BZH has always been a thoughtful lifestyle publication since 2015, that. It was time to freshen up both internally and externally, as they always wrote about things that shape the present. The redesign led to 386% surge in article completion rates.
With positioning and visual language shifted from «City Guide» to «Media for the Thoughtful», the publication’s audience grew, changed, and stayed.
Engagement: +386% increase in users who finish reading articles.
Loyalty: +67% increase in returning users.
Focused Reading: +81% growth in the desktop audience.
Quality of Time: +46% engagement time per user.
Source: Google Analytics 4
So we went with my go-to approach: meaning first, looks second. Together with the team, we had to define what the new BZH has to become as a publication.
Brand
We realised that their audience, who have always been discerning and aesthetically sensitive people, city dwellers, are looking to BZH for smart, but not snobbish guidance. And that we had to keep the older, loyal audience happy while attracting new people: young, demanding and willing to move on to the next tab at any moment.
Eventually, after thorough research and discussion, here’s what we figured would make BZH stand out:
Quality: if we cover something, it signals importance, relevance, and genuine substance;
Boldness: to embrace a slightly cheeky, rebellious approach with depth—but never neutrality;
Consistency: to build a visual language, a clear editorial voice, and a presence that endures.
Style: without a sense of aesthetics and the pleasure of recognising, depth and expertise simply won’t resonate.
First, to differentiate BZH from competitors with a distinct primary colour — almost every other Kyiv/lifestyle-focused publication is green.
Second, it has to be a modern palette. Appealing to both the young and the old (although we can allow ourselves to irritate the older ones a little).
Finally, bold, expressive combinations should signal that the publication is evolving and ready to stand out.
So I knew what we needed exactly the minute I saw Ugo Rondinone‘s work.
BZH is a publication about city life, and its original sign was a typical Kyiv street light. It had recognition of a loyal audience and warm feelings from the team, but it was time to move on. It had to be metaphorical and slightly playful, dynamic, scale well across different media, and be easily animated as the publication was about to introduce a new video format.
The main logo, a monogram in a circle, is a rebirth of the old street light of sorts. It’s about spotlight: how BZH focuses readers’ attention on what’s important.
*deep because we live in a global world, and the publication covers not only the Ukrainian context, but also the global context.
Website
The BZH website was designed to make people stay, read more stories, news, and check what’s going on in other sections. Visually, it can seem a lot, especially on a desktop, and it’s much like a big city’s life. My goal was to make navigating through all of this easy and fun: there’s a mix of highlighted superfeatures, mid-sized features, quick news on the front page and a much calmer layout in sections.
We developed a custom builder for editors to assemble longreads. Visually, they are aimed at high readability and keeping readers engaged. BZH often commissions photographers and illustrators to create custom imagery, and it is supported by several available layouts and typography.
Plans
In terms of brand, I advised commissioning a custom font called BZH Display, which will be available for purchase. This will strengthen the editorial's unique visual language, create a great news hook, leave a legacy, and provide an additional point of contact with the brand.
Longreads will have custom blocks that allow editors to put together even more highly readable, but also vibrant pieces. Engaging readers is no joke, so we’ll have interactive blocks, a few types of galleries and quotes to help build the look and feel of each superfeature.
The publication will also introduce a new video format soon, and I’m excited to integrate a new identity into it.
Make sure to check out the website: bzh.life
And follow them on Instagram.