USA TODAY was built on the founder’s vision to be a “forum for better understanding”. As pioneers in using visual story telling and concise copy, they were dedicated to telling the news in a way that made it relevant to the lives of everyday Americans.

30 years on this pioneering vision had become lost in a sea of imitators, parody-makers, and digital competitors. The brand looked dated and was struggling to navigate the changing media landscape. Hundreds of branded initiatives resulted in a disparate experience.

They asked us to help them reposition USA TODAY as a future-fit news organisation.

To launch the new brand, we created a national campaign covering digital, TV, print, and out-of-home advertisements. The concept centred on visual storytelling and kicked off in NYC with a Grand Central subway station take-over.

In the month after launch, the number of unique visitors to USA TODAY’s mobile sites increased by 79%, and the brand’s digital revenue increased by over 69%.

Further market research showed they had 6,000+ new Twitter followers, their Facebook fans were up over 100%, and almost two-thirds of readers thought the redesign of the newspaper made the news easier to read. Gannett — the media company that owns USA TODAY — reported a first-quarter profit increase of 53%.