CASE STUDY
Rethinking
Resources
Calvin Seminary’s Forum Magazine
INTRODUCTION
Fresh Perspective, Elevated Execution
Calvin Theological Seminary, a Reformed theological seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan, boasts a rich history dating all the way back to 1876. They're well-known for equipping Christian leaders through various master's and doctoral ministry programs, and the Seminary has long been a vital institution in theological education.
Among their key communication tools is The Forum magazine, a publication intended to engage alumni, prospective students, donors, and the broader theological community. Calvin Seminary sought Mix Creative Group's expertise not just for a fresh perspective and elevated execution of The Forum, but also for help with strategy and creative direction.
The Seminary needed a comprehensive brand strategy and creative overhaul to ensure the publication truly reflected their vision and effectively resonated with its diverse readership, integrating seamlessly with all their related resources.
THE PROBLEM
Unlocking The Forum's Full Potential
While The Forum was already an established publication, the Seminary felt it wasn't fully realizing its potential. They faced challenges in conveying a fresh and engaging perspective to their audience and ensuring that the magazine's content and design truly reflected their mission and impact. The challenge for us wasn't just to deliver top-quality copy and design execution, but to lay the groundwork for a reimagined approach to content and overall creative direction. Our goal was to elevate The Forum beyond a mere publication, turning it into a powerful brand touchpoint that aligned with the Seminary's broader communication ecosystem.
OUR STRATEGY
Elevating a Key Publication
Our engagement with Calvin Seminary went far beyond designing magazine issues; it required a holistic effort. After diving into discovery, we quickly concluded that The Forum was truly a sub-brand of the Seminary itself. As a result, the project turned into a more comprehensive overhaul than initially anticipated. Our resulting strategy was meticulously crafted to ensure The Forum accurately represented the Seminary's identity and effectively engaged its key audiences across many different platforms and mediums. We strategically redefined and elevated The Forum as a cornerstone of the Seminary's communications, encompassing both the magazine and all the school's available resources, like its podcast and digital presence. We aimed to:
Reimagine The Forum's Purpose and Voice
We sought to clarify The Forum's unique role within the Seminary's broader communications, defining its editorial focus and ensuring its voice was both authoritative and approachable.
Establish Comprehensive Brand and Sub-Brand Identities
Recognizing that The Forum needed its own distinct identity while remaining integrated with the Seminary's overarching brand, we developed a cohesive visual and verbal framework. This involved creating sub-brand guidelines that ensured consistency not only for the magazine but across all of the Seminary's resources.
Enhance Audience Engagement and Reach
By understanding the specific readership, we aimed to develop content and design strategies that would captivate their attention, foster deeper connections with the Seminary, and ultimately expand The Forum's influence.
Streamline Content Creation and Design Processes
We planned to establish a scalable design template and creative direction that would not only elevate the current issue but also provide a consistent and efficient framework for all future magazine editions and related digital assets.
Our Tactics
Brand Strategy
Creative Direction
Logo Design
Brand Guidelines
Copyediting
Magazine Layout Design
Print Production
EXECUTION
Redefining Existing Resources
Brand Strategy + Sub-Brand Development
Our process began with a thorough discovery and research phase. We compiled and analyzed current audience, competitor, content, format, and distribution data specific to The Forum. This comprehensive review allowed us to identify opportunities and challenges, informing our strategic recommendations. The core of this phase was delivering a comprehensive, updated brand strategy and creative direction for The Forum, the resource arm of the Seminary, which includes The Forum magazine. This wasn't just about the magazine itself, but about establishing an entire brand strategy and sub-brand guidelines.
Content + Design Execution
With the new brand strategy firmly in place, we moved into the creative execution phase. This involved:
Creative Direction: We developed elevated design guidelines for The Forum, introducing a bold, human-centric visual experience. This new visual language aimed to make the magazine more inviting and accessible, moving away from traditional academic aesthetics towards a more contemporary and engaging feel.
Copyediting: We provided top-quality copyediting of the magazine’s content, ensuring clarity, consistency, and a refined voice that aligned with The Forum's elevated brand.
Photo Production: To provide the magazine with a high-quality, branded photo library, our team organized and oversaw multiple professional photo shoots. We developed a comprehensive strategy, selected a skilled photographer, and collaborated closely with the client's team to create and execute a shot list tailored to their upcoming issues. This process ensured that the final images were not only of high quality but also aligned with the magazine's brand identity and future content needs.
New Magazine Template Design: A crucial step was creating a totally new design template for the magazine. This template was flexible, modern, and built to accommodate The Forum's rich content, ensuring a polished and professional layout for every article, feature, and visual element for all future issues.
Digital Asset Development: We applied the brand to social media template designs and an e-marketing template. These digital assets extended the magazine's new look and feel to online platforms, facilitating consistent promotion and engagement across the Seminary's digital channels.
Layout Design: Next, we designed the upcoming magazine issues for the Seminary. Utilizing the new template, we meticulously laid out the spring issue, creating a full-color, matte-finish, high-quality print magazine. The design maximized readability and visual appeal, allowing The Forum’s rich content to truly shine. We then continued this process for all subsequent issues.
Printing Coordination: Finally, we managed the printing process, ensuring the high-quality print production matched the elevated design standards we had established. The publication was ready to grace coffee tables and magazine racks.
THE RESULT
A Vibrant, Cohesive Sub-Brand
Our work with Calvin Seminary culminated in a highly successful brand transformation for The Forum magazine. After a robust brand strategy and sub-brand development that impacted all of the Seminary's related resources, the launch of the revamped magazine was met with enthusiastic reception. The strengthened content, coupled with the elevated design and cohesive digital assets, gave The Forum a powerful platform, effectively communicating the Seminary's mission with renewed vibrancy and appeal. This initial success led Calvin Seminary to engage Mix Creative Group for the continued execution of subsequent issues—a true testament to the lasting impact and positive reception of the holistic brand and design work we delivered