Education Week
Transforming a venerated news source for educators into a digitally powered community
Since 1981, Education Week has been America’s most trusted resource for K–12 education news and information, with more than 1.6 million readers. Though the company had a web version of its print publication, and launched several sub-brands, it had never fully capitalized on the potential of its digital platform. It asked DeSantis Breindel to develop and activate a brand that would accelerate its digital transformation to provide even deeper value to its readers.
Quantitative and qualitative research revealed that while Education Week’s content was highly valued and trusted, it was viewed as a traditional information source rather than a community for sharing ideas and viewpoints – a major lost opportunity at a time when a lot of information has become commoditized on the web. We also learned that its multiple sub-brands had low awareness, and were not always connected to the parent brand – another lost opportunity. Finally, although the company’s employees were highly committed to advancing education, the brand didn’t convey a sense of purpose, which limited the connection with its audience.
The new brand was built around the concept of going behind “informing” to generate the critical conversations and tools educators need to become true instruments of change. This brand, encapsulated in a strong statement, “To Inspire and Empower,” required a rethinking of the company’s digital strategy, transforming its web properties from static sources of information into fully interactive portals for tools, conversations … and inspiration.
Visually, the new brand combines the warmth of a traditional educational brand with the edge of a tech-enabled, forward-thinking visionary. In addition to a cool, focused color palette, the brand language includes customized iconography and data visualization systems.
