The Wall Street Journal worked with design firm Mother to create new advertising that connects the abstract concept of “business” to everyday experiences that potential readers are already vitally interested in—renters’ rights, rising food costs, gas prices, to name just a few.
The ads play off of the WSJ’s very recognizable masthead branding by using the same typeface, a customized version of Escrow. The ads are also placed in context: by delis, above gas pumps, on apartment buildings, and more. Extending the branding into real-life situations translates the WSJ product into something much more relevant, interesting, and useful to people who might otherwise never considered picking up the publication.