We commissioned TRiC to do the first Readings’ website redesign in twenty years. It was a daunting undertaking for us, but from the first meeting we felt like TRiC understood who we were and what we wanted to do. TRiC was respectful of our history and our brand and never tried to impose their own design agenda. Kind of like a good editor with a writer’s manuscript, they were able to uncover our story and present that in a more polished and cogent way. What we’ve come away with is something that brings some of our in store magic to the online space. We’re thrilled with the result and think it is a leader in its class.
— Joe Rubbo, Managing Director, Readings
Services
- Art Direction
- Brand System
- Digital
- Strategy
- Website Design & UI
- Website Development
Credits
Photography: courtesy of Readings
Illustration: Oslo Davis
Typography: Tiempos Text (Klim Type Foundry), Sofia Pro (Olivier Gourvat), Quadrant Slab (Matter of Sorts)
Front end development: TRiC
Back end development: Pat Allan
BRIEF
A comprehensive redesign of the ninth Readings shop — the online store — to better capture the culture of the brand and translate the rich IRL experience online. Metrics such as engagement and conversion were to be considered through a friendly and functional user experience, geared for a discerning digital customer, that feels quintessentially ‘Readings’.
A visit to Readings is filled with literary passion and discovery. Customer browsing is enriched through handwritten staff reviews, events, publications, podcasts. With a vast and ongoing archive; there was a colossal opportunity to design a comprehensive digital home for showcasing the Readings ‘voice’, developing infrastructure to pair quality content and editorial contributions alongside the seamless online shopping experience. This same consideration for brand experience could also extend to customer journeys for book subscriptions and gift cards.
RESPONSE
Following an extensive UX and SEO audit to define the strategy for the new site, we began establishing the Readings digital brand to respond to the opportunities and requirements for increased navigational systems, customer pathways, and content hierarchies. Core brand assets were supplemented, ensuring we had the breadth of visual language needed to carry the brand confidently in the digital space.
Drawing inspiration from the world of literature, typography and book design, we established a rigorous typographic hierarchy and vibrant, flexible colour palette. These choices complement a comprehensive menu system, increased visibility of product and editorial content and importantly assist with overall function, legibility and accessibility across the site — particularly as Readings adapts a more sophisticated online infrastructure for delivery, including shipping and in-shop click & collect.
Typography is also used to distinguish between functional product information, and the Readings literary voice. When paired with a restrained approach to colour we were able to create subtle distinctions between content sections such as Reviews, Blogs and Events to convey a sense of permanence and archival discovery to the curated content and experiences for book lovers.
Leveraging the existing relationship between Readings and Melbourne-based illustrator Oslo Davis, we commissioned a new series of illustrations stylised for digital usage. The black and white vignette-like scenes introduce playful storytelling and metaphors throughout the website, decorating page headers, decorative gift cards and even a 404 error page (all going well, that last one will never be seen).
OUTCOME
The Readings brand has been reimagined for the digital space. The recognisability of existing assets, including the logotype and ‘R’ symbol is strengthened within this context, and each colour, typography and illustration have a clear purpose in engaging the customer across both product and content pathways across the website.
The art of the book cover is celebrated, and engaging haptics nod to the action of picking a book from the shelf. Curated content not only has designated space on the website, but is also paired and displayed across product pages, encouraging a deeper browsing experience for customers. And when a customer is ready to login, wishlist or purchase books, subscriptions, or gift cards — a completely bespoke pathway ushers the customer through the payment and shipping process.
The Readings website now not only serves as a comprehensive online store, but also acts as a digital hub for the brand’s culture and ongoing commitment to Australia’s literary industry, celebrating authors, publishers, and importantly readers.