Underlined
Brand Identity | Logo Development | Style Guide | Website Design
Underlined is an online destination for young adult readers, a community where they can find new books, get book recommendations, and connect with their favorite YA authors. StyleWorks Creative teamed up with Penguin Random House to update the platform’s brand identity, so that it can serve as a foundation for all future communications, marketing, and brand extensions.
Logo Evolution
While the client liked their original logo’s signature “U”, the mark wasn’t translating well to applications besides the website.
Our new brand identity included a new, hand-drawn logo with an ownable underlined element eluding to an open book. This new font weight and simplified line style is easy to use in all sizes and color ways.
The Icon
In addition to the primary logo, we developed a signature “U” icon for social media applications and to work in conjunction with the traditional Penguin Random House logo.
Color Palette
Color played a major role in refreshing the brand. Our palette was inspired by the bold and beautiful tones used in the marketing photography and book covers featured on their website and social media.
Brand Messaging
Our style guide included a brand messaging section, which featured a mission statement, brand promise, modified tagline, and other key messages for marketing and digital commuications.
Additional Assets
To round out the program, we included a special selection of duotone photography treatments, textures, and branded icons.
Print Applications
This original branding would need to be replaced in a number of printed executions, including book spines, event signage, and merchandise.
Our guide provided brand packaging examples and sample applications to inspire partners working with the new identity.
Website Design and Digital Applications
Digital applications were extremely important for the Underlined brand, and so the PRH team challenged us with extending the identity to their website and creating all the front-end design templates. You can see the new branding in action at getunderlined.com.
