Branding & webdesign Marjan de Rijke | Romana Chiara

Branding & web design for Marjan de Rijke

Client

Marjan de Rijke

Project type

Branding & webdesign

Date

August 2024

Marjan had a clear mission: to get young people in Rotterdam to read more!

For this important mission, she needed a corporate identity and a website. We started with the most important thing: shaping the brand personality. Marjan wanted a brand based on her own style. When I visited her home, I understood exactly what she meant: mustard yellow and dark blue were her colours. Concrete was her material. It was sleek, clean, and modern. But then again, how do you ensure that suits the target audience: young people in Rotterdam between the ages of 12 and 18?

I tried to find a middle ground between the findings of the target group research and the style Marjan loved so much. The result is a brand identity that embodies Marjan, but also appeals to young Rotterdammers: hip, warm, cool, and modern. Exactly like Marjan and exactly like Rotterdam.

I designed, among other things, a logo in which you can recognize various things: the letter M, of course, but it is also a reference to books on a bookshelf and the tall buildings of Rotterdam.

The Sage

The 'sage' archetype wants to acquire knowledge and teach others what he or she knows. The sage comes across to the target audience as thoughtful and developed. The sage is authoritative, well-substantiated, and factual.

Marjan de Rijke also has 'the hero' as an archetype. The hero wants to improve the world. The hero is inspiring, energetic, and possesses courage and daring. The hero dares to be brave and challenging.

Marjan de Rijke has been an English teacher for over 35 years and is on a mission to help secondary school students in Rotterdam, from all walks of life, prepare for their exams through effective tutoring. She does so with passion, energy, and a no-nonsense attitude — exactly as you would expect from a true Rotterdammer.

In addition, Marjan dreams of becoming an influencer in the field of literature. Her goal is to inspire (Rotterdam-based) young people to read classic books. Through her online presence, she wants to show just how enjoyable and valuable classical literature can be. Less Colleen Hoover and Ana Huang — more timeless classics.

Marjan de Rijke’s tutoring services are both evidence-based and experience-based, exam-focused, and refreshingly independent in approach.

Unique Selling Points:

Evidence-based and experience-based
English tutoring that is both engaging and effective
A deep passion for education and a clear mission: encouraging young people to read more

For Marjan de Rijke, the choice was made to combine Marjan's recognisable look and feel with trendy elements, such as striking fonts and cheerful illustrations, to appeal to the young target audience. The colours yellow, gold, gray, and gray-blue are combined with cheerful colours such as bright yellow and blue-green, and colors that offer comfort, such as beige and light brown. This, combined with bold fonts, square shapes, thin lines, and trendy icons, ensures that Marjan de Rijke appeals to the target audience.

Titles & headers

Cormorant Garamond Medium

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

Headers

Gill Sans Semibold

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

Body text

Gill Sans Light

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

The result

How do you design a brand that appeals to parents, schools, and high school students simultaneously?

When Marjan – a former English teacher – came to me with her mission to get young people in Rotterdam reading more, she already had a clear vision of her brand. My task was to translate that vision into a visual identity that both respects her wishes and appeals to the various target groups.

The vibrant yellow colour was non-negotiable, and that actually fit perfectly. Yellow radiates energy, cheerfulness, and enthusiasm—exactly the vibe that appeals to young people. Together with deep blue and soft gray tones, I created a colour palette that offers calm and balance. Essential for a brand that encourages reading without becoming boring or stuffy.

You can see several things in the logo. It features the M for Marjan, refers to a set of books on a bookshelf, and the rectangular shape is a nod to the Rotterdam skyline, the city where she lives with great love. In this way, the branding tells you at a glance who Marjan and her company are: educational, energetic, and locally rooted.

The branding combines playfulness and professionalism, and makes Marjan's mission visually clear. Parents, schools, and young people feel immediately addressed, while the brand remains recognisable and authentic.

Marjan's thoughts on the collaboration

Romana did a fantastic job designing my branding and website.

She listens attentively to your wishes and knows how to translate them perfectly visually: both my branding and the website align seamlessly with my wishes and personality!

I want this too!

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