How The Economist Group is giving digital upstarts a run for their money
Catching the eyes of The Webby Awards and more
One may think a newspaper founded in 1843 could be hindered by legacy editorial policy and decorum. However, as The Economist pushes forth with increasingly creative projects, the opposite is proving true. The brand’s depth of content, as well as innovation in content delivery, are giving even the most daring design teams competition.
The Economist Group’s innovation is being recognized, most recently by The Webby Awards — The same cheeky yet prestigious awards which bestowed Kim Kardashian West the inaugural “Break The Internet” accolade in 2016 for her unparalleled and irreverent social media prevalence.
Nominated for Best Visual Design: Function, Chevron and The Economist Intelligence Unit’s “Tracking Energy Demand Trends” program features a bespoke hub, headlined by a visual tracking tool built with a comprehensive set of US and state-level energy data, as well as editorial content for each of the 50 states.
The tool is based on thousands of data points, presented to encourage data exploration by design. The program aimed to untangle complex and nuanced issues around the US’s energy future for energy influencers and policymakers.
This nomination is not only a nod to The Economist Group’s data and analysis, but the design and function behind the numbers, or perhaps, a symbiosis.
The Economist has also been recognized for editorial endeavors in the video and virtual reality space as well as for Snapchat presence, recently named a winner by The Shorty Awards. The Economist Group’s Snapchat campaign with Goldman Sachs, as well the EIU research report told with animated Gifs, “IKEA’s Discovering The New American Dream” are also finalists for Shorty Awards, announced soon. The integrated program “Porsche: Intersections” has been submitted for a Cannes Lions award.
What better beacon for creativity than a media company that has adapted content and that content’s design and function for nearly 200 years. Here’s to next few centuries.
Voting for “Tracking Energy Demand Trends” in The Webbys is open until tomorrow, Thursday, April 20th at 11:59 p.m., cast your vote and take part in The Economist’s evolution.
Breanna Benz is Associate Creative Strategist at The Economist Group.
