DARK AGE OF AMERICAN MANUFACTURING
CLIENT /
The Atlantic
ROLE /
Concept, Design
SCOPE /
Editorial Graphic
08
THE CHALLENGE
This self-initiated project tackled a mock illustration for The Atlantic exploring how American manufacturers (exemplified by Boeing) prioritized short-term financial gains over long-term innovation, ultimately damaging the industry and America's manufacturing dominance.
The target audience: The Atlantic's digital readers who engage with critical, thought-provoking content on economics, policy, and corporate culture. The design challenge: translate a complex economic and industrial narrative into a single, arresting image that would stop readers mid-scroll while conveying corporate greed, industrial decline, and loss of American manufacturing leadership.
VISUAL CONCEPT / THE DARK AGE
The conceptual framework centered on visual metaphor and symbolic decay.
A collage-style composition loosely echoes the American flag's structure, building narrative through layered symbolism: money and plane parts represent misaligned corporate priorities, rough metal textures suggest industrial decay and neglect, and planes literally flying away from the flag visualize the exodus of America's manufacturing edge. The deliberately distorted, deteriorated aesthetic reinforces the breakdown of an industry, making the critique visceral rather than abstract.
Example mockup below.
