Our editorial design expertise was prominently showcased during our tenure as creative directors of The Observer, a premier Sunday newspaper in the UK, from 2003 to 2005. We undertook a major revamp of the newspaper’s sections such as the Review, Sport, Travel, and Business sections, in addition to popular color supplements like Observer Food Monthly and Observer Sports Monthly. Moreover, we were instrumental in the design of a brand new magazine, Observer Music Monthly. These monthly magazines ushered the newspaper into a new era.
The design process was carefully curated to create a distinct personality for each magazine—each one communicating specific themes and content, while maintaining a recognizable presence within The Observer family.
We encountered an interesting yet rewarding design challenge during this transformation.
The spirit of a dynamic, modern era was incorporated into the new design. Each section, though under the same identity and visual voice, had distinguishing visual nuances, keeping them unique.
We also recommended a radical change in the newspaper’s format—from a conventional broadsheet to the Berliner mid-sheet format, as used by its sister title, The Guardian. Although our suggestion wasn’t fully embraced, it played a substantial role in The Observer’s evolution.
The significant leap in editorial design during our tenure was driven by the spirit and unique personality of each section or supplement, marking our impactful contribution to the field of editorial design.
