Athenaeum

Readers are overwhelmed by bestseller lists, popularity contests, and biased reviews that don't affect their personal tastes

Strategy

Position the brand as a trust-first tool identifying gaps in the market and differentiating ourselves from competition

Proposed Solution

Craft an approachable brand carried through strategy and user interfaces to provide curated custom content

Impact

Design process clarified market position for early stakeholders and delivered polished design with clear intent

Creating a different experience for readers

Approachable. Magical. Thoughtful.
In order to create a thoughtful and intentional mood, I chose colors with a more muted feel to them, accented by the pop of raspberry that feels a bit more refined and mindful. This allows the user to feel more comfortable in the space, like a welcoming indie bookstore rather than a big box one.

For the typography, the curvy sans serif Manrope lets headers breathe and echoes the soft familiar warmth of the logo. The supporting font family Nunito provides legibility and a sturdy shelf for the whimsy to sit on. All of this creates a welcoming tone with a slightly magical vibe. It's a hand of friendship letting the user feel both empowered and trusting of the product.

Woman holding open book. Reads: Looking for your next read? Your books. Your vibe. Your way.

Competitors are using muted beiges and parchment browns, lending to a stiffer old school feeling. This can set users on edge and make them feel a bit more cautious, or the complete opposite, meaning there is little care or curation in the product's content. This being said, it was important to tie the branding, roadmap, and user interface, into attainable and measurable goals.

What did user acquisition look like? Could we get 100,000 active users, determined by daily activity and retention, within 6 months?

How many partnerships with local bookstores could we obtain to solidify brand loyalty?

With additional offerings and intentional sponsorships, how many users could we convert to a paid/subscription model?

Intuitive and customizable interfaces

All of the branding and strategy comes to life with the UI, the heart of a user's experience with the product. In order to impart our mood to the user, I was intentional with the use of color and using friendly rounded shapes to inspire trust. All of the copy and language is casual and curated. The big search bar and constant access to the AI companion Athena lets users find their next read no matter where they are on the app.

Layout mockup of homepage for book recommendation app

Layout mockup of informational quiz about finding your next read

Layout mockup of book summary page containing information about the book

Small interactions for big impact

The tactile sensation of using the app should play into the branding as well. A prototype was the perfect way to show off these possibilities.

In conclusion...

Although the product never launched, the end-to-end process of brand creation, merged with strategic insights, sharpened my ability to lead with intuition and intention.