Bonnier Books UK drives “open book” inclusivity message across new visual identity

Evoke has designed an “open book brand symbol” as part of a new identity for trade book publisher Bonnier Books UK, in an effort to emphasise the inclusive culture to which the company aspires.

The brief from the client detailed that it required a more contemporary look and feel which focussed in on its “inclusive culture” and “improved brand recognition and consistency”, according to Evoke creative director Tom Leach. A visual device that could be easily applied across digital platforms was also needed.

While some elements of Bonnier Books UK’s old identity have been retained – such as the wordmark and strapline – they now work alongside the new Bonnier B symbol. Central to the brand’s new graphic language, the symbol was “built around the key principle of being open”, says Leach. The symbol has been animated by Buff Motion to show pages being turned, while the sound of this has been created by James Locke-Hart.

Leach adds, “There is often a challenge when integrating the old with the new and finding that perfect balance when retaining existing brand elements.”

Evoke wanted to “bring to life” Bonnier Books UK’s retained strapline – Every book matters – by adding extra phrases such as “Every reader matters and “Every story matters”, says Leach. He adds that this amended strapline interacts with the new B symbol “as if it were being spoken by it”, which aims to reinforce the brand’s inclusive ethos.

The “simple, modern” symbol can be used “to deliver messaging, hold quotes and photography, integrate with illustration or promote the books themselves”, says Leach. He adds that, to make the symbol flexible and adaptable, Evoke designed it to be able to “draw colour and style from the content it’s representing”.

The colour palette also has a degree of flexibility as the primary hues – orange, aubergine and oat – can be interchanged throughout the identity. Leach says that the whole palette seeks to add “vibrancy and sophistication” to the brand, while the “warmth and depth” of the aubergine and oat shades “provide a refreshing alternative” to white and black text backgrounds.

As with the open book symbol, the colour palette can take queues from the content it is representing, such as “from a book cover or illustration”, says Leach.

Evoke also compiled a new combination of typefaces for Bonnier Books UK, including “a confident, wide format, headline typeface and a modernised, easy to read, body copy typeface”, Leach adds. Although GT America Expanded Bold and GT America Standard Light are notably different fonts, they come from the same type foundry, Grilli Type, and adopt a similar baseline style which, according to Leach, provides “flexibility, energy, clarity and simplicity”. He adds that they also serve to “compliment and balance with” the existing logotype – a classic, serif typeface.

“From an environmental perspective”, Leach says the rebrand has mostly been applied digitally, however, all new stationery has been “sustainably printed” by Evoke’s printing partner Generation Press on FSC-certified coloured papers to match the new brand palette.

The new branding will be applied across social media, pitch and sales presentations and stationery as well as catalogues, rights guides and co-branding. Evoke are also consulting with Bonnier Books UK on a full website refresh which will be launching soon.