Your time,
Your place.
Client
University of Macerata
Location
Macerata (MC)
Year
2023
The university expresses one desire above all: to be present, acting as both support and a point of reference for students. In doing so, the humanities university presents itself as attentive to students' needs and expectations, aiming to create the necessary time and space for their growth, while recognizing their academic journey as one of the most significant moments of their lives—the place to share and project their dreams forward.
The University of Macerata (UniMC) is the only exclusively humanities-focused university in Italy, rooted in a specific urban, economic, social, and cultural context and thus intrinsically connected to its surrounding territory. The communication strategy, and specifically the university campaign, must ensure that anyone seeking a humanities institution can easily find UniMC, recognizing its uniqueness and reliability. This applies both to current and prospective students, as well as to public, private, national, and international entities that need to realize specific projects and require a partner for whom humanism is the core characteristic.
FACILITATE
START
END
1° IDENTITY ANALYSIS
WORKSHOP
When telling the story of an institution, there is a tendency to freeze it. You hold it still, turn it over in your hands, inspect how it's made. This allows you to state what it is. The challenge arises when you realize it isn't an object. Then you turn to a catalog-style narrative, describing it using metaphors—often the most immediate being the house: a solid, immobile structure within which various events occur, often told separately. The co-creation workshop built on the Lego Serious Play® methodology subverted the classic paradigm of the university as an object, highlighting how it is, in fact, an active subject.
A subject is never static; it cannot be defined merely by observation. It is not defined by what it is, but described through what it does: how it behaves and relates to this vital concept of community.
2° THE MEANING OF COMMUNITY
Workshop - ANALYSIS OF THE CONCEPT OF HUMANITY
There are behaviors that the University of Macerata inherently embraces, and actions it cannot refrain from taking. This is because, unlike other Italian universities, Macerata is exclusively dedicated to the humanities. An exclusively humanities-focused institution is, even before being useful, deeply human. In fact, it becomes all the more useful—to students, families, the local territory, society, and the world—the more human it is.
Community is not what confines, but what embraces: it means active listening, feeling part of a whole, positive unity—in a word, relationship. All of this drives us away from generic or vague narratives, focusing instead on the university's actions, the concrete impact of its humanism, and the value it brings to individuals, partners, and communities both near and far.
3° POSSIBILITIES FOR RELATIONSHIP
WORKSHOP
As with any strategic communication effort, once the audience is defined, the relationship model chosen, and the foundational values of the brand identity decoded, it becomes possible to craft a connecting message between the University and Macerata: its land, people, and community.
What does it mean in practice to be the university we aspire to be? What concrete behaviors do we want to exhibit toward our key stakeholders? How do we translate identity into actions, decisions, and dialogue? What must we do, say, show, listen to, and gather? The answers to these questions, facilitated by coach Lorenzo Massacci, launched the project development phase.
4° PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
The university expresses one core commitment above all: to be present, offering support and guidance for students.
In doing so, the humanities university presents itself as attentive to students' needs and expectations, providing the necessary time and space for growth while recognizing the academic journey as a pivotal life moment—the place to share and project their dreams forward.
The need to express oneself.
The need to be understood and supported.
The need to project expectations forward.
DEVELOP
Concept
The regularity of Platonic solids is extraordinarily evocative, leading to their extensive study since antiquity, often searching within them for hidden meanings and attributing esoteric value. They were studied by Pythagoras and Plato. In Timaeus, Plato associated each solid with one of the four elements: fire to the tetrahedron, earth to the cube, air to the octahedron, and water to the icosahedron, while in Phaedo he held that the dodecahedron was the shape of the universe.
The University of Macerata is committed to serving as a supportive anchor for students throughout their academic journey. Aligned with our campaign slogan "Your Time, Your Place," we strive to foster an environment attentive to student needs and expectations.
We aim to offer the time and space required for personal and academic growth, acknowledging that university life is one of the most defining moments of their lives—a space where they can share and project their dreams into the future.
The Protagonists
In this context, students dedicated their time to creating the campaign, starring in a photoshoot with photographer Francesca Tilio across Macerata and its university spaces. The true essence of community lies in seeing oneself reflected in something or someone—a mirror reflecting not just an image, but a moment. During this transformative period for UniMC, the real protagonists are the students themselves; prospective students sharing similar values, passions, and goals will be able to see themselves in them.
PHOTO CREDITS: FRANCESCA TILIO
ADVERTISING
AND DIGITAL STRATEGY
Advertising
The University of Macerata is committed to serving as a supportive reference point for students throughout their academic path. In step with our campaign slogan "Your Time, Your Place," we strive to create an atmosphere reflecting attention to student needs and expectations. We aim to offer them the necessary time and space for personal and academic growth, recognizing university life as a key moment in their lives—a setting where they can share and project their dreams into the future.
Digital Strategy
The Digital Content Strategy was based on developing in-depth content around the various aspects composing the university, with the objective of offering a complete and engaging view of the academic world.
UNIVERSITY VALUES
The editorial format for communicating the university's core values on social channels is based on a predominantly typographic graphic style. Utilizing first-person verbs, the format highlights keywords representing essential university concepts and values.
This approach transmits key messages clearly and engagingly, reinforcing the institution's image as a space committed to promoting ideals shared by its community.
ACADEMIC PATHS
The format adopted for degree programs relies on a typographic layout incorporating campaign-defining styles, including typography, color schemes, and graphic motifs. It aims to deliver clear, instructional information regarding academic programs.
This format allows students and prospective applicants to gain an immediate overview and easily grasp the specific features of each path.
SHARED SPACES
The social media format dedicated to University of Macerata locations uses color-graded photography matching the campaign palette, enhanced by headlines in the campaign typography.
This visual style pairs aesthetics with authentic representations of university spaces, building an engaging atmosphere consistent with the broader campaign.
ACTIVITIES AND INITIATIVES
The editorial format promoting events and initiatives relies on diverse photography tailored to each topic. For flexibility, a geometric label echoing campaign elements houses the main details, creating a custom, recognizable design that elevates the promoted content.
The time to...
The space where...
The content format "The time to..., the space where..." offers a unique opportunity for students, faculty, and staff at the University of Macerata to share their personal perspectives and experiences within the institution.
Individuals are invited to complete the phrases "The time to..." and "The space where..." with their unique viewpoints, offering an authentic glimpse into university life. Each participant is featured in a portrait photograph capturing their essence and personality. Overlaid on the image is a graphic and textual element inspired by the campaign's visual language, acting as a signature detail that reinforces the University of Macerata's identity while connecting visually with other campaign assets.
The format "The time to..., the space where..."