9 examples of powerful profile stories

Profile stories are an ideal content type for modern content teams. This is because, unlike AI-generated content, profile stories are inherently original. They require original reporting, and they often spin off original visual assets.

When published on an immersive content platform like Shorthand, good profiles can make for some of the most interesting and unique stories on the web.

In this guide, we’ll run through nine impressive examples of profile stories. We’ll focus not only on media companies, but also universities, non-profits, and brands.

Without further ado, let’s dive into our list.

• Tunstall and the Tudors, from Durham University
• Who is Madame Song?, from M+ Museum
• How Bellingham became England’s great young hope, from Goal
• Young voices for the planet, from the Global Environmental Facility
• The Mystery of Mrs Muir, from Stuff
• Raheem Sterling, from the BBC
• John Siberch: Cambridge’s first printer (and record debtor?), from the University of Cambridge
• Ange Postecoglou, from Tottenham Hotspur
• Sewing her lifelong dream, from the Norwegian Refugee Council

Who is Madame Song?, from M+ Museum

Digital profile stories can be an excellent way to market in-person exhibitions, as this story from Hong Kong’s M+ Museum shows.

The profile introduces Madame Song Huai-Kuei, a late Chinese artist, influencer, and collaborator of Pierre Cardin. It explores Song's role in promoting Pierre Cardin's fashion in China, her role in China’s burgeoning cultural scene in the 1980s, and her life with her Bulgarian artist Maryn Varbanov (the first approved marriage to a foreigner under the rule of the PRC).

What we like:

• This profile has no shortage of fascinating photos to help tell the story of Madame Song’s remarkable life. They are used to great effect, from photos of Song as a teenager in the 1950s to her avant-garde artworks in the 1980s. 
• Intriguing archival video of Song is used to break the profile into distinct sections.

How Bellingham became England’s great young hope, from Goal

Jude Bellingham is a footballer who turned down offers from top clubs like Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City to become the youngest-ever player at his boyhood club, Birmingham. This personal profile from Goal tells the story of his rapid rise into the England national team, with Bellingham skipping several age groups to become one of the youngest players to feature for the senior team.

What we like:

• The story begins with a short, looping video, which gives the story an initial burst of energy. 
• The piece uses striking background illustrations — a hugely distinctive and attention-grabbing design choice that befits the profile’s subject.

Young voices for the planet, from the Global Environmental Facility

The future of our planet lies in the hands of young people, who are determined to create sustainable environments for themselves and future generations. This great profile from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) aims to inspire change with 10 micro-profiles of influential young environmental leaders. Together, these leaders open up dialogue about how we can transition to what the story describes as a “low-carbon, nature-positive, and climate-resilient future.”

What we like:

• The profile uses engaging illustrations to showcase the youthful diversity of its subjects. 

The team uses Shorthand’s Text on Reveal to brilliant effect, introducing portraits of the 10 young leaders.

The Mystery of Mrs Muir, from Stuff

Who was the first coach of the New Zealand netball team? In attempting to answer this innocuous question, researchers from Netball New Zealand uncovered a truly fascinating story, revealed by Stuff’s journalists in this immersive profile.

In the words of the writers, the mystery of Mrs Muir “[plunged] researchers headfirst into a story of migrant labour, discrimination, poverty, neglect, prostitution, violence, lawlessness and manslaughter.”

What we like:

• The team makes beautiful use of Shorthand’s Reveal section, particularly in their striking introduction.
• A podcast version is embedded early on, giving readers an alternative way to enjoy the narrative.
• It’s truly a world-class multimedia story, with video, original photography, and archival materials accompanying the text throughout.

Raheem Sterling, from the BBC

As told in this profile from the BBC, Raheem Sterling's journey from scapegoat to national icon is a fascinating tale of triumph over adversity. Growing up in north-west London, Sterling always dreamed of playing at Wembley Stadium. His tattoo of a young boy looking up at the Wembley arch symbolises his aspirations.

As the story points out, throughout his career, Sterling has been both a target of, and a fierce challenger to, racist abuse and media coverage. It has followed him both on and off the pitch, and he has been vocal about the need for systemic changes in England’s football culture.

What we like: 

• The black background is an attention-grabbing choice for a longform story, and provides contrast for the vivid photographs from Stirling’s football career.
• Direct quotes and social media posts from Sterling complement the background information already familiar to football fans.
• The photographs of Sterling on the field are remarkable — and the story is designed to give them plenty of room to shine.

John Siberch: Cambridge’s first printer (and record debtor?), from the University of Cambridge

This feature story from the University of Cambridge tells the story of John Siberch, the city’s first printer. Siberch began his career by borrowing 20 pounds from the university in 1524 at an interest rate of 5% — a debt he would never repay.

Over the course of his career, Siberch printed grammar books from Erasmus, as well as the first edition of Alexander Barclay's eclogue. He admitted to making regular errors — including in a deluxe copy of Galen presented to Henry VIII, in which pages were arranged incorrectly on the press, possibly in an attempt to prevent the king from reading to the end.

What we like:

• The story makes generous use of the many fascinating archival materials held by the university library, including images of the earlier works to be printed in Cambridge 500 years ago.

Historical paintings give colour and context to the most famous figures in the piece, including the famous Erasmus from Hans Holbein, and Karl Aspelin’s painting of Luther burning the papal bull.

Ange Postecoglou, from Tottenham Hotspur

Ange Postecoglou, the Head Coach for Tottenham Hotspur, has had a remarkable journey in football. As we learn in this profile story, Postecoglou left Greece for Australia to escape the political turmoil caused by the Greek junta.

In Australia, Ange’s passion for football grew, and he became involved with South Melbourne FC, a club at the heart of the Greek community. He guided South Melbourne to back-to-back titles and even qualified them for the FIFA Club World Cup, where they faced Manchester United. Ange's coaching principles were influenced by the expectations of the Greek supporters, who wanted not only victories, but a style of play that showcased excellence.

What we like:

• The grainy texture of the background image resembles the stone facade of a Greek building.  
• Photos from throughout Ange’s career have a consistent Polaroid-style filter, giving the story a consistent and distinctive look.
• The story is broken up into chapters, with each chapter accented with its own colour — a thoughtful and effective design choice.

Sewing her lifelong dream, from the Norwegian Refugee Council

Our final profile, from the Norwegian Refugee Council, tells the story of Gulistan, a Syrian-Kurdish dressmaker who is also a refugee. Despite the haunting memories of war, Gulistan channels her creativity and passion into creating beautiful dresses using a variety of fabrics and stitches.

Behind her skillful hands lies a painful past. Gulistan and her family were stripped of their Syrian citizenship, leaving them stateless and without access to basic necessities. Fortunately, Gulistan was able to acquire Syrian citizenship before fleeing to Iraq, where she now resides with her husband and children.

What we like:

• The piece uses original illustrated maps to show Gulistan’s journey, without departing from its original visual style.
• Documentary photos and videos of Gulistan — in a range of emotions — are used to powerful effect throughout the story.
• The story uses the creation of a new dress as a structural device, showing how Gulistan’s craft has anchored her exceptionally tumultuous life.

Leading brands and publishers are creating beautifully engaging profile articles with Shorthand all the time. For more inspiration, peruse our profile story gallery →