Case Study: Council on Foreign Relations achieves a faster, more engaging digital experience with Upstatement

Council on Foreign Relations turns 94% of visitors into a growth opportunity with Upstatement

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), a leading foreign policy authority, faced a challenge where its most valuable content was buried on a website that failed to reflect its prestige. The site was slow, organized around internal structures rather than user needs, and provided a poor experience for both its dedicated members and the vast majority of non-member visitors. Upstatement was engaged to address these issues through a comprehensive redesign and technical rebuild of cfr.org.

Upstatement reoriented the entire digital experience around the user, implementing a new content strategy to highlight expert analysis, a refreshed brand system to convey authority, and a rebuilt technical infrastructure for speed. The solution included a redesigned membership experience that integrated seamlessly with the public site and a new tiered registration system to convert casual visitors into engaged users. The measurable results included a significant improvement in page speed, moving from a failing grade to a fast performance, and the creation of clear pathways for audience growth and engagement.

Council on Foreign Relations