Brand Overview
Magazine Shop US is an e-commerce destination for print magazines, special editions, and subscriptions. Our brand positions magazines as collectible objects worth keeping — iconic, timeless treasures rather than disposable reading material.
This style guide ensures consistency across all touchpoints, from our website to marketing materials, packaging, and social media presence.
We celebrate legendary publications and unforgettable covers
Every magazine is a piece worth owning and treasuring
Quality content that transcends trends and fleeting moments
Logo
The Magazine Shop logo combines editorial tradition with modern approachability. The primary wordmark pairs a bold serif "Magazine" with a lighter italic "Shop" to create visual hierarchy and warmth.
Clear Space
Maintain minimum clear space equal to the height of the "S" in "Shop" on all sides of the logo.
Minimum Size
Do not reproduce the logo smaller than 100px wide for digital or 25mm for print applications.
Backgrounds
Use the primary version on light backgrounds. Switch to the reversed version on dark or coloured backgrounds.
Don't Modify
Never stretch, rotate, recolour outside brand palette, or add effects like shadows or gradients to the logo.
Colour Palette
Our colour palette evokes trust, sophistication, and editorial heritage while remaining warm and inviting. Navy anchors the brand, teal adds energy, and soft backgrounds create breathing room.
Primary Colours
Secondary & Background Colours
Typography
Our type system pairs a refined serif for headlines with a clean sans-serif for body text, creating an editorial feel that's both sophisticated and readable.
Primary Typeface — Playfair Display
Use Playfair Display for headlines, taglines, and hero text. The italic style adds elegance for emphasis words. Available weights: Regular (400), SemiBold (600), Bold (700), plus italics.
Secondary Typeface — Source Sans 3
Use Source Sans 3 for body copy, navigation, buttons, and UI elements. Its clean forms ensure excellent readability at all sizes. Available weights: Regular (400), SemiBold (600).
Type Scale
Buttons & CTAs
Buttons use a distinctive pill shape with uppercase text and generous letter-spacing. This creates confident, tappable targets that stand out without overwhelming the editorial content.
Visual Elements
Supporting graphic elements reinforce the editorial theme while adding warmth and movement to layouts.
Book Icon
The open book motif appears in the logo and as a decorative element throughout the site. Use as a line drawing in Navy Primary.
Flourish Line
A flowing line extends from the book icon to guide the eye and add elegance. Use on feature sections with coloured backgrounds.
Magazine Presentation
Angled Display
Present magazine covers at slight angles (3-8°) to create depth and a tangible, collectible quality.
Soft Shadows
Use subtle drop shadows (15-25% opacity, 8-24px blur) to lift magazines off backgrounds.
Overlapping Groups
When showing multiple magazines, overlap slightly to suggest a curated collection.
Voice & Tone
Magazine Shop speaks with warmth and expertise, like a knowledgeable friend who shares your passion for great publications. We're enthusiastic without being pushy, and we treat every magazine as something special.
We handpick and thoughtfully present, not just list products
We understand the heritage and value of what we sell
We welcome browsers and enthusiasts alike
We're straightforward about what we offer
Writing Examples
"A carefully curated selection of must-have magazines"
"Discover magazines worth keeping"
"Be the first to know about exclusive offers"
"Buy magazines here!!!"
"Huge selection of cheap mags"
"Don't miss out! Limited time only!"
Layout Patterns
Our layouts favour generous white space and asymmetrical compositions that let the magazine covers shine as hero elements.
A Carefully Curated Selection of Must-Have Magazines
Feature sections use the dusty blue background with overlapping magazine displays.
Spacing: Use 40-80px padding on feature sections. Maintain consistent gutters of 24-40px between elements.
Grid: 12-column grid with content typically spanning 8-10 columns for comfortable reading widths.
Key Layout Principles
Let magazine covers be the heroes — they're the product. Use asymmetry to create visual interest. Alternate between white and coloured section backgrounds to create rhythm. Ensure touch targets are at least 44px for mobile interfaces.