Generation COVID
Highlighting the needs of the world’s children during the pandemic
Generation COVID
Highlighting the needs of the world’s children during the pandemic
UNICEF works tirelessly for the rights and well-being of every child — whoever they are, wherever they live. As part of the commemoration of its 75th anniversary and in collaboration with the renowned Magnum Photo agency, we designed and built a site that presents an in-depth look at the pandemic experiences of children and young people across six countries.
- Visit Site
- sites.unicef.org
- Client
- UNICEF & Magnum
- Type
- Editorial
- Industry
- Nonprofit
- Arts + Culture
Manija bathing in the Aegean Sea, in Lesbos, Greece. Photography by Enri Canaj.
Dancing text and imagery
We were tasked with building a microsite within the UNICEF ecosystem that would elevate the stunning images from Magnum while allowing for a fair amount of copy for each story. In order to achieve this, we created a “dance” between text and photography, making space for the stories and imagery to shine while complementing each other.
A modular system
We designed and built a series of modules to account for different content types and formats. These modules allow for variety, adding richness to the narrative and rhythm to the user experience including moments of audio and video recordings that punctuate the stories. This also enables future stories to be accommodated with ease.
To add depth to the storytelling, we developed ways to layer different multimedia elements allowing audio and video to be treated as moments in the life of a story — moments that further transport the user to the depicted locations.
Decimal shaped the project perfectly, delicately balancing impactful content with design elegance. They stand out as our favorite partner for visual storytelling.
Giulietta Palumbo
Editorial director, Magnum Photos
Six countries, one global response
The project presents the work of six different Magnum photographers tracing the experiences of young people in Greece, Turkey, Brazil, South Africa, Italy, and the US.
Refugees and asylum seekers walk with their possessions as a fire burns behind them in Lesbos, Greece. Photography by Enri Canaj.
A boy poses for a portrait with his football in Mardin, Turkey. Photography by Emin Ozmen.
Caio sits in a classroom at his school in Itacaré, Brazil. Photography by Cristina de Middel.
Bunam and her Aunt Cepheni smile for a posed portrait in Eastern Cape, South Africa. Photography by Lindokuhle Sobekwa.
Anna flips through her phone near her home in Lombardy, Italy. Photography by Alex Majoli.
Julissa in her room in New York City, USA. Photography by Peter Van Agtmael.
Actionable and recirculating storytelling
As UNICEF commemorated this milestone anniversary, it was critical that Generation COVID provide a clear and actionable way for users to help. Anchored CTAs throughout each story gently encourage viewers to get involved and share the work without distracting from the content. Additionally, at the end of each story, we designed pathways to encourage users to explore other stories.
Team
- Decimal
- Alex Muñoz
- Cherif Zouein
- Joe Critchley
- Guillermo Brotons
- Magnum Photos (Photographers)
- Alex Majoli
- Cristina de Middel
- Enri Canaj
- Emin Ozmen
- Lindokuhle Sobekwa
- Peter Van Agtmael
- Magnum Photos (Editorial)
- Giulietta Palumbo
- Natalie Ivis
- UNICEF
- Jedd Flanscha
- Kaley Sweeney
- Writers
- Courtney Bliler
- Janine di Giovanni
