Unifying BBC’s Email Design Systems
Explore how BBC and ActionRocket collaborated to streamline over 10 Email Design Systems into a single, cohesive framework, unifying brand identity and improving workflow efficiency.
Problem
In early 2020, the BBC was finalizing a bold new rebrand that aimed to unify decades of diverse visual design systems. Prior to this, different brands like BBC One, Radio 2, and BBC iPlayer had their own unique designs for TV, Radio, and web, resulting in a fragmented user experience and a complex workflow for the email team.
BBC’s previous email designs were brand-specific, leading to a fragmented experience and complex workflows. Each core brand had its own Email Design System (EDS) with unique modules, making it challenging to integrate or reuse elements across different brands. This approach, while effective in branding, led to inefficiencies and increased costs due to the need to recreate modules for each brand.
Strategy
The rebrand aimed to create a cohesive experience across all BBC platforms. With a modernised and coherent design language applied to logos, websites, and apps, we extended this unified approach to the email design systems.
We developed a single, unified Email Design System that harmonised the visual identity across TV, Radio, Sport, Education, Weather, and other BBC brands. This new system allowed for seamless integration of modules, reducing the need for re-creation and simplifying workflows.
Results
The new unified Email Design System streamlined BBC’s email processes, enabling a consistent and efficient workflow while maintaining a strong brand identity across all channels. This initiative not only brought visual cohesion to BBC’s diverse offerings but also demonstrated how branding elements can be effectively tied together to create a unified and engaging user experience.
Client Testimonial
Each email design at that time reflected its branding perfectly, but also meant we were unable to ‘mix and match’ module layouts with other BBC brands. If we wanted to use a BBC Sport module in a BBC iPlayer email, we would need to re-create it, resulting in a more costly and less streamlined email build approach. — Ben Hammond, Head of CRM