The direct mail piece is the cornerstone of the Cleveland Institute of Art’s recruiting efforts. The Institute wanted the package to challenge the audience of high school students and set a new standard for college recruiting materials. The result is a whimsical parody of a standardized test—something that all students can identify with. The piece has word problems set in large type and commonly used symbols to guide the reader. The request to “fill in the blanks” on the outside sleeve encourages students to personalize their own copies. The piece has been extremely popular at college fairs.

“It’s almost childlike.”

“It’s really clever. I feel like they slotted the content in. It’s pretty smart without being in your face.”