The Observer Magazine: How Contribly Turned Reader Memories into a Historic 12-Page Spread
Ahead of the centenary of the First World War, The Observer Magazine wanted to commemorate the moment in a way that connected deeply with its audience. But sourcing authentic, personal stories at scale was a challenge. By using Contribly, The Observer empowered readers to share their family histories directly with the newsroom — creating one of the most moving and ambitious features in its history.
Topline numbers:
800+ reader contributions led to a
12-page magazine spread — and a new model for ongoing community-driven storytelling.
About The Observer Magazine and the Challenge
The Observer Magazine, a long-standing feature of the UK’s oldest Sunday newspaper, prides itself on publishing distinctive and meaningful journalism.
Ahead of the First World War centenary, the editorial team saw an opportunity: invite readers to share their family’s stories, photographs, and letters to bring history to life.
But there were challenges:
Fragmented submissions: Collecting hundreds of letters, images, and memories through email or post would overwhelm journalists.
Verification and accuracy: Sensitive stories from family archives required careful moderation and fact-checking.
Time constraints: The team needed to source, review, and publish content quickly while maintaining high editorial standards.
Without a streamlined process, The Observer risked missing a historic opportunity to create a collaborative, commemorative feature.
How Contribly Addressed the Challenge
Contribly gave The Observer a powerful platform to run call-outs directly with their readers. The “First World War: Share your letters, photographs and stories” call-out allowed contributions to flow into one central dashboard.
Key features that made the difference:
Central hub: All submissions (letters, photos, videos, stories) were uploaded directly into Contribly, organised and ready for review.
Moderation tools: Sensitive and complex material could be verified, flagged, and approved efficiently.
Instant publishability: Once approved, contributions could be displayed in live galleries or prepared for print features.
Reusability: Content was stored, tagged, and easily repurposed for future articles and features.
“It’s an astonishingly brilliant way to gather the stories of the readers, and in this case made for one of the most touching and important pieces we ran this year.”
The Great War Through Our Eyes - 12 page spread in the Observer Magazine
The Results
The Observer achieved extraordinary results, both editorially and in audience engagement:
12-page commemorative spread: Reader-submitted photos, stories, and letters filled a special feature marking the centenary.
800+ high-quality contributions: Submissions came from across the UK and abroad, building a unique archive of community history.
Emotional impact: Families shared deeply personal stories, creating some of the most memorable and moving journalism the magazine had ever published.
Time savings: Contribly’s moderation hub halved turnaround time, giving journalists hundreds of ready-to-use stories for both print and digital features.
Ongoing collaboration: Building on the success, The Observer began running themed galleries every week, powered entirely by user photography.
The Observer Magazine turned a historic anniversary into an unforgettable collaboration with its readers — creating a feature that was both editorially powerful and emotionally resonant. With Contribly, the newsroom collected, verified, and published hundreds of family stories in record time, proving the potential of community-driven journalism.
Fuel your stories with UGC — without the chaos. From call-out to compelling story, Contribly helps your newsroom connect with audiences and publish with confidence.