Reinvigorating a Printed Publication

In a context of falling print sales and advertising revenue, The Guardian had to reinvigorate the buyers of its printed format and increase its online donations to financially support the business, and maintain its vital role as an independent, challenging voice in a media sea of fake news, knee-jerk reactions and corporate agendas.

The Guardian was about to change its format from the beloved Berliner format to a new Tabloid format. Karmarama needed to turn this into a powerful symbol of revaluation.

Rather than position The Guardian and its new tabloid format as a physical product, Karmarama sought to position it as a rare and much needed space. A space for hope, for truth, for imagination, and more.

They dramatized this space by creating a recurring visual motif that would bring it to life. The motif was a simple white space, sized the same as the new tabloid. Karmarama brought the power of this space into sharp relief by placing it on top of a range of provocative and timely topical backgrounds. They didn’t just launch a new tabloid format. They reminded people why The Guardian exists, and must continue to exist.

The relevant and provocative snapshots of their different spaces formed an integrated campaign across high impact out of home sites in city center locations as well as mobile-first digital formats and social video, showing the stretch and flex of the idea. The 'space for' platform was then extended all the way through to direct and subscription driving media in a second phase of the campaign.