Crafting UChicago’s Identity: The Art of Balancing Tradition and Modernity with Laurie Buman (Part 1)

In the episode In The Club powered by Club Colors, we are joined by Laurie Buman, the Director of Design and Identity at the University of Chicago, as she takes us through her journey from a high school artist to a vital player in university branding. Laurie shares her experience transitioning from advertising to a purpose-driven role in higher education. She discusses the challenges and triumphs involved in creating and maintaining a cohesive brand identity for UChicago, including the development of a new logo system and brand guidelines. The conversation delves into balancing heritage with modern relevance through careful font selection, digital and physical branding efforts, and the crucial role of environmental graphics, especially in the medical field. Laurie also emphasizes the importance of consistency across various university departments, student organizations, and vendor partnerships, highlighting the collaborative initiatives needed to keep the university's brand both traditional and forward-thinking.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Career Beginnings: Laurie started her journey in creative design with the influence of her high school art teacher and worked her way up through various roles in the University of Milwaukee bookstore.
• Transition to Advertising: She spent 25 years self-employed in the advertising industry, gaining diverse experience with clients and agencies, particularly enjoying branding for startups.
• Higher Education Focus: Laurie moved to a role at the University of Chicago, driven by a desire to apply her design skills to a purpose beyond selling, and now works as the Director of Design and Identity.
• Branding Strategy: She emphasizes maintaining traditional elements while incorporating modern design techniques, such as pairing traditional Garamond font with a modern sans serif font.
• Collaborative Efforts: Laurie's work involves collaboration across various departments to ensure brand consistency, even integrating environmental gr

QUOTES

• "I've always been an artist. And so my high school art teacher really helped guide me on my path to getting into college."
• "I was looking for work that had a little bit more of a purpose from a higher level instead of advertising."
• "One great thing about being the branding director is that I also oversee licensing. I get a really broad view of what's happening at the university."
• "We're an institution that's based in tradition. That cannot change... but we're looking forward to it."
• "It's always based in tradition, but with a modern spin."
• "Being self-employed for 25 years was a great start to coming into a higher education space."

Connect and learn more about Laurie Buman.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-buman-b8ab715/

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