Bloomberg Markets Magazine
Karlssonwilker was commissioned by Bloomberg Markets to redesign the publication from the ground up. Specifically, the brief called for the magazine to look and feel like a journal with long-form interviews and an articulated visual vocabulary. We worked closely with Bloomberg Markets’ editor, Joel Weber, to gain a full understanding of the magazine's background, as well as its mission, needs, and goals. The end result was a new bi-monthly magazine that featured long-form journalism paired with detailed financial analysis, all packaged in custom-painted cover portraits, a counterpoint to the stiff, mostly stock CEO photos featured in most business magazines. A bright color scheme was also introduced, changing slightly with every issue and cover.
"I hired Karlssonwilker to entirely redesign and reorganize the magazine, which was truly the ugliest in existence for about 20 years. The brief was to make it appeal to a sophisticated and technical clientele. And two weeks later, it was basically done and they had just totally nailed it. I don't know anyone who's ever had a design experience like that with any firm. But that's what they can do."
The two typefaces in use are Antwerp and Balto (Type Supply, Baltimore), making for a typographic system that allows for diverse applications.
We introduced a bright color scheme that changed slightly with every issue and cover.
We created a comprehensive style guide that is still followed by the magazine today.
The cover portrait takes up to three weeks from commission to print-ready file. This is an eternity in magazine publishing, but the stand-out visual gave the magazine a distinct edge on the newsstand among a sea of generic headshots.
