W.W. Norton wanted to enter a new market (economics) in a strategic way, allowing them to take a market leadership position with the first major book published. Identifying a gap in the market where teaching economics extremely well was a rarity, W.W. Norton came to us with a book in process; scripted by a well-loved university economics professor who is know for his personality, wit, and humor. I led the team commissioned to build a brand and online community following prior to the book’s publication.

Promoting master professor Dirk Mateer with the right balance of fun and authenticity involved extensive interviews and surveys with students, teachers, and TAs as well as a competitive landscape assessment and search trends analysis. We determined that the existing online marketplace was lacking an engaging economics "resource" destination that provides students and instructors with a fun way to learn / teach economics through pop culture. H&G created a content strategy for a smart, funny brand experience that would appeal to target users with clear content buckets to address their needs and existing pain points. For the design direction, we drew inspiration from 1940’s aesthetics, embracing the stereotype of the “nerdy professor” to create a unique look and feel that was  approachable, memorable, and relevant for the audience. From custom illustrations to aftereffects video bumpers for each of Dirk's clips, we brought Dirk to the masses in an approachable and engaging way. Using humor was especially important for reaching new economics professors who will think of Dirk as their "fun online colleague" helping them along the way. Our work also included a social media strategy, with a rollout plan for engagement throughout the year leading up to the book's release.

The site has received recognition as an innovative approach to a traditional "professor website" - by truly putting the user needs front and center, we created a destination that delighted and supported its audience.