Helping Australia’s No. 1 University make a great first impression.
The University of Melbourne approached Hive to create a small keepsake for its ambassadors to share while travelling the world. It needed to capture the real essence of the university and highlight its achievements in a down-to-earth tone.
Every culture uses storytelling to gain a deeper understanding of the world, so we decided to use that technique to help people from any background connect with the University of Melbourne. We researched print and design techniques inspired by storybooks to engage readers’ imaginations, and we chose to tell authentic stories through photography taken by students themselves. Searching through social media, we found everyday moments of students researching in the field, travelling globally, and forming lifelong friendships while learning — many shared with the hashtag #unimelb.
To create a cover that cut through the noise, we turned to the story of Diane Lemaire, Australia’s first female aeronautical engineer, who graduated from the University of Melbourne with a degree in engineering in 1942. Her pioneering story was paired with a modern example of students revolutionising the satellite industry, showing the University’s past and present side by side.
Using a laser-cut illustration technique combined with a double-layered, heavyweight cover, Hive created a sophisticated layering effect that made the perfect introduction to Melbourne’s premier university. The cover featured the silhouette of Diane Lemaire, satellite dishes used by today’s engineering students, and iconic university architecture to give the design a strong sense of place. Inside, fold-out sections kept readers surprised and engaged from beginning to end.
The booklets were so well received that other faculties requested their own versions, leading Hive to develop a style-guided system for producing future editions. As Caroline Strong, Associate Director of Communications and Marketing at the University of Melbourne, explained: “The booklets developed by Hive are just beautiful. They’re the perfect introduction to our story and have met the brief in engaging the diversity of stakeholders we are trying to reach.”
Booklet: Engaging covers designed with optimal cut-through to make a lasting first impression that inspires and delights.
Internal: A novel approach to storytelling designed to help University ambassadors share the real, authentic stories of students, past and present.
Presentation: Supported by a robust design system that makes it easy to keep on sharing new stories across all University departments.
Students: Authentic images of students, taken by the students themselves created connective and engaging booklets that could introduce even the most senior stakeholders to the University of Melbourne.