Penguin
Beyond
IN
2021
BRIEF
D&AD
NewBlood
ROLE
UI/UX
Motion Design
SUMMARY
Penguin Beyond reimagines how young readers connect with books and authors through book clubs. Created in response to a D&AD brief, it’s a social reading strategy that invites users to start clubs, join live sessions, and discover new favorites while deepening their understanding and connections.
Introduction video created as part of the project
Penguin Beyond puts book clubs at its core, offering a social way to read, connect, and discover great books and authors. Anyone can start a club, join live sessions, and find their next favorite read.
evolving Penguin
beyond the pages
The project explored how Penguin could evolve into a social reading platform, using online book clubs to foster connection, discovery, and conversation. By extending interaction beyond the page, it aimed to build communities where readers engage with each other, authors, and new ideas in a more dynamic, connected way.
a vibrant approach
for the younger
generation
Through the drafted flow, I explored a variety of designs to make this new discovery experience feel natural, intuitive, and enjoyable for Gen-Z users. Drawing inspiration from social apps like Zenly, Tinder, and Bumble—known for fostering human connections—I infused these insights into our ideation process, which focuses on bright visuals and playful imagery.
intuitive, playful and
visual experience
The final outcome is playful and intuitive, with multiple spaces for discovering book clubs, exploring further readings, and engaging in fun experiences like reading challenges and friendly competitions with friends—making the journey both social and rewarding.
Beyond the readers,
to the authors
Penguin Beyond not only caters to readers but also empowers authors by providing a platform to connect directly with their audience. Authors can host launch events, run official book clubs, release their books in serialized sections, and share exclusive behind-the-scenes content. This gives them full creative control over how their work is presented to the world.
integrates seamlessly
into the Penguin ecosystem
Penguin Beyond integrates seamlessly into the reader’s experience, allowing them to scan QR codes placed on books to discover relevant book clubs and access additional insights directly from the authors.
Coherent visual
language across
The vibrant and playful identity is carried across all touchpoints, including a dynamic landing page that introduces the concept.