Case study
ESPADE: editorial relaunch of a competitiveness observatory
Refactoring, redesign and custom modules to turn a test WordPress install into an analysis outlet with its own identity.
Project sheet
- Client
- ESPADE
- Year
- 2026
- Services
- Visual identity redesign · Custom theme development · Custom content modules · Usage guide for the editorial team
- Tech stack
- WordPress · Custom theme · Custom modules
The Challenge
ESPADE already had a WordPress site, but it held test content and a stock theme that did not reflect what it is: a space for analysis on competitiveness, development and the international landscape. Relaunching it called for a clear editorial identity and a home page able to show a lot of content without becoming confusing. The team also needed to be able to publish on its own.
Our Solution
We refactored the theme and built a dedicated design, sober and readable, with a neutral palette and typography that pairs a sans-serif for the interface with a serif for reading. We organised the content into six thematic sections with their own icons: competitive intelligence, local development, international system, development studies, global value chains and artificial intelligence. We added author profiles and a publications archive with PDF downloads. The home page is built from modules: a mosaic of featured articles, trends alongside the X feed, a tour of topics, a video carousel, a gallery with an enlarged viewer and the newsletter sign-up. When we wrapped up the project we delivered a usage guide so the team can manage everything without depending on us.
Visual Gallery
Results & Impact
- A relaunch with an editorial identity aligned with the motto “Information as a key tool for competitiveness”.
- A modular home page that brings articles, videos, gallery and social media together in a single read.
- Publications and authors with their own structure, easy to find and cite.
- An autonomous editorial team, thanks to the usage guide.