In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic my small team at the University of Rochester saw an opportunity to leverage the power of print to delight our audiences with something unexpected, light, and engaging—delivered direct to their mailboxes. We dreamed up a new lifestyle print magazine: “Buzz.” A departure from traditional alumni magazines, my goal as co-founder, creative director, and designer of this visually rich publication was to uplift, inspire, and entertain readers—all while not make any direct fundraising asks of them.

The magazine serves as a way to advance relationships with key audiences, tell human interest stories that underscore strategic programs, and present bite-sized content that cultivates feelings of nostalgia, pride, and community. We conducted reader surveys both digitally though promoted QR codes and in print via mail-in postcards. Impact and preferences were measured, and we adjusted our editorial strategies for each issue in response. This two-way conversation allowed us to get to know our target audiences better, deepened important relationships, and elevated our content in a time where the good stuff was hard to come by.

View full issues here.