Malaria off the Map

An animated presentation that helped Bill Gates show world leaders how we can wipe malaria off the map.
Client

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

A close up image of a mosquito that sits in the centre of a plain orange background.

By 2040, malaria could be completely eradicated. But this goal requires increased funding, new tools and fresh innovations.

At the famous annual conference of the World Economic Forum, Davos 2018, Bill Gates would make this case to the world.

Behind his words, he wanted a visualization that could transform global data into a message even more potent than the disease it sought to eliminate.

To do this, we combined two standard devices: a world map and a timeline. This enabled us to shuttle the story smoothly between 2015 and 2060, showing the battle against malaria play out across the world in two possible futures.

We wanted the audience to see us literally wipe malaria off the map. Using yellow to denote malaria-affected regions, each time a country became unafflicted, it’s colours would drift off the map to become a malaria-free marker on the timeline.

And we left control in the hands of the storytellers, so the Gates Foundation team could control the multi-part story, rewinding to certain chapters if necessary.

Bill Gates delivered his talk at Davos 2018, using our animated interactive to give heft to the powerful underlying message: ‘Progress is possible, but not inevitable.’

A sketchbook laid open across a two page spread. On both pages are sketches of maps and visualisations used to plan the Malaria off the Map visuals.
A dark blue world map with a timeline spanning 2015 to 2060. The year visualised is 2033 where countries that may still face malaria transmission are in yellow. Yellow dots from countries that have eradicated malaria have turned into yellow dots and are falling to mark the timeline below.
A dark blue map of the world with a timeline along the bottom. The timeline spans 2015 to 2060 with the current year showing 2040. Between 2015 and 2040 are a selection of yellow dots showing years where more countries eradicated malaria.
A darl blue world map showing the year 2040. Countries in yellow show places where malaria might still be prevalent in 2040 if tools to the disease are delayed.
An animated GIF showing countries where malaria is prevalent dwindling from 2015 onwards, disappearing entirely by 2040.
An animated graphic introducing some of the new tools helping to end malaria. It includes drugs that overcome resistance, bed nets and vaccines, single-dose treatments and smart data and analytics.
An image taken of Bill Gates and two other speakers on stage during the Malaria off the Map presentation.

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