BAT Uncovered

Designing an investigative digital experience that exposes corporate misconduct and helps audiences navigate the evidence with clarity.

CHALLENGE

Presenting a dense, multi-layered investigation in a way that preserved clarity, credibility, and comprehension without diminishing its seriousness.

OBJECTIVE

As lead designer, I consulted on the UX and art direction to shape the experience as a guided investigation, balancing narrative tension with clear pathways through complex evidence.

PROJECT TYPE

Website

CLIENT

Expose Tobacco

TIMELINE

July - Sept ‘21

URL

BAT-uncovered.org

Building an Investigative Tone

The visual direction was intentionally stark, helping the investigation feel immediate and unsettling rather than purely informational.

The design balances atmosphere with clarity, using tone to support the story without losing structure, readability, or trust.

Website header with text 'Sabotage, Deceit and Duplicity' and highlighted 'British American Tobacco Uncovered' surrounded by images of British five and fifty pound notes.

Text stating BAT oversaw a secret Southern Africa network using drones, trackers, and surveillance, with a pixelated surveillance camera image labeled South Africa surrounded by multiple cameras.

Bar chart of value of payments from 2008-2013 with stacks of £50 notes illustrating amounts to various targets: Staff of competitor tobacco companies highest, followed by Politicians, Civil servants, Other, Individuals working in/supporting Parliamentary Committee, and Journalists lowest.

Making Hidden Systems Visible

The map experience was designed to help users trace patterns across regions, actors, and incidents without losing the larger story.

This created a way to explore the investigation spatially while keeping the broader narrative coherent and easy to follow.

Map showing connections from the United Kingdom to several countries in Africa highlighted in blue, with white lines linking the UK to marked points in Africa.

Infographic showing allegations of surveillance and interference by BAT in South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, and Democratic Republic of the Congo with blue country maps and descriptive text.

World map with overlaid text stating BAT operates in more than 170 countries and questions where else its exploitation is happening.

Report cover titled 'British American Tobacco in South Africa: Any Means Necessary' with a map of Africa highlighting South Africa and surveillance cameras, alongside a summary of leaked documents exposing BAT's illegal activities.

Outcomes

Website

CLARITY

Turned a dense global investigation into a guided digital experience that made key findings easier to follow.

EXPLORATION

Created clearer pathways for policymakers, journalists, and advocates to navigate the evidence.

VISIBILITY

Became the most visited page within the Expose Tobacco website ecosystem.

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