the college website can cater to the growing number of mobile users and deliver a seamless experience.
SEO Benefits: Search engines favor mobile-friendly websites in their search results. A responsive design improves the website’s visibility and ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs), positively impacting its organic traffic and online presence.
Cost and Maintenance Efficiency: Maintaining a single responsive website is more efficient than creating and maintaining separate desktop and mobile versions. It reduces development and maintenance expenses, as changes or updates can be implemented across all devices simultaneously.
To ensure effective implementation of responsive design elements, consider the following best practices:
Mobile-First Approach: Begin the design process by prioritizing the mobile experience. Start with the smallest screen size and then progressively enhance the design for larger screens. This approach ensures that the website is optimized for mobile users.
Fluid Grid Layouts: Use a fluid grid system to create flexible and proportionate layouts that adjust seamlessly across different screen sizes. This allows the website’s content to adapt and maintain its integrity while accommodating various devices.
Flexible Images and Media: Optimize images and media files to be flexible and responsive. Use CSS techniques, such as max-width: 100%, to ensure that images and media scale proportionately based on the device’s screen size.
Breakpoints: Define breakpoints in the design where the layout adjusts based on different screen sizes. These breakpoints help ensure that the content is presented in the most optimal and readable format for each device.
Readability and Interaction: Ensure that text, buttons, and interactive elements are appropriately sized and spaced for easy readability and interaction on smaller screens. Consider touch-friendly design elements, such as larger buttons, to accommodate mobile users.
Performance Optimization: Pay attention to performance optimization for faster loading times on mobile devices. Compress images, minify CSS and JavaScript files, and leverage caching techniques to improve website performance.
Testing across Devices: Thoroughly test the website on various devices and screen sizes to ensure a consistent and satisfactory user experience. Test navigation, readability, interactions, and functionality across different devices to identify and resolve any issues.
By adhering to these responsive design best practices, a college website can provide a seamless and user-friendly experience across a wide range of devices, accommodating the needs and preferences of its diverse audience.
Great College Websites Are Accessible
Website accessibility allows individuals with disabilities to access your website’s content and functionalities. Millions of people in the United States use a screen reader to read websites that they cannot properly see, and closed captions benefit people who are hearing impaired as well as those who aren’t. We will go into more detail about why web accessibility is important for college websites and how to achieve it for yours.
Why Accessibility Is Important for College Websites
It is crucial for a college website to be accessible to ensure that all individuals, including those with disabilities, can access and interact with the website’s content and functionalities. Here’s why accessibility is important for a college website, along with best practices to follow:
Inclusivity and Equal Opportunity: Web accessibility promotes inclusivity by ensuring that people with disabilities have equal access to information and services provided by the college website. It supports the principle of equal opportunity for all individuals, including students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance: Many countries, including the United States (under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act) and the European Union (under the Web Accessibility Directive), have laws and regulations that mandate web accessibility for public sector organizations, including colleges and universities. Compliance with these laws is essential to avoid legal consequences.
Positive Reputation and Brand Image: Demonstrating a commitment to accessibility enhances the reputation and brand image of the college or university. It showcases an institution’s dedication to diversity, inclusivity, and providing equal access to education and services.
Improved User Experience: Web accessibility benefits all users, not just those with disabilities. By following accessibility best practices, the website becomes more user-friendly, intuitive, and easier to navigate. It can enhance the overall user experience for everyone, regardless of their abilities.
Here are some best practices to follow to achieve web accessibility for a college website:
Compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): Follow the internationally recognized WCAG guidelines, which provide a comprehensive set of accessibility standards. Aim for compliance with at least WCAG 2.1 AA level.
Alternative Text for Images: Provide descriptive alternative text (alt text) for images, allowing screen readers to convey the image content to users with visual impairments.
Proper Heading Structure: Use proper heading structure (h1, h2, etc.) to create a logical and hierarchical organization of content. Headings help users navigate and understand the website’s structure, particularly for users relying on assistive technologies.
Keyboard Accessibility: Ensure that all functionalities and interactive elements can be accessed and operated using a keyboard alone, without relying on a mouse or other pointing devices. This is crucial for individuals with motor disabilities or who cannot use a mouse.
Color Contrast: Maintain sufficient color contrast between text and background elements to ensure readability for users with visual impairments. Use tools or online color contrast checkers to evaluate and adjust the contrast ratios.
Captions and Transcripts: Provide captions or transcripts for multimedia content, such as videos and audio files, to make them accessible to individuals with hearing impairments or those who cannot access audio.
Forms and Inputs: Design forms and input fields to be accessible, including proper labeling, clear instructions, and error messages. Ensure that form controls can be easily navigated and completed using assistive technologies.
Consistent Navigation and Structure: Maintain a consistent and predictable navigation structure throughout the website. Clearly indicate the user’s current location and provide a skip navigation option for screen reader users.
User Testing and Feedback: Conduct user testing with individuals with disabilities to gather feedback and identify areas for improvement. Incorporate accessibility considerations throughout the design and development process.
Accessibility Statement: Include an accessibility statement on the website, outlining the institution’s commitment to accessibility, providing contact information for accessibility concerns, and sharing information about available accommodations.
By implementing these best practices, a college website can significantly improve its accessibility and ensure that individuals with disabilities can access and engage with its content, services, and resources.
Great College Websites Are Searchable
Imagine that you need or want to do something on a college website. If you can’t navigate to the correct page, your next best bet is to use the college’s search bar feature. If you can’t find it after that, you may consider giving up. That’s the precise moment we want to avoid.
Why Search Is Critical for College Websites
Quick and Efficient Information Retrieval
A searchable website allows users to find specific information quickly and efficiently. Users can enter relevant keywords or phrases in the search bar to retrieve relevant content, saving time and effort compared to navigating through menus or browsing multiple pages.
Enhanced User Experience
A search feature improves the overall user experience by providing a convenient way to locate desired information. Users who have a specific query or are looking for specific resources can easily find what they require, increasing satisfaction and reducing frustration.
Accommodation of Diverse User Needs
Different users have different information needs and preferences. A search function caters to those who prefer searching to browsing, empowering them to access the information they need in their preferred manner.
Handling Large and Complex Websites
College websites often have vast amounts of information, including numerous pages, documents, and resources. A search feature becomes essential for navigating such large and complex websites effectively.
Important Search Features
Prominent Search Bar & Search Results
Position the search bar prominently, preferably at the top of the website, where it is easily visible and accessible on every page. Use a magnifying glass icon or other recognizable symbol to indicate its purpose. The display of the search results should display in a clear, organized manner. The search results may include the page title, a snippet, and some relevant metadata for users to contextualize the results and evaluate the relevance of each search result.
Smart Search
Instead of a simple keyword search bar, use an intelligent search functionality that utilizes technologies like natural language processing. Or, consider using semantic search to enhance the accuracy and relevance of search results.
Speed and Reliability
Fast and Reliable Search Results: Optimize the search feature to deliver quick and accurate search results. Use efficient search algorithms, caching mechanisms, and server-side optimizations to ensure fast response times, even with large amounts of content.
Autosuggest
Autocomplete and Suggestions: Implement autocomplete and suggestions in the search bar to assist users in formulating their queries. This feature can help users by suggesting popular or relevant search terms as they type, improving search accuracy and efficiency.
Filters
Use advanced filters and sorting options that allow users to refine and narrow down their searches. Users should be able to filter results based on categories, dates, file types, and other relevant attributes.
Analytics
Properly track your site search in Google Analytics 4 and monitor its usage. You’ll be able to gain insights into your site’s user behavior, popular search terms, and areas where users may be struggling to find the information they need. This data can help identify areas for improvement and optimize the search experience.
Great College Websites Have Consistent Branding
Keeping your brand standards consistent across your website is a part of maintaining and strengthening your college’s brand equity.
Why College Website Branding is Important
Brand Recognition and Recall: Consistent branding elements such as logos, color schemes, typography, and visual styles help create a cohesive and memorable identity for the college. This promotes brand recognition and recall among website visitors, making it easier for them to associate the website with the institution.
Professionalism and Credibility: Consistency in branding instills a sense of professionalism and credibility. When the website reflects a unified brand image, it conveys a message of reliability and trustworthiness to prospective students, parents, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders.
Cohesive User Experience: Consistent branding across different pages and sections of the website ensures a cohesive user experience. It provides users with visual cues that they are still within the same institutional context, reducing confusion and enhancing usability.
Strengthened Institutional Identity: By maintaining consistent branding, the college website reinforces the institution’s identity and values. It helps align the website’s visual presentation with the overall brand strategy, fostering a sense of pride and unity among stakeholders.
Website Branding Best Practices
To maintain a consistent brand identity throughout your website, you must establish brand guidelines and then adhere to them. Below is a list of best practices that, if followed, will help maintain your branding:
Logos
Use your official logo prominently and consistently throughout the website in the correct format, resolution, and color scheme as outlined in your brand guidelines.
Colors
Apply the institution’s designated color scheme consistently across the website. Use the official colors for headings, backgrounds, buttons, links, and other design elements. Avoid introducing additional colors that deviate from the brand palette.
Typography & Fonts
Define a set of typography guidelines to maintain consistency in font styles and sizes. Use specific fonts recommended in the brand guidelines for headings, body text, and other text elements. Consistency in typography contributes to a cohesive visual identity.
Visual Style & Imagery
Establish a consistent visual style for images, illustrations, and graphics used on the website. Use similar filters, image treatments, or graphic elements to maintain a unified visual language. Ensure that the chosen visual style aligns with the overall brand identity.
Design Templates
Create design templates or components that follow the brand guidelines. These templates can be reused across different sections or pages of the website to ensure consistent layouts, styles, and visual elements.
Coordination With Other Channels
Align the website’s branding with other marketing and communication channels used by the college, such as social media profiles, print materials, and campus signage. Consistency across various channels reinforces the overall brand identity.
Regular Audits & Updates
Conduct periodic audits of the website to ensure that all pages and sections adhere to the brand guidelines. Update any outdated or inconsistent branding elements promptly.
Training
Provide training and clear communication to website administrators, content creators, and other relevant stakeholders about the importance of consistent branding. Educate them on how to implement and maintain brand guidelines on the website.
Great College Websites Don’t Need
What makes a website, specifically a college site, truly annoying? If you are a prospective student, and you happen upon these, it can make a terrible first impression. Below is a list of things to avoid on your college website at all costs, or be prepared to suffer a worsening bounce rate.
Stock Photos
They have their time and place, definitely, but stock photos for a university website are a no-go. People can sniff inauthenticity from a mile away, and then they won’t trust anything else on your website. Prospective students want to see the real college, real campuses, real students, and real experiences they can look forward to at your school. Build up a library of images for your website and other marketing materials with professional photography.
Excessive Pop-Ups
Have you ever loaded a webpage and seen the information you need on the screen, only for it to be covered by pop-up after never-ending pop-up? Pop-ups can take a perfectly easy-to-navigate, pleasurable browsing experience into something that makes you want to throw your mouse across the room. Yes, we probably need to accept your cookies for legal reasons, but after that, beware. Emergency alerts are for emergencies. The following frequently used pop-ups are not emergencies:
Signing up for your newsletter
Chatbots that open automatically and block the screen
Graphics to promote a new feature of your website
Excessive Jargon and Acronyms
If someone doesn’t already go to your school, and you use a lot of your own acronyms and internal jargon, they will have no idea what you’re talking about. Say, for example, you work for Minnesota State, and your mascot is the Screaming Eagles. If you brand your freshmen orientation as “Fledgling Freshmen” or “Eager Eaglets,” you still need to have the words “freshmen orientation” somewhere in or near the title so that people don’t get confused. Take it easy on parents who have to take off from work and watch their children leave the nest.
Complex CAPTCHAs
When users are trying to log in to parts of your website or submit forms, use simpler and more user-friendly CAPTCHAs and other security features. Did you know that 19 percent of American adults quit during a transaction because of a difficult CAPTCHA? These features can cause serious and consequential user experience problems.
Unoptimized PDFs
Have you ever needed to fill out a form, but the form is just a flat PDF that looks like it was photocopied, scanned, printed out, and photocopied again? We are over twenty years into the new century, so it’s beyond time to post professional, interactive PDFs that people can save and fill out on any device.
Our advice is to avoid PDFs entirely by transferring PDF content into your website pages and using styled web forms, but if you must, you can use Adobe Acrobat Pro to create accessible PDFs and then test them.
Talk to a College Website Specialist If you have looming questions about making a website for your college, join us for a free 30-minute Q&A with a college website specialist.
In this blog, we’re going to take things a small step forward, and I will make a claim that may seem too bold. Ready? Here it is:
The best storytelling happening over the last twenty years has happened in video games.
Don’t get me wrong, I love books and movies and music and television shows. HBO’s “Succession” is top-notch. Kendrick Lamar blows my mind. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is phenomenal. I consume everything Stephen King. And I still believe Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy was one of the most expertly told prose narratives of the last twenty years.
I cherish stories and devour them however I can, whenever I can. And I wholeheartedly believe that video games are telling them best. Subjective take? Totally. Does that mean I’m wrong? Nope.
With the advancement of technology, video games have progressed from simple, pixelated graphics to immersive worlds with complex gameplay mechanics and narratives to experience—not just view or hear—by the players. Leveraging the medium, expert storytellers have tapped into and are taking advantage of the ways video games can change the thoughts and actions of their players. Below are examples of the ways stories are being told from three of my favorite games. (These are just a few of my faves, but numerous games are breaking down and rebuilding the ways stories are told.)
Fallout 3
What Is Fallout 3?
Fallout 3 is a post-apocalyptic open-world game set in the year 2277, and probably my favorite video game of all time.
For 200 years, Vault 101 has faithfully served the surviving residents of the Capital Wasteland. The residents of Vault 101 enjoy a life free from the constant stress of the outside world. Yet, one fateful morning, you awake to find that your father has defied the Overseer and left the comfort and security afforded by Vault 101 for reasons unknown. Leaving the only home you’ve ever known, you emerge from the Vault into the harsh Wasteland sun to search for your father, and the truth.”
Why Is the Story in Fallout 3 so Amazing?
This post-apocalyptic, open-world masterpiece is a testament to the power of storytelling, fully immersing players in a world of danger and humanity. The game’s captivating dialogue, intricate relationship-building, and thoughtfully crafted characters ensure an enthralling experience that is both engaging and poignant.
Set in a post-nuclear wasteland, Fallout 3 tells a compelling story of survival, sacrifice, and discovering one’s true identity, expressed parallel to equal parts horror, humor, and heroism. Every moment of Fallout 3 serves a larger narrative, even when serving a small subplot. It’s grand in scope and meticulous in detail. No detail is spared in creating a believable and engaging world, from the haunting soundtrack to the detailed environments that hint at the game’s rich backstory and beg for exploration. With each decision and action, Fallout 3 offers a glimpse into a world that is both bleak and beautiful, and one that leaves an indelible mark on those who experience it.
The Best (Read: My Favorite) Aspect of Storytelling in Fallout 3: Immersion
The Witcher 3
What Is The Witcher 3?
Throughout the game, players embody Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter who is on a quest to find his adopted daughter, Ciri. Along the way, they’ll encounter warring kingdoms, assassins, sorceresses, and more. Each character has a unique backstory that enriches their interactions with Geralt and the overarching plot. It’s a masterclass in storytelling that reminds us why we love immersing ourselves in fictional worlds.
Why Is the Story in The Witcher 3 so Amazing?
Among video games that have proven themselves as an art form able to deliver memorable stories, The Witcher 3 has managed to leave an indelible mark. The game stands out because it doesn’t spoon-feed the plot to the player; instead, it immerses them in a well-crafted world that is full of morally gray characters, unexpected plot twists, and multiple endings that are determined by your choices.(Imagine that, advertisers: letting your audience engage with something instead of spoon-feeding everything to them.) Most people finish The Witcher 3 without actually doing every quest, side quest, and random explorable location—and that’s okay. The main story is served in a fashion that allows embellishment to be experienced at the player’s behest.
The Best (Read: My Favorite) Aspect of Storytelling in The Witcher 3: Choice
Soulsborne
What Is the Soulsborne Series?
Yes, this is a series of games and not a single game. It’s my blog, and I can write what I want.
Hidetaka Miyazaki, the genius behind the Soulsborne Series, is a master storyteller for several reasons. His ability to create a cohesive and engrossing narrative that seamlessly blends with gameplay is unmatched. Take for instance the intricacies of the Soulsborne lore: Miyazaki has created a world rich in history and populated by fascinating characters with their own motivations and backstories. The player learns about the story through exploration and interaction with the environment, which adds a layer of immersion that is rare in gaming. Nothing is about the stories in these games is presented without challenge. Miyazaki’s storytelling is not just about world-building and character development, though. He also excels at creating mystery and tension, which keeps players engaged and wanting to know more. Miyazaki is a master of his craft, and his contributions to the gaming world are nothing short of legendary.
Why Is the Story in Soulsborne Series so Amazing?
Let’s pick a Soulsborne game and run with it to make this easier. I choose Bloodborne.
From the very first cutscene, Bloodborne captivates players with its intricate and enthralling storytelling. The game’s dark and fantastical world is brought to life through masterful dialogue, subtle hints scattered throughout the environments, and a brilliant soundtrack that guides players through each twist and turn.
What truly sets Bloodborne apart, however, is its commitment to uncovering the lore and history of its world through non-linear storytelling. As players explore the game’s sprawling, labyrinthine levels, they encounter a wealth of cryptic clues and hidden secrets that paint a vivid picture of the game’s grim and intricate mythology. Whether you’re hearing an eerie whisper in the wind or discovering a long-forgotten tome in a dusty corner of the map, the story of Bloodborne is always there, waiting to be unearthed. It’s a testament to the game’s brilliant storytelling that so many fans continue to dissect and debate its intricacies even years after its release.
The Best (Read: My Favorite) Aspect of Storytelling in the Soulsborne Series: Discovery
Why Consuming Video Game Stories Matters as a Creative
Video Games Have the Power to Inspire and Spark Your Own Creativity
By exposing yourself to a variety of narratives, you can tap into new ideas and perspectives, infusing your own work with fresh insights. Gaming is a [relatively] new medium, ever-evolving the way stories are told, and yet to find its narrative limits. Keep your diet of film, music, and prose consistent. However, throw some video game roughage in there every once in a while.
Mediums Matter as Much as Genres to Growth
You’ll develop a more profound understanding of the human experience by immersing yourself in as many stories as possible. Yes, even a game about monster hunting can help inform your own work. Challenging yourself to experience new forms of storytelling can be just as crucial to your growth as a storyteller as experiencing different genres within a particular medium. Try new things. Be uncomfortable.
Consuming Stories Can Help You Stand out in a Crowded Market
The more well-read, well-versed, well-gamed, and generally well-storied you are, the more potential you have to come up with unique and compelling ideas that set you apart from the competition. So, whether it’s through books, movies, or video games, make sure you’re consuming as many stories as possible to help fuel your own creative endeavors.
Gaming is an enormous industry, five times bigger than films. Chances are, many of you play games, at least casually. If you don’t, you should start. Try one of the above games, or grab yourself a mobile game to test the waters. And if you are a hardcore gamer who read this and was like, “I game all day every day and I know all of this already,” then do yourself a favor and pick up a book, watch a movie, or listen to more music.
Experience every tale you can. Find things to love. Discover things you hate.
Knowing more about storytelling isn’t likely to make you a worse storyteller.
Mad Genius gets around the verticals. We work with brands in food and beverage, the arts, video games, financing, healthcare, the government, and retail and ecommerce. We’ve even dabbled in space travel and chartered tuna boats. Mad Genius doesn’t have a one thing. Our geniuses pride themselves on their ability to research, understand, and adapt to the needs of our clients—all of our clients.
Having said that, we do a lot of education. Oodles. If you’re looking for a creative agency to take your educational institution to the next level, hey there. You found us. We do it all.
Here are just a few examples of the junior colleges, universities, and honor societies Mad Genius has had the privilege to work with (presented in alphabetical order).
College Recruitment
Delta State University (DSU), “Fear the Okra” Series, Parts One and Two
The most common request we get from higher education establishments is this, “How do we increase recruitment?” Usually, it’s coupled with, “How do we get potential students to know that we’re here?” There are a great many answers to this question, all of which depend on the institution itself, its ideal student persona(s), and the best method to reach said potential students.
When DSU came to Mad Genius, we created the “Fear the Okra” series of videos. In the series, the unofficial mascot of DSU, a furious okra pod, spread the good word about the many offerings of the university, leveraging his rage as a method of inspiration. Almost a decade after the first batch of videos, we were at it again, with a sequel series in the same vein as the first.
Campus Culture
Jackson State University (JSU), 2021 Image Spot
Day to day life on campus is a big deal to those considering enrollment. JSU asked Mad Genius to create an image spot that highlighted the momentum, drive, and power of their campus life. The result was a beat-driven dance-inspiring collection of moments that focus on both education and athletics.
Website
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC), Website
Mississippi State University (MSU), “Mississippi’s Research University” Image Spot
Believe it or not, many students are influenced by a campus’s ability to actually teach stuff. Academics matter. It’s not always easy to share a college’s academic prowess in a fun or exciting way. MSU holds Mississippi’s top research laboratory, affording student-led research teams the opportunity to advance scientific progress in any number of disciplines. All we had to do was turn that truth into a video—a fun and exciting video.
Production
Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU), “What Moves You” TV Spot
We’ve had plenty of clients come to Mad Genius with one request: a video. They don’t always know what they need it, or what they want it to do, but they know that they’ve got to put something out there. Maybe it should be an informative piece that relays data or information to a certain audience. Perhaps the video is just to keep the brand alive in the minds of potential students. Or, as was the case with MVSU and their “What Moves You” spot, it could just be a way to start a much longer conversation. No matter what you require your video to do for you, we can make it work.
Workforce Development
Northwest Mississippi Community College (NWCC), “Close to Home” TV Spots
Not all students are starry-eyed high school graduates setting up the framework for the rest of their lives. For many colleges, career-minded students currently in the workforce and looking for the skills they need to move up are the priority. When NWCC came to Mad Genius asking for a campaign that would target exactly the latter demographic, we were happy to create the “Close to Home” campaign that focused on workforce development without isolating other potential students.
Print Collateral
Northwest Mississippi Community College (NWCC), Viewbook
Not every problem is solved with a video or campaign. Sometimes, colleges require collateral that sings of their brand, and piques the curiosity of anyone lucky enough to hold it. Such was the case with NWCC’s viewbook. Mad Genius was happy to take up the challenge of laying out copious amounts of information in a way that was easy on the eyes and the mind, making thousands of words easy to digest.
Honor Societies
Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), Website
Mad Genius loves working in education, but we’re not just for educators. If you’re an education adjacent brand searching for help, we’ve got you covered. The honor society, Phi Theta Kappa, approached us with a whole host of needs—branding, a website, production, and more. Our years as a creative agency gave us the know-how to create what they required, but our ample experience in education helped us understand how everything would work.
Capital Campaigns
University of Southern Mississippi (USM), “Give Wing” Capital Campaign Launch Video
Nobody likes asking other people for money. If you’re an institute of learning, it’s part of the gig. How you approach possible donors—the method, tenor, and phrasing—has a direct impact on the success of the request. Mad Genius was fortunate enough to work with USM on the “Give Wing” capital campaign that inspired giving. To kick it off, we produced a video that encouraged viewers not only to give, but to share the video itself, turning a plea for generosity into a self-fulfilling marketing engine.
Experience isn’t everything. Creativity, intelligence, and a craving for the new are critical to any successful marketing campaign, collateral generation, or production. Lucky for you, we’ve got those as well.
Ready to get started? Have questions? Just want to vent about a hard day at work? Hit us up. We’re ready when you are.
