Code and Theory

Bustle -
Modern Storytelling
for Bustle Digital Group

Cultural Blog/Website / Nominee

Code and Theory

Cultural Blog/Website

Nominee

"The card is the foundation of every story and is highly flexible for the story it needs to tell. The story determines the presentation — not the other way around." Code and Theory

Q: Can you describe your project and the concept behind it?

A: The primary audience for Bustle is the smart, witty, intelligent woman. The design features bold and clean typography with clear hierarchy and big moments to show off original photography. The color palette is warm, clean and mature, and circular, graphic elements and postage stamp motifs bring out the visual personality of the site.

Q: What influenced your chosen technical approach, and how did it go beyond past methods?

A: The Bustle redesign leverages the card system foundation we’d developed for BDG over the years but with a unique design approach. Digital Issue Hubs and long-form article pages support Bustle’s content calendars: monthly issues, cover shoots and sit-down interviews.

Q: What web technologies, tools, and resources did you use to develop this?

A: We used BDG’s custom card system CMS that allows for endless visual card customizations. The card is the foundation of every story and is highly flexible for the story it needs to tell. The story determines the presentation — not the other way around.

When did you experience a breakthrough or an "a-ha" moment during this project?

In designing this site, we realized that the incorporation of content and commerce is critical, so it was essential to design flexible experiences that could support consumption and conversion.

Q: How did the final product meet or exceed your expectations?

A: The final product exceeded our expectations because it not only served as a redesign, but also as a rebrand. The design of the site really influenced the way Bustle positions themselves visually as a brand.