Gardiner Richardson has designed an 'alternative prospectus' for Newcastle University in the style of a social networking site.

The guidebook is meant to give a "behind the scenes" look at student life in the city, and features contributions from students about the best places to live and things to do.

Newcastle-based Gardiner Richardson said it took inspiration from sites like Facebook and used low-resolution images and digital-style text boxes to appeal to the target audience.

Dave McDonald, design director at the agency, said: “The Alternative Prospectus really encapsulates student life as it has been written by students and the look and feel of the guide taps into the social networking phenomena which is particularly resonant with this age group.”

The prospectus contains information about everything from freshers’ week to graduation and provides a guide on how to get involved in student life beyond the lecture theatre.

Phil Roughley, assistant publications and CVI Officer at the uni, said: “We were keen for Gardiner Richardson to do something completely different from our traditional prospectus, we wanted something that was a behind the scenes guide to being a student at Newcastle University.

“We think the final result is perfect for those who we are appealing to as it provides student reviews and images teamed with a clean and easy to read style.”