Morningstar's Research Amplification Design Playbook
Morningstar, 2024
At Morningstar, I led an exciting project with our Research Marketing team to amplify the visibility and engagement of our independent research among professionals like asset managers, advisors, and investors. Morningstar’s research, backed by hundreds of analysts worldwide, empowers investors by sparking industry conversations, setting evaluation standards, and promoting fair practices. We wanted to make sure this valuable research reached the right audiences in a way that resonated with them.
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The Research Amplification campaign became a vibrant extension of the Morningstar Brand System (MBS). We adapted the MBS to create a visually engaging campaign specifically tailored for the investment industry. Our goal was to strategically develop, plan, and execute campaigns across various media channels to increase awareness and engagement, ultimately bringing new prospects into the Morningstar ecosystem.
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One challenge we faced was managing a high volume of recurring research reports—some monthly, some quarterly—that all needed quick turnarounds. We found ourselves frequently re-evaluating our design approach each time, which wasn’t sustainable with the growing volume of work. To streamline things, our team collaborated with Research Marketing to compile a list of over 30 recurring reports. We then mapped out a visual roadmap with over 100 sets of design assets for the rest of 2024, giving us a clear view of what was coming down the pipeline.
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We began developing templates for landing pages, blog posts, and both paid and organic social assets for each report. With this roadmap, we could now produce assets quickly, plugging in updated content without having to reinvent the wheel each time. This process not only cut down delivery time but also allowed us to focus on adding creative value to our non-recurring, evergreen content.
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Having a year-long view has transformed how we work, letting us plan proactively and keep our campaigns consistent and cohesive. It’s been a rewarding project, and I’m grateful for the teamwork and support that brought this vision to life.
