CA magazine,
ICAS
From print legacy to digital vanguard: soaring commercial revenue and reader engagement
We don't usually kick off with a stat, but for a 536% increase in engagement, we'll make an exception. This was the huge impact of the platform shift the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) was after. That, and revenue soaring by 447% over three years. We didn’t just pivot – we propelled.
Since reimagining CA magazine as a fully digital experience, commercial social media referrals shot up by 125% and users rose by 50% – but the main headline? That phenomenal 536% increase in average read time, proving that when content meets platform powerfully, audiences don’t just click – they commit. In a content-crazy market fighting for eyeballs, this is no small achievement.
Client Need
CA magazine serves these people: a sharp, global audience of over 24,000 members and 4,500 students.
ICAS needed to shift from print and a simple digital page-turner to an elevated digital format that reflected its own reputation: innovative, accessible and future facing.
Content had to shine on mobile, short features needed to stand alone for easy sharing, and the whole platform had to drive meaningful readership and measurable results. All of this, while taking what, some might say, can be a dry topic, and making it sing (something we rather pride ourselves on). Chartered accountants are forward-thinking professionals hungry for insights on AI, ESG, social mobility and economic change.
Creative
After rigorous testing, we migrated CA magazine to Shorthand in March 2024: a sleek, mobile-first storytelling platform that brought readability, interactivity, and modern design together in one bold move.
We gave users what they hadn’t known they wanted – fluid, animated, immersive experiences that felt as smart as the content itself.
Early careers features became shareable spotlight pieces. Long reads became scroll-worthy journeys. Every change was strategic. And every metric proved the impact.
