Bonteh Magazine - Brand Identity
Bonteh Magazine is a digital-first African publication covering governance and public affairs, technology and AI, business and the economy, and Africa’s relationship with the rest of the world. They exist to help readers understand what is happening, why it matters, and what comes next. Its audience includes the people shaping Africa’s future, from CEOs and founders to investors and policymakers. At its core, Bonteh Magazine believes journalism should do more than inform. It should question power, provide context, amplify important voices, and equip people to make better decisions.
Problem
The client came to us because the brand had outgrown the identity it started with. During its startup phase, the focus was on building the publication. Now, they wanted to uncover and express more of what the brand stood for. They wanted an identity that felt different, original and iconic, one that could communicate the scale of their ambition. The goal was to create something distinctly African without leaning on familiar African design clichés.
Approach
We looked for an idea that could connect the publication's purpose with its African roots without relying on familiar visual clichés, and we found that connection in the Kuumba symbol.
Inspired by the African principle of using creativity to leave society better than we found it, we integrated the Kuumba symbol into the letter B of the logo, transforming the first letter of Bonteh into a visual expression of its purpose.
Its six divisions also create a visual connection to Bonteh's six founding principles: Independence. Accuracy. Accountability. Fairness. Context. Courage.
Solution
The new mark became the foundation for a broader visual system. The color palette was developed through exploration and reference to the purpose, vision, and mission of the publication. Together, the colors give the brand a distinctive character without relying on predictable visual codes.
The typography was carefully sourced out because of its clean, contemporary structure, giving the publication a strong typographic voice across editorial and digital applications.
Results
Bonteh Magazine now has an identity that reflects the weight of its ambition. A distinctive symbol and flexible visual system built to carry the brand across audiences, platforms and future products. Most importantly, the identity makes its purpose visible: using journalism, knowledge and creativity to leave society better informed and better equipped to move forward.
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