The Cover Club exists to provide knowledge, advice, support and kindness to expectant working mothers as they navigate matrescence. Founders Bea and Vimla are pained that there is insufficient support for mothers transitioning through one of the most profound changes of their life. They developed The Cover Kit as a unique gift which is like a birthplan for work with practical advice, emotional insight and tools backed by science and the lived experience of working mums.
They needed a visual identity for The Cover Club which would give them a personality and bring the kit content to life, appealing to their audience of smart, professional mothers who are moving through matrescence.
Insight:
I took the time to talk with Bea about this fascinating area of research and fully understand her purpose and mission. Her goal was to appeal to an audience of mothers who might not be ready to hear all the advice yet. Importantly, she wanted to also appeal to a new mum’s friends and employers and inspire them to gift the kit. There is nothing on the market filling this space currently, so she has an opportunity to make an impression.
We discussed the ways in which the visual identity could convey the transformation and shapeshifting that takes place for a mother, the different spaces this takes place in. There are three stages to the cards; Pregnant & Planning, Leaving Through Leave, and Return & Reinvention. The identity needed to be flexible and represent these phases differently. Ideas emerged around abstract shapes and objects, pattern and duplicating shapes, with rich and vibrant colour. There was a need to represent the female, but not obviously so, and let subtle hints of curves make that nod.
Strategy:
The tone needed to be calm, reassuring, straight-talking. Holding a hand out to the new mum when she needs it. A toolkit with a unique focus on her. The kit would be marketed to 30-40 year-old professional women, and needed to stand out from traditional baby gifts by feeling luxury, high quality and characterful.
Approach:
Bea approached me as she was drawn to my collage aesthetic and felt it would resonate with her audience. The content of the cards is rich with emotional insight and practical advice, so the identity needed to support the breadth of this. The cards straddle professional and domestic spaces and there was a continuing theme of duality and being many things at once.
Concept:
The visual concept is called ‘Maternal Multiplicities’ and it aims to convey the complexities and contradictions of working motherhood. I created a set of collaged shapes and symbols with different textures and jewel tones. Arranged in different configurations, they represent the shifts that a mother goes through, and the facets of her identity.
“From our first conversation, I felt that Bethan understood what I was trying to do. I was quite specific in how I wanted The Cover Club to look and feel, and Bethan had the skills and experience to turn my words into a comprehensive visual identity.
The brief wasn't easy - I needed the look and feel to navigate different emotions and life phases. Bethan took this in her stride and came up with design solutions that were both coherent and specific. I'm still amazed at how she managed to take an idea in my head and turn it into a beautiful, tangible product that worked for the very specific needs that I had.
She was a joy to work with, always professional and clear in her approach, offering practical advice, sharing research and introducing me to novel ideas. I've learned a ton from Bethan, trust her implicitly and will actively seek out opportunities to work with her again.”
Bea Karol Burke, Co-founder of The Cover Club