BACKGROUND
The Telegraph is one of the UK’s oldest newspapers. Loved and trusted by its readership, it takes an editorial stance best described as ‘by those who know their own minds, for those who know their own minds’.
Like the British Museum, The Telegraph looks traditional on the outside, but its insides are more modern and relevant than appearances suggest. It’s an intelligent read, often humorous, occasionally quirky. And it has a more balanced take on the world than many people might think.
The Telegraph has long been regarded as a brand for older readers. But within that, much of their journalism cuts across age groups – and even political orientation.
There is humour in the news pages and story selection. Throughout its history, The Telegraph has teamed serious reporting and analysis with popular news coverage.
Equally, many of The Telegraph’s established positions resonate with millennials who may not most easily identify with the brand: enterprise, personal betterment, self-reliance, independence.
THE CHALLENGE
The Telegraph wants to use digital to prove its appeal to readers of any age. How can you get them to reconsider what it offers? What ideas might turn the heads of open-minded people who are looking for a different kind of news provider? What might inspire them to try a Telegraph?
Develop an innovative digital solution to get a younger audience to think again about The Telegraph. The solution does not necessarily have to focus on ‘news’ but can look at the broad range of content The Telegraph offers.
WHO IT’S FOR
People of working age who know their own minds. They do what they want, when they want, and are looking for a paper that reflects this attitude.
WHAT TO CONSIDER
The Telegraph has always stood up for a plucky, almost bloody-minded form of Britishness. It appeals to people who sometimes enjoy taking an obstinate, sideways view of life just for the hell of it. How might you champion this to find new readers?
• Community: comments on news sites appeal only to a hardcore audience and are difficult for most users to engage with. How could a news organisation engage with its readers in a more constructive way and create a community around its coverage? How does newsgathering change when everyone has a camera and a voice?
• Context: most news stories are new twists on long running sagas. How should reporting reflect this? How should it cater for expert readers who know the story inside out and have strong opinions, alongside a reader who is new to it all and wants to get their bearings?
• Definitions of left- and right-wing are now more open to interpretation than ever. Even the Conservative Party is pushing for reforms in prison policy, social justice and racial discrimination, traditionally the territory of the left. And there’s more to a reader than the paper they buy, people are often more complex and interesting than they’re given credit for. Even those who are held to be on the right can have surprising views and interests. We all have common ground we can meet on – how might The Telegraph use this?
WHAT’S ESSENTIAL
A digital product or service design to bring The Telegraph to a wider audience:
• Show the user experience or content scenario, eg with a storyboard.
• Visualise your concept, eg through illustrations, renders, video, etc.
• Include a summary of key insights from your research.
• Show who the product is for.
My Rationale
My rationale and reasoning for taking on this brief is to increase my ability to work on an existing brand and consider their existing tone of voice whilst trying to alter it for a new audience. I also want to improve my skills working with web and web design which could very well be the outcome to this brief.
