Diabetic Living® supports millions of people living with diabetes...

...but they had a problem

marketing to younger generations to grow their circulation base and online audience.

Our team was challenged to change that.

role  |  art director

responsibilities  |  visual identity & design, photography & illustration direction, production management, advertising placement

So, we launched a national re-design & new partnership

with sister-brand, EatingWell®, to increase brand awareness and immediately reach a larger multi-channel audience primed for preventative healthcare content and carb-smart recipes.

the results in
18 months

6.3M quarterly magazine readers

with increased web and social engagement rates

~10% increase in revenue from ads

10,000's of clicks to digital content

that had previously only existed in print

jump to: identity revamp | print design & production | online growth

1. identity revamp

• typography & color palette
• general art direction 
• grid & master styles

Our goal was to expand our target audience by emphasizing the inspiring lives of people with diabetes, rather than focusing on the less favorable aspects of the disease.

The central focus of the revamp was accessibility: how could I make the brand feel appropriate for multiple generations?

Tools:

Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign

Updated Identity |  To engage younger audiences, I infused more energy into the brand with brighter colors, dynamic imagery and a playful flair. I also increased content scannability via improved typographic hierarchy.

new 12-column grid & base styles

vs. original 7-column grid & styles

Improved Framework |  The original 7-column grid made complex layouts extremely challenging, and I noticed original designs consistently “cheating” the grid. By utilizing a new 12-column framework, I was able to execute more impactful and engaging layouts. This simple change achieved more creative flexibility with greater consistency and improved readability across hundreds of pages.

2. print design & production

• covers & page design
• photo & illustration direction
• storymapping & ad placement
• pre-flight, proofing & QA

My next challenge was to find creative ways to handle content that was sensitive or many younger readers described as “boring” and “sterile”: how could I transform medical articles into an engaging and exciting publication? New photo and illustration direction played an instrumental role.


Tools:
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Dalim ES

Cover Tests  |  Before finalizing every issue, we ran a consumer test with 100 people with diabetes, male & female, ages 27-68. They rated 3 potential covers for purchase intent, uniqueness (whether it stood out on a newsstand), and overall appeal. Heat maps showed engagement patterns while verbatims captured more specific feedback. These metrics revealed what drove customers to purchase, so they guided our creative strategy and editorial choices.

new photography direction transformed clinical content into relatable stories

Responsibilites  |  Conceptualizing visuals. Preparing creating briefs and layout masks. Art directing photographers, stylists and models on set and via web conference. Design execution for 100+ pages per quarter.

illustration brought sensitive, complex and abstract concepts to life

Responsibilites  |  Conceptualizing illustrated stories. Researching, hiring and negotiating pricing with freelance illustrators. Preparing creative briefs and sketches. Providing actionable feedback with clear revisions

3. online growth

• EatingWell® partnership
• web & social promotion

To deepen our connection with a larger & younger audience, we prioritized getting content online. We also partnered with sister-brand, EatingWell®, to reach millions of new potential customers primed for carb-smart recipes and healthy living content.


Tools:
Canva
Adobe Photoshop
Proprietary CMS

Cross-promotion  |  EatingWell featured diabetes recipes and preventive healthcare content on their homepage and in their primary navigation. Partnership tags were used across EatingWell’s website and social content to increase Diabetic Living brand awareness.

we transformed print stories into hundreds of online recipes, articles, landing pages, videos and social media content

creation of Diabetic Living’s social media simultaneously increased online engagement and magazine subscriptions

shout out to my primary collaborators

Executive Editor Lauren L.  |  Associate Editor Micaela Y.  |  Creative Director Jim V.F.  |  
Sr. Photo Director Maria E.  |   Meredith Staff Photographers & Stylists