THE BRIEF

To support their Clearing campaign, the University of Leicester asked Cubed to create a photography concept that would put students at the heart of the story. They wanted us to produce bold, flexible imagery that placed students front and centre as the heroes of the campaign.

Rather than showcasing campus facilities, the focus needed to be on the student themselves, with space for confident, impactful copy to sit alongside the imagery across multiple channels. The photography had to feel energetic, contemporary and optimistic.

THE STRATEGY

Our approach was to strip the visuals back to their most powerful elements: colour, expression and confidence. We designed a studio-based shoot on campus, allowing us full creative control while keeping logistics efficient for the client.

We developed a vibrant colour palette using three bold backdrop colours, paired with bright, carefully styled wardrobe choices to inject energy and positivity into every frame. This ensured each image felt distinctive, while still working cohesively as a campaign set.

Cubed managed the full production process from concept and art direction through to shoot planning, logistics, photography and post‑production delivering a seamless experience for the University and a final suite of images ready for immediate campaign use.

WHY IT WORKS

By removing visual distractions and focusing entirely on the student, the photography feels confident, modern and highly adaptable. The clean backdrops create space for bold messaging, while the colour and styling bring warmth and momentum, two crucial emotions during the Clearing period.

The studio approach also ensured consistency across the image set, giving the University a strong, recognisable visual language that could flex across digital, print and outdoor formats without losing impact.