Penguin Random House asked us to put together a handbook for all their UK staff. It needed to combine two separate but connected halves: a learning journal full of information about their courses and training, which collectively formed the Penguin Random House Academy; and a travel journal, in which the employees could ‘reflect, collect notes, write down ideas and plan their next steps’. It needed to be exciting and motivational, inspiring and functional. We were also asked to create an identity for the Academy itself.

For the Academy identity, we used a simple roundel design. We then used this as a stylistic trope throughout the book, together with bold typography, and a punchy colour palette of cyan, magenta and grey (with yellow used as a highlight in a couple of special instances). We then combined this with a mix of bespoke travel iconography and a selection of different notebook page designs.

We worked through various different formats with the commissioning team, and decided upon a book which could be read in both directions. From one end it’s a learning journal; flip it over, and it’s a travel journal. The two books meet in the middle with a spread that reads in both directions.

The covers are made of thick greyboard (2000 micron), foil-blocked in white; and the text pages are printed onto a rich cream stock.

 “It looks amazing!! I am so pleased. Thanks so much.”
Head of Learning and Development · Penguin Random House