SUSTAINABLE RETAIL
EDUCATION
Book Heroes
The Client & Challenge
Millions of books are needlessly destroyed by major retailers every year due to overstock or minor damage, contributing significantly to landfill waste. While the company’s core function is sustainable used book retail, the challenge was to create a brand identity that was as impactful as its mission. To succeed in a competitive e-commerce market, Book Heroes needed to stand out against generic sellers. The brand had to convey the seriousness of its ecological mission while maintaining a tone that was fun, approachable, and highly memorable to build a loyal community of readers.
The Strategy
We transformed Book Heroes’ core purpose: environmental rescue, into a vibrant superhero narrative.
Our solution was to fully embrace the Hero archetype, which immediately elevates the simple transaction of buying a used book. Now, every customer is invited on a shared heroic quest, where they become the hero saving a story from waste. This entire approach is unified under our central goal: “Join us on our mission to rescue, revive, and reimagine the world of books,” ensuring that every brand touchpoint is purpose-driven.
“Hero feet” are introduced within the Primary Logo, forming the base of the letter ‘H’. This distinctive foot shape is then replicated and consistently applied to all the illustrated Book Hero characters. The illustrations bring humor and warmth to all brand touchpoints, from e-commerce packaging to social media. By linking the logo’s characterisation directly to the product illustrations, the brand ensures a powerful, instantaneous visual connection, building a deep, memorable connection with readers and positioning Book Heroes as the fun, mission-driven alternative in the world of used book retail.
