How to spark a personal connection as a broadcaster? 

The way we interact with television is in stark contrast to our interaction with our mobile phones, desktop computers and tablets. Fueled with a new digital platform and design system, Dutch broadcaster KRO-NCRV paves the path for a personal on-demand content experience. 

The Brief

• Transform our online presence from broadcasting into an interactive scalable content experience that captures the core values of the KRO-NCRV brand. 
• Shift focus from titles to themes, to create communities and connect our programs in new ways.
• Create engaging storytelling pages and spark a personal connection through user interactions.

UX strategy - Digital Design - Design System - Brand Consultancy

Moving from titles to themes

Television programs build fans, online platforms create communities. When watching a KRO-NCRV show, you only see one part of the brands’ story. When you go online, you might only dive into a program's universe, missing out on any other related content. 

We found common ground across titles in the brands core values: looking after one another, loving the planet and finding/creating meaning. This enables KRO-NCRV to cross-promote programming online. The two-way dialogue establishes a more emotional connection to the brand that moves beyond programming.

Scalable, yet unique

New programs and episodes air daily. Behind those programs are over 300 teams working on digital content. We build a design system that offers those teams the creative freedom to build a page themselves, while at the same time ensuring a coherent user experience. Even though a call-to-action looks different, it feels the same. 

The details shape the digital voice of the brand. The way a call-to-action block moves, or how a page is structured is all set-out in an ever-evolving design system. This design system enables KRO-NCRV to optimize the website with one click and add new elements or components at ease. 

Creating a personal connection

We wanted the digital platform to feel like a piece of mind-moment. The KRO-NCRV website is now a place that inspires you to research what matters most for yourself, your surroundings, and the planet. A calm color pallet and focused layouts invite the reader to dive and explore the different themes. 

Speaking to one's mind also asks for images that spark ideas or leave room for interpretation. We moved beyond photography and added illustrations by Tsjisse Tjalsma. Combined with interactive polls that ask for your state of mind, we actively engage the visitor to get into the conversation. 

Verifying the user experience 

With thousands of visitors interacting with KRO-NCRV on a daily basis, changing the user experience has an immense impact. To verify the designs, a usability test helped to mark essential focal points early on. The users clearly defined and appreciated the new personal proposition, taking away a lesson to look more after one another.

The launch of the new website also marked a new way of working for the editorial teams. The cross-promotion of content inspired and challenged the editors to find each other and join forces in unexpected ways. The investigative journalism platform Pointer is just one of the first examples in which the new design system came to life. Many more titles are following. From now on, all content lives in harmony to spark that personal connection with its users. 

Created in close collaboration with KRO-NCRV Innovation Team. Digital Design & Concept by Vruchtvlees, Development by Synetic, Illustrations by Tsjisse Talsma.