Case Study: iShares x A New Perspective
“The iShares Institutional 2020 Guide to ETFs was the first of its kind. Each year, the investment branch of BlackRock Financial, iShares, releases a series of printed reports on the latest trends on ETFs, or exchange-traded funds. But with an exciting new rebrand on hand, the iShares team came to Visual Capitalist to do something big.
The goal was to make a single report, driven by impactful and powerful data visualizations, with a full content campaign running alongside of it. The deliverables list was lengthy and exciting: a printed and digital report, regional variations, condensed whitepapers, 6-infographics, advertisements, social media graphics, and more. It was the first large scale report for the new brand, and the Visual Capitalist team and myself were up for the challenge.
We began with a detailed conceptualization process, exploring 2 avenues followed by a conceptual stress test. The theme explored the idea of ‘New Perspectives’—encouraging institutional investors to take a fresh take on the market and ETFs.
The final product became part of a full content campaign, including advertising, infographics, motion graphics, printed reports, white papers, a LATAM adaptation, and more.”
—Melissa Haavisto, Creative Director
ROLE: Art Direction, Project Management, Illustration, Data Visualization, Design, Development
TEAM: 6 designers, 3 writers, 1 account director
CONCEPT: A New Perspective. ETFs, or exchange-traded funds, are a relatively new vehicle for investment. iShares approached the Visual Capitalist team with a new brand and the goal of creating the definitive guide to ETFs. With a new brand and a new vehicle for investment on board, we explored the concept of taking a new perspective. We developed two concepts: a Playbook guide and New Perspectives. With aerial views conceptually representing the ‘big picture’, New Perspectives won out. As a new brand identity, we worked within the parameters of the bold and fresh iShares brand to create a highly successful content campaign.
DELIVERABLES: iShares Institutional 2020 Guide to ETFs (print), iShares Institutional 2020 Guide to ETFs (digital), iShares Institutional 2020 Guide to ETFs (LATAM edition), 6-part content campaign (data visualization and infographics) released on Visual Capitalist and iShares.com, 2 white papers (digital), advertising, and social media graphics.