Ankita Haidale

Art director and designer based in NYC.
Currently at BBC Studios.


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Made to Make You Think

BBC’s first-ever North American brand campaign.

Role

Art Direction
Design

Description

The BBC is one of the world's most trusted media brands, but in the U.S. it was often respected more than actively considered. To build awareness and introduce audiences to the newly redesigned BBC.com, the BBC launched its first-ever brand campaign in North America in partnership with R/GA. Centered on the line "We're not here to tell you what to think. We're made to make you think," the campaign presented the BBC as a clear, credible alternative in a crowded media landscape, rooted in impartial reporting and global perspective. Rather than compete in the cycle of opinion-led media, it positioned the BBC as a source built on depth, perspective, and respect for the audience, reframing impartiality as a strength rather than a neutral stance.

Visually, the campaign was grounded in the newly developed BBC international brand system. Layouts were kept clean and direct, allowing the journalism, imagery, and brand messaging to carry the weight. Photography was selected to reflect the intersection of news and culture, balancing urgency with humanity and lighter moments with serious global stories. A three-block grid inspired by the BBC logo became the foundation of the design system, appearing through image crops, containers, and triptych compositions across social, digital, and out-of-home placements. It held a consistent look while leaving room for a wide range of stories and formats.



Overview & Role

As lead designer for all static campaign assets, Ankita shaped how the campaign appeared across paid social, digital, and out-of-home. She built the core layouts and templates, sourced and refined the photography that set the tone, and adapted hundreds of assets across formats and placements, working with the creative and media agencies, senior brand and marketing leadership, producers, copywriters, and project managers. She also partnered with video editors to bring static concepts into motion for Times Square, subway stations, train interiors, and MTA screens, where the repeated three-block grid turned the BBC mark into a recognizable device across the city, and extended the system into physical activations and merchandise. The final phase pointed audiences to the redesigned BBC.com, and the campaign outperformed benchmarks on clickthrough, recall, and completion while helping build a stronger BBC presence in North America.






























Credits

BBC Studios Creative Team
Campaign: R/GA
Media: Swellshark
Musical Score: Bleeding Fingers Music/Hans Zimmer