Under 30 is a global community of bold, innovative young leaders who are changing the course and face of business and society. It was really important that the redesign match the visual personality of its members. This is also a big year that kicks off the 10th anniversary year of U30.
Mamadi’s previous photography, from the bold color choices and the energy it represented, provided a strong starting point for our designs. Our initial designs incorporated a horizontal scrolling section, however after assessing best UX practices we opted for a more straightforward approach to optimize user experience.
Forbes is well known for its lists and U30 is one of our largest and most well known. It was important that we showcased powerful photography for all 600 honorees across the 20 categories. Designing a photo driven list was the top consideration.
The package was designed in Sketch and then uploaded to Zeplin in order for our development and engineering teams to construct it with React/GatsbyJS. That allowed our editorial and design teams to add copy, images, and videos throughout the package with ease.
We used Forbes’ visual brand identity to create a package that felt on-brand yet announces itself as a major Forbes franchise. We have a collaborative relationship with our product and development team that allows us to work quickly and efficiently.
Our goal of tapping into the energy, boldness, and vigor of our U30 honorees within our 2021 package definitely exceeded my expectations. I credit that to a design that allowed Mamadi’s stunning visuals and strategic video placements to communicate to viewers the personality and perspective of our U30s whenever possible.
At Forbes, we’re always looking for new opportunities to push boundaries and find new and compelling ways to tell our stories visually. The 2021 U30 package really signaled a landmark moment of collaboration across our design, video, photography, development, and engineering teams.
