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HUGE Reimagines American University’s Website

March 30^th, 2009 – Brooklyn, NY - American University (AU), a prestigious Washington, D.C.-based college and one of only four U.S. universities founded by a Congressional charter, today launched a new site designed and developed by Brooklyn-based interactive agency HUGE, featuring interactive, multimedia capabilities that provide dynamic user-generated content with state-of-the-art, Web 2.0 communication.

HUGE began by reorienting the site’s architecture, linking content, unifying visual design, and establishing relationships so that user movement is flexible and cross-navigational. By surfacing multiple perspectives and enabling news to be freely and frequently shared, HUGE helped American University create a site that truly resonates with prospective students.

“From day one, HUGE shared AU’s commitment to raise the bar for higher education websites by developing an authentic, transparent online experience that truly surfaces the student voice. We focused on developing a templated, modular system for AU which gives the school the flexibility to communicate with their audience in a very direct, open way. This redesign presents a much more powerful, accurate and unifying picture of AU,” says Aaron Shapiro, Partner at HUGE.

The traditional academic marketing model consists of guided visits, alumni magazines, and glossy brochures. That doesn’t translate so well online, where people want authentic input from a variety of sources.  The new American.edu puts people at the center of the experience, as opposed to individual schools or institutions. The site showcases user-generated content through a wiki system called AUpedia -  three parts blog, social application and discussion forum.  This includes a student body hailing from over 180 different countries and professors who moonlight as ambassadors.

 “Our new site represents the promise of a new way of reaching many audiences, particularly prospective students,” said Terry Flannery, executive director of communications and marketing at AU. “It will be the front door of our university for those coming to us for the first time and allow people to access the university from points near and far. As for our community, it’s where we will announce good news, gather in a crisis, and keep each other updated on happenings and events.”

 

About American University:

Located in Washington, D.C., American University is a leader in global education, enrolling a diverse student body from throughout the United States and nearly 140 countries and providing opportunities for academic excellence, public service, and internships in the nation’s capital and around the world.