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Yanlin Wang

MFA in Graphic Design - 2 Yr Path — Graduate Graphic Design
Course:
GMGX-601-04
Faculty:
Carolina Trigo
Term:
2024 Fall

Barnes & Noble

This rebrand project redefines Barnes & Noble from a traditional bookstore into an ecosystem of reading and co-creation. Through the “Barney’s Garden” concept, the brand shifts from a transactional space to a reading garden that rebuilds a more vibrant connection between readers and the bookstore.

Process:

The project is based on research showing that Barnes & Noble is gradually losing its sense of community. I used the brand’s “&” symbol as a metaphor for connection and combined it with a bookworm character to develop the concept of Barney’s Garden.

I designed a mascot and an engagement system including membership badges and reading-based rewards that connect online and offline experiences, transforming the bookstore into an interactive reading community, a “reading garden.”

Project Website:
https://yanlindesignbn.cargo.site/
Tags:
Branding
To convey a younger and more welcoming community concept, I redesigned the Barnes & Noble logo and developed a more vibrant color system.
Barney stands at the heart of the project, emerging from the “B&N” ampersand as a small bookworm and becoming the spirit of the brand.
A reading app lets users track progress and earn rewards, bringing online readers into the community and unifying Barnes & Noble’s physical and digital worlds.