Project type:

Cover concepts for full-color catalog

Created for:

Middlebury Language Schools 

Art direction:

Pamela Fogg | Middlebury

Illustrations:

Liza Donnelly (2011), Tim Newcomb (2012)

Backstory:

In 2011, Middlebury College’s renowned Language Schools had recently adopted a new tagline: “Life doesn’t come with subtitles.” Their main marketing tool was a 48-page viewbook, for which I wrote and conceived a series of covers.

At the time, I was the Language Schools’ Acting Director of Marketing, and it was a thrill to see my ideas brought to life by illustrator Tim Newcomb and New Yorker cartoonist Liza Donnelly. The humor appeals to the student of foreign languages and serves to illustrate the tagline: A shared language is vital to communication.

Copy (2012): “Life doesn’t come with subtitles” 

[Man, in Russian]: “This way to land!”
[Woman, in English]: “This way to land!”
[Written on life preserver]: LIFEBOAT

Copy (2011): “Life doesn’t come with subtitles” 

[Woman, in French]: “Excuse me, sir. Could you tell me how to get to the train station?”

[Man]: (Puzzled expression)

[Woman]: (Hesitates...)

[Man, in multiple languages]: “I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Do you speak Spanish? Russian? Arabic? Chinese? German?”

[Woman, in German]: “Yes! Could you please tell me where the train station is?”

[Man, in German]:  “I have no idea... but it’s so great that we’re finally communicating!”

Testimonial:

“Nelson is one of the best writers with whom I’ve had the pleasure to collaborate.”  
– Elizabeth Karnes Keefe | Associate Dean, Middlebury Language Schools
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