Storytel
Brand strategy, Visual Identity, Art Direction, Design systems and Workflows
As Brand Design Lead consulting at Storytel (SE), I led a comprehensive global brand evolution for the leading audiobook streaming platform which is available in 25+ markets and with 2 million+ paying subscribers.
Aside from leading the creative direction of the brand evolution, my additional goals were to increase team efficiency, increase brand liking and recognition while ensuring markets were able to consistency stay on brand across every brand touchpoint from product to marketing. Working closely with cross-functional teams, I helped elevate the brand’s identity across digital and physical touchpoints, delivering cohesive, ownable, and scalable design systems that will support long-term growth.
Brand Creative Strategy
The creative strategy centered around Storytel’s core brand promise – “Life’s better with a Story”.
“Humans have gathered around fires for millennia, to tell, listen to, and share stories, fuelling connection, understanding, and imagination.” – This insight became the foundation of Storytel’s evolved brand narrative.
Engaging with Italian design studio Illo and the Storytel team, we translated this into a design system inspired by the flickering of shadow and light cast by fire, along with the immersive nature of storytelling.
With a glowing new color palette, bold monolithic illustrations, imagery, and templated design systems, we brought this concept to life across all brand expressions, igniting a new connection with audiences.
Igniting the flame
Product UI Design
To extend the brand narrative into the product, we introduced new branded elements including bespoke illustrations and genre visual language into the Storytel app. These design enhancements created a more immersive and delightful user experience, ensuring that users felt the essence of the brand from the moment they entered the platform. The result was a seamless journey from marketing touchpoints into the core product experience, reinforcing the Storytel story within the listening environment.
A branded experience in App
Design Systems & Workflows
Smooth and efficient tools for scalability
To support consistency and efficiency at scale, we established robust internal systems: detailed, pedagogical brand guidelines, tone of voice documentation, and internal brand libraries for design assets. Templates and toolkits were designed for global and local teams across all major channels—advertising, email marketing, social media, event collateral, and more. These systems empowered in-house and partner teams to execute brand-aligned creative efficiently and on brand.
Marketing Creative & Workflows
Performance driven, creative & scalable
We developed flexible, insight-driven marketing design systems that could scale across 25+ markets and support global markets. Systems were designed to accommodate a range of marketing needs, from high-impact brand campaigns to tactical product promotions, while maintaining a cohesive look and feel.
Templates and creative frameworks were built for use across paid media, CRM, organic social, with assets tailored for seasonal campaigns, content promotion, product feature launches, partnerships, and events. The marketing approach balanced consistency with creative adaptability, ensuring Storytel could stay on-brand while responding to regional trends, cultural moments, and business goals. Every visual touchpoint was crafted to reflect the brand’s emotional core: “Life’s better with a Story”.
