A growing percentage of Brookings subscribers are reading the institution's daily brief on a mobile device. I was in charge of creating a mobile-optimized e-mail newsletter.
The primary challenge was how to simplify the design without alienating loyal readers.
The other goal was to create a flexible template that could showcase a range of content—everything from new research to upcoming events—while using visual elements to segment the reading experience.
The new layout is streamlined, elegant, and more legible, with far less clutter. Though there’s still a lot of content, additional white space helps guide the reader and prevent visual fatigue. It also makes scanning and reading easier.
To engage a younger audience, I proposed that Brookings introduce a “casual Friday” edition of its daily news brief. The content and visuals of the Friday edition would be related to, but distinct from, the rest of the week’s newsletters. Tonally, they would be lighter and less serious.