From a founding editor at Wired, a new brand that explores the neobiological frontier. Wait what? Let us explain…
You know when people talk about designer babies? Making meat in a test tube? Growing CRISPR produce? Hacking your own body? Maybe we’re not going to the same dinner parties. But that’s what NEO.LIFE means when it talks about the neobiological revolution.
Jane Metcalfe, founder of Wired Magazine, created NEO.LIFE to explore the frontiers of biology, technology, and humanity. We helped her build an indelible brand and relaunch it on a platform that paves the way for sponsorships and subscriptions.
Differentiation by art direction
NEO.LIFE stands out with strong editorial point of view and the brand to back it up. Since stories are the entry point for most people, we went big on the article experience. Each story starts with a giant nameplate, commissioned art, and a custom color palette. The style is reminiscent of features in the very best magazines. It’s differentiation by art direction.
This approach served the brand well after a year on Medium, where the brand felt anonymous even after publishing hugely popular stories about sleephacking, life extension, and how your phone can help with depression. NEO.LIFE found an audience but struggled to establish a memorable brand while living on another platform. It was clear: They needed their own home.
Upstatement developed a strategy for migrating away from Medium and building an unforgettable brand. Big, fun, colorful stories help the brand attract attention in a world wide web where every story seems to look the same. These days, it’s easy for people to lose their place as they surf from story to story, site to site. Where am I? What site is this? When you’re on NEO.LIFE, you know.
Neo.life features original reporting and analysis by journalists who have worked for or contribute to The Atlantic, MIT Technology Review, Science, Nature, The New Yorker, The New York Times, etc.
The founder is Jane Metcalf, the former president and cofounder of Wired magazine, the legendary media company that wrote the first draft of the history of the digital revolution, and captured its spirit as well.
Establishing a brand,
building a community
NEO.LIFE is doing for life sciences what Wired did for the information age. If you’re part of the target audience, you want to be part of NEO.LIFE community. You’ll feel plugged into the biggest neobiological advances and be part of the conversation on important ethical dilemmas.
To be truly memorable, brands can’t vanish the moment after they first appear. They have to keep showing up and showing what they can do for you. That’s why the new NEO.LIFE homepage and every single article make multiple, unmissable pitches to join.
The new website has grown both brand recognition and the overall audience, positioning NEO.LIFE for whatever is next, whether it’s a subscription publication, an annual event, or something we haven’t even imagined yet.
