Project Years
October 2019–April 2023

Client
The American School in Japan

My Role
Graphic Designer

Responsibilities
Layout, Photography, Proofing

The Problem

In 2019, The American School in Japan did not have a proper publication to showcase its fundraising program. Prior to Help Us Go Further, fundraising details were scattered over various printed media, most being postcard-sized one-page handouts. With the increasing number of handouts, the need for a proper publication became apparent.

The publication needed to contain info about the impact of a donor’s potential gift, and the different ways they could give to the school.

The Goal

To create a publication showcasing what a potential donor’s gift could change for the school, and listing their options for giving to the school.

The Design

The document was the first document created after The Future is Here, intended to pair with the document, so it was important for Help Us Go Further to have the same feel, but look immediately different at a glance. This document was also the first time a new colour, Heritage Orange, was added to the school palette.

Though the school’s colours were black and gold for many years, pre-1941, the school’s colours were actually black and orange. Heritage Orange was a nod back to the school’s 115+ year history, while also working with the existing ASIJ Gold.

Colour blocking was used with Heritage Orange to highlight important information on the page.

Impact

The publication soon became a staple of fundraising talks, and in the first year was a large contribution of the +14% increase in the amount of funds raised, along with a +23% increase in participation in the community. These numbers have only increased since the introduction of the document, with this past year seeing an increase of +54% from the publication’s introduction.

The latest iteration of the document went on to win the CASE Circle of Excellence 2022 - Best of Asia-Pacific Award in the Fundraising: Case Statements / General Cultivation Publications category.