Creating a stand-out industry trends report for e-commerce businesses
DHL eCommerce | Industry trends report
Context
DHL eCommerce had a wealth of proprietary insight into global online shopper behaviour that wasn’t being used to its full potential. There was an opportunity to turn it into something more valuable for e-commerce businesses to position DHL eCommerce as a trusted, credible voice in the industry.
Approach
Through a commercial lens, we transformed complex data into a highly relevant and useable trends report, using a bold, distinctive design concept to capture attention and make the insights engaging and easy to digest for online retailers.
Outcome
The award-winning report has cemented DHL eCommerce as the go-to partner for strategic insight into the industry. Alongside this, sales teams have more credible topics available to use in sales conversations with prospects and customers.
For many e-commerce businesses, keeping up with changing customer expectations can be overwhelming. DHL eCommerce’s annual global research offered a valuable view of these shifts. But in its existing format, it was difficult for busy business owners to quickly find the insights most relevant to them.
Turning data into insight businesses can use
Working closely with DHL eCommerce and its research partner, we looked closely at how the findings were being shared. Rather than presenting large volumes of data, we focused on making the insight clearer and easier to digest.
We identified the key themes that mattered most, including delivery, returns and sustainability, then structured the reports around these topics. This made it easier for readers to understand what customers expect and how businesses should respond.
A cut through creative approach that grabbed attention
Through a distinctive creative concept inspired by online shopping experiences, we visualised the findings through familiar e-commerce moments and real-world objects, such as delivery choices and checkout behaviour to everyday purchases. This grounded the report in the world of online shopping, providing immediate context and making the data easier to digest.
For a report of this scale, it could have easily felt overwhelming instead of engaging. We designed the content around how people actually consume information, using clear signposting, chapterisation and visual storytelling to guide readers through key areas. The result was a report that felt visually engaging, easy to read and informative.
Equipping teams to share the insights in commercial conversations
Alongside the five reports, we created a set of supporting tools to help global sales and marketing teams use the findings confidently during conversations with prospects and customers. This included webinar templates, country-specific mini reports for different markets and an internal data indexing tool to helps people quickly find specific findings.
How we made a meaningful difference
We helped DHL eCommerce turn comprehensive research into a powerful global marketing tool. By turning the data into a connected story for both internal sales teams and external audiences, we created a clearer, stronger narrative – supporting more informed customer conversations and positioning the business as a go-to partner for e-commerce insight.
Big Insight
Complex data becomes far more valuable when it’s turned into clear, actionable insight.
“Wow! I honestly love it.”
— Global Marketing and Communications Manager, DHL eCommerce
What I loved about this project was taking a spreadsheet full of data and figures and finding the story within it. There was so much valuable data to work with, but the exciting part was turning that into an insightful report that e-commerce businesses would want to read.
— Becky Catlin, Content Manager
What we delivered
- Data interpretation
- Insight-led narrative
- End-to-end reporting writing for business audiences
- Creative concept
- Full report design
- Five trend reports
- Microsite content writing and asset design
- Internal data indexing tool
Award recognition
The report was recognised for its creative approach to data communication and insight-led content. It won Gold for Best Visualisation of Data at the Data Comms Awards and received Platinum at the MUSE Creative Awards in the Branded Content – Infographics category.
