CLIENT
STEPHANUS
YEAR
2022-2023
SERVICES
brand strategy

MESSAGING

visual identity

print/digital design

ART DIRECTION

PACKAGING DESIGN

COPYWRITING

UX/UI

LAUNCH STRATEGY
Turning the page into
the next chapter
Stephanus is the first ever Christian publishing house and bookstore in Romania, founded on December 8th 1990. It all began out of the desire to publish faith-centered books in the wake of a newly liberated and spiritually awakened Romania.

33 years later, the team behind Stephanus decided it was time for a rebranding that could communicate their original purpose in a way that would reach and respond to the spiritual hunger in this generation and beyond. That’s where we came in.

We focused on reinvigorating the Stephanus brand with a brand strategy and identity that would achieve the overarching goal of guiding people to Jesus through biblically-aligned resources and experiences expressed in a relevant way.
BRAND STRATEGY
Resources and experiences for the soul
By going back into the brand’s rich history and undergoing a thorough brand audit, we were able to extract the original purpose as well as identify what changes needed to be made. Of course, research into the general field of publishing, bookstores, and faith-based resources also helped us find ways to stand out.

We found that Stephanus has the opportunity to respond to the need for guidance and trustworthy curation of resources that help people become more like Jesus in all areas of life. This is especially important in a time of easy access to overwhelming amounts of content as opposed to truly helpful resources.

Stephanus’ purpose is rooted in the same desire of responding to the spiritual hunger they recognize in this generation and beyond. Every resource published and offered has the purpose of equipping people who are seeking to understand, grow and share their faith.
NAMING AND MESSAGING
A voice inspired by a honeycomb
Inspired by Proverbs 16:24 and countless other Bible passages, we defined a brand voice that would be sweet for the soul and healthy to the body. Because voice expresses the brand personality in such an important way, it was equally important to provide practical guidance on everything from how to adjust tone throughout the customer journey as well as how to select the appropriate messaging pillar based for a text.

The name itself was well established from its inception and still relevant in terms of its symbolism. In the greek language, the name Stephanus means crown or garland. Historically, artistic representations often show Stephanus with a crown, symbolising martyrdom. We didn’t shy away from this association and chose to reflect the calling all Christians have of carrying one’s cross and following Jesus. Our hope is that this name may serve as an inspiration to live a surrendered life rather than just being the name of the first martyr.
VISUAL IDENTITY
Negative space that reveals meaning
Because Stephanus’ purpose is to lead people to Jesus through resources and experiences that help them live out their God-given calling, the visual identity needs to be inviting and motivational.

Taking inspiration from the brand name, we wanted to connect the name Stephanus (meaning crown) and the essence of the brand proposition (publishing house and bookstore) through the logomark. The hidden element of the logomark is found in the negative space in between the crown and the open book that reveals the pages. This acts as an invitation into the action of learning and growing through resources.

From a logomark that reflects the brand proposition to a color palette that is bright and joyful—all of these elements elevate how people engage with Stephanus.
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