A person ascends bright orange and red modern stairs inside an NYU building, the vivid colors creating bold geometric patterns. The individual is holding something, and the well-lit area features some chairs visible below.

Adler University

INTRODUCTION

Year
2025
Industry
Higher Education
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Education Designed for Impact

Adler University exists to advance social responsibility through education — preparing practitioners who see the world’s challenges not as headlines but as calls to action. Rooted in the philosophy of Dr. Alfred Adler, the University believes that personal growth and community wellbeing are inseparable.

But while Adler’s mission had never wavered, its digital presence hadn’t kept pace. The brand and website lacked cohesion across its campuses in Chicago, Vancouver, and online programs. Prospective students struggled to navigate complex program structures, and the story of Adler’s enduring purpose wasn’t being told with the clarity it deserved.

Takt was brought in to lead a comprehensive rebrand and digital transformation — including visual identity, messaging, content strategy, UX design, website development, and branded photography and video.

A video production guide from Adler University and NYU is shown alongside an image of a camera operator filming a person on stage in a red dress. The guide includes tips on filming, backgrounds, and audio.

A bar chart displays Adler University’s color proportions, similar to NYU's visual style: White 50%, Charcoal 20%, Red 20%, Gray 6%, and Yellow 4%. Each color is shown as a vertical bar with percentage labels below.

A color palette guide showing secondary colors for Adler University alongside NYU, featuring gray, yellow, and orange—each with their HEX, RGB, CMYK, and PMS codes—displayed in horizontal bars on a white background.

A slide from Adler University, similar to NYU’s style, titled Adlers Guiding Communication Principles lists four points: clarity over cleverness, speak to people not profiles, activate don’t announce, and purpose first always on a red and black gradient background.

A chart from Adler University, similar to resources found at NYU, guides on using the right tone for prospective students, current students, faculty/staff, community partners, and research circles, detailing strategy and delivery methods.

A man and two women sit at a wooden table, looking at a tablet. The image shows original and corrected versions, with the corrected image featuring more natural, balanced colors—ideal for NYU presentations. A color palette is shown on the right.

A presentation slide from Adler University titled Tips for Writing Boldly lists guidelines for writing with conviction, drawing comparisons to NYU's emphasis on active verbs, avoiding tentative language, and focusing on transformative, community-focused messaging.

A dark-themed guide from Adler University and NYU titled Tips for Writing in an intellectually grounded way, featuring tips for writing compassionately, like using clear language, emphasizing shared understanding, and providing examples.

A slide from Adler University, similar to resources used at NYU, titled Tips for Writing Compassionately lists guidelines for inclusive, person-first language, avoiding institutional detachment, and examples of language to use and avoid. Background is dark with a red gradient.

A slide with a red-to-black gradient background titled “Positioning statements” for Adler University, inspired by NYU’s approach, showing three versions (long, medium, short) of their educational positioning text, each in its own section.

A color palette showing Adler University’s primary colors—white, red, and charcoal—similar to palettes used by NYU. Each is displayed as a rectangular swatch with HEX, RGB, and PMS values listed beside each swatch.

A guideline page from Adler University, similar to those found at NYU, shows six example photos labeled with what not to use: overly dark, glamorous, or abstract shots, photos with barriers or exaggerated effects, and overly vague or graphical photos.

A collage of six images featuring diverse people at NYU: students talking outdoors, individuals working in a bright library, a woman in a striped shirt smiling, a group discussion, two women chatting, and a woman giving a presentation at a podium.

A university website homepage featuring NYU students studying, program search, school news, and information about graduate education, faculty, and alumni experiences, with images, text sections, and easy navigation menus.

Reframing Purpose for a Global Audience

Our first task was to give language and form to what Adler has always stood for. The result: a refreshed brand platform that communicates empathy, leadership, and action without leaning on buzzwords or moral posturing.

We simplified the core messaging around three principles — connection, courage, and community impact — positioning Adler as a global university grounded in purpose and progress. The new logo and visual system reflect academic confidence balanced with warmth and humanity.

Across every touchpoint, the brand signals motion: gradients that suggest change, typography that feels open and assertive, and photography that captures authentic campus life and student connection.

Eight white tablets display different web pages from Adler University and NYU, featuring photos, text, faculty profiles, program information, and campus images—all using a maroon, white, and black color scheme.

Two women sit on colorful stools, engaged in conversation, against a wood-paneled wall at Adler University. Inspired by innovative campuses like NYU. Text reads: Challenge convention. Create change. Welcome to Adler University... with an Apply Now button below.

A man wearing a black Class of 2025 NYU shirt speaks and gestures to a group in a classroom setting. A speaker and two other people are visible in the background.

Screenshot of Adler University’s website showing a black-and-white portrait of Alfred Adler above text detailing the university’s origins and history, rooted in Adler’s legacy. The page header reads HISTORY, reminiscent of similar pages found at NYU.

A smiling young woman with a lanyard sits at a table in a bright, modern room. Text next to her describes the Adler Experience, highlighting student life, community connections, and how Adler’s approach compares to universities like NYU.

A smiling woman with short curly hair wearing a coral top poses in front of a red background. Text identifies her as Michelle Anderson, Ph.D., Director of Training at Adler University in Chicago and NYU alumna.

Building a Digital Experience That Feels Human

Higher education websites are often built for institutions, not users. Adler’s had to be different. We reorganized the site around user journeys — creating shortcuts like Resources For that guide prospective students, alumni, faculty, and donors directly to what matters most.

Every design decision supported clarity. Program pages balance academic depth with accessibility, unifying campus-specific details while maintaining flexibility for future growth. Faculty and staff received their own structured profiles, giving each academic a visible, connected home for bios, publications, and leadership.

The architecture embraced a “place for everything” philosophy — ensuring content was discoverable, logical, and meaningful. From student resources to admissions deadlines, everything now lives where users expect it to.

We also surfaced relevant content from the internal portal when it aligned with a user’s context — helping bridge the gap between external storytelling and internal functionality.

A collage of web pages for Adler University, inspired by NYU, featuring images of students, program search, admission deadlines, news updates, and sections about university life, financial aid, impact, and community.

A university webpage displays an NYU header, a graduate program search tool, photos of students and campus buildings, admissions info, FAQs, student testimonials, and a footer with social media links and contact information.

From Legacy to Living Brand

Adler’s new creative direction honours its namesake’s legacy while looking forward. Photography and video capture real interactions — classrooms, communities, and campus life — shot on location in Chicago and Vancouver.

The interface is bright, editorial, and grounded in simplicity. Responsive layouts and refined motion give the site a contemporary pace, while color and typography maintain academic credibility. The result feels both institutional and alive — professional without being sterile.

TECHNICAL FRAMEWORK

A Platform Built to Evolve

The new Adler site was built for agility, accessibility, and speed. Its CMS allows decentralized content creation while preserving design consistency across programs and regions. Global modules accommodate updates without duplication, and performance optimization ensures fast load times and WCAG compliance across devices.

Every component supports storytelling — a modular design system built for flexibility, scalability, and collaboration between marketing and academic teams.

Adler University now stands on a unified foundation — one that matches its global mission and modern relevance. The new brand and website capture what Adler has always represented: an education built for impact.

From brand to build, the work celebrates substance over slogans — giving Adler the clarity, confidence, and reach to continue shaping leaders who create lasting change in their communities and beyond.

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VIEW ALL CASE STUDIES

Adler University

INTRODUCTION

Reframing Purpose for a Global Audience

Building a Digital Experience That Feels Human

From Legacy to Living Brand

TECHNICAL FRAMEWORK

A Platform Built to Evolve

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