Sōzō Content Program - DesignSōzō Content Program - Design
Best Overall Design
Category: Best Overall Design
Project Name: Sōzō Content Program - Design
Company: Message Lab @ Orchestra - SoftBank
In 2024, SoftBank Investment Advisers (SBIA) evolved its Sōzō Insights editorial program to scale its reach and influence while maintaining its premium storytelling and proprietary insights. Originally launched in 2022 to recenter SBIA’s narrative and engage startup founders, Sōzō Insights transitioned from a curated cadence to a robust publishing model, delivering consistent value to a broader audience, including founders, operators, and media.
Key upgrades included a Content Flywheel that balanced premium features with agile formats like Q&As and search-optimized stories, boosting organic traffic and publishing frequency. A redesigned email program introduced a digest format, decoupling content launches from distribution and increasing click-through rates by 45%. LinkedIn was strategically activated with atomized content, including founder features and leadership posts.
The Sōzō Insights platform underwent a full visual refresh, with mobile-optimized design, universal navigation, and category landing pages, elevating the user experience and brand perception. Proprietary survey data was repackaged into a campaign approach, including the interactive Sōzō Pulse tool and a CEO survey highlights video featuring custom illustrations and original music.
These enhancements paid off, driving record traffic, subscriber growth, and engagement. Founders frequently shared features, and Sōzō Insights earned external validation, with The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times citing its content. What began as a reputation-building effort has matured into a true editorial platform, delivering measurable business value and positioning SBIA as a trusted, insights-driven partner.
Why they're award winning:
Scalable excellence: Balanced quality with increased publishing frequency and reach
Innovative formats: Introduced data videos, interactive tools, and agile content formats
Brand impact: Elevated SBIA’s reputation with premium design, storytelling, and external validation