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Case Study

SAE University Program’s Quest to Capture the Stories Their Students Expect and Deserve

Picture hundreds of the world’s top engineering students — running on nothing but dreams and determination — working around the clock for months preparing for a series of rigorous technical competitions. Now imagine trying to capture that energy with photography and videos that only show half the story.


Unfortunately, that was the challenge facing SAE University Programs. They had gigabytes of event photography and videos, but something was missing – that spark that makes you feel the concentration of brilliant minds in the air, hear the clang of tools hitting the ground, see the triumph in tired eyes — the sense of really being there.

Capturing Cohesive Visual Stories at Large-Scale Events

Any time you’re dealing with large groups of people, it can be difficult to cut through all of the background noise and find the interactions and experiences that really define the event. It’s not about the number of shots, but really using your photography and videography to tell a cohesive, intentional story.



The Need for a More Intentional Creative Direction

University teams were already capturing amazing event photography and videography on their own. They were also driving tons of engagement on their social media channels. Working together with the University Programs team, we identified examples that would serve as their “true north” for future events. 

Identifying Key Priorities & Quick Wins

When it comes to your brand imagery, every photo and video needs to do more than document – it needs to tell a story. These visuals aren’t just content; they’re fuel for galvanizing action among your constituents.

For SAE University Programs, that means inspiring future competitors, attracting sponsors, and energizing volunteers. They’re the difference between showing what happened and making people wish they’d been there.
Curated a collection of standout student-generated content
Wrote precise visual guidelines reflecting SAE’s brand standards
Developed framework to tell more cohesive and intentional stories

Defining a Targeted Marketing Strategy

SAE University Programs didn't just update their creative direction – we helped them engineer a way to make every frame tell the full story.

SAE University Programs didn’t just update their creative direction – we helped them engineer a way to make every frame tell the full story.

Shawn’s ability to pull out a brand’s story is unmatched. Our creative direction is just one example of how he’s transformed how we show the thrill of attending one of these events through incredible visual storytelling. He was able to work beyond organizational challenges and helped us focus on improving one piece at a time. We’ve seen huge improvement in our digital engagement, and now feel more confident pitching sponsors to support our efforts. Thank you, Shawn! Matthew Adams Product Marketing Specialist SAE International Matthew Adams headshot