The Challenge Is Set

We believe in the power of a good old question that goes “Why?”. Simple as it sounds, it makes the “What?” a whole lot easier to understand and turn into great pieces of work. So before setting all the design criteria, we first ran a workshop with the team from Macmillan Education that revealed what the refreshed brand is meant to achieve, what didn’t work in the old approach, and why it is important. Such a holistic approach, that doesn’t shy away from asking key questions, is the way to achieve solid results at the design stage. 

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Design Development: Programme Logo

The next step in the process was giving the Advancing Learning programme logo a refreshed look. From several approaches, we chose one that was reflecting progress on a few different levels. 

First of all, removing serifs immediately made the logo design more modern. The visual identity of Macmillan’s Advancing Learning needed to make a step towards what is more on trend and the simplifying of the font has really helped to achieve that.

Next, the logo was given a boost using an element of an arrow, a metaphor for motion and movement, which eventually became not only a quirky element that adds colour, but also a key motif in the new look for Macmillan Education’s coursebook series.

The New Visual System

Now the Advancing Learning logo was in full motion, the time came to put a spin on the covers of coursebooks and set them on a new path towards a fresher, modern look.

Educational products created by various publishers stand in strong competition; standing out from the crowd was definitely the way to go. Following a research into what is available on the market, and what is it that Macmillan Education would like to see themselves as, we achieved that stand-out look for Macmillan Education through: 

• Abandoning a graphic-only approach for a mix-media style. We introduced photography showing students in various situations making the covers more lively and relatable.. 
• Introducing bold, modern graphics. Based on the arrow from the logo which became a motif for the whole series.
• Devising a striking colour palette. Now various educational levels and teachers’ materials have a touch of bold, arresting colours that differentiate them from one another.

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Handing Over The Reins With a New Book of Brand Guidelines

With the communication strategy, new logo, and visual identity ready to be used globally, what better way to make sure it continues to thrive if not with a brandbook. 

We put together a comprehensive guide for Macmillan Education to help them spread the word about the new approach across their branches and to make sure everybody stays on brand when creating promotional assets and further communication plans.

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Why Bolder Is Better

For a publishing house staying top of mind and relevant to their desired audiences is key. Dated visual look may result in people associating the books with an old-fashioned approach to teaching, while in this case it’s everything but stale and boring. Macmillan Education has been pushing the envelope in their industry for decades and their teaching materials are always fresh and exciting. With our spin on their brand for the academic programme, the materials have also become very cool and modern — just what their young audiences are looking for and associating with!