Mondo Magazine

My Role: Brand Identity, Publication Design, Web Design

Timeline: 12 Weeks (September-December 2023)

Tools: Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Figma, Procreate, ChatGPT

Problem to Solve
Create a conceptual magazine for a pre-existing brand whose content and visual tone align with a defined audience’s interests & expectations.

Overview
Beginning as an homage to movie making, this magazine evolved to become a collection of artists and pop culture art. Inside each issue, artists would be showcased and discussed. This magazine would represent the influence of a pop-culture juggernaut bringing this sub-genre to the mainstream.

Brand Kit

Masthead Logo

Colors

Horror Edition Pattern

Typography

Audience

The primary audience for the magazine would be collectors, which has been consistent since the inception of the brand. Their products range from vinyl soundtracks of film and TV scores to toys, tiki mugs, and most prominently - alternative movie posters. Without collectors, Mondo would not have the staying power and brand recognition it has come to garner.

The secondary audience would be the artists. This is for them and out of respect for all the great work they put forth that helped make this company what it is today. We want to showcase not just the art, but the artists, and have them be as big a part of the community as we can. They are the difference maker.

Insight

MONDO is created in the vein of ‘Layered Butter’ and ‘MAD’ as both magazine and collector’s item. Each issue should be unique and to that end, the spreads were made to feel like the art was a part of the page. Because each spread was about a different property or artist and needed to feel unique, blending the art into the background was the unifying trait between each spread. This couldn’t be replicated on the website. For that, I was solving for readability and translating the material and visual tone of the physical magazine as much as possible.

Emails

mail

Instagram Post & Grid View

Mobile Website

Final Thoughts

I created a cohesive magazine that fits within both a physical and web format for a subsidiary of the MONDO brand. The print format was designed to be almost an art piece in itself. I wanted it to feel collectible, like an old ‘MAD’ magazine, and wanted them to feel unique, like all the artwork presented in the pages. The web version required more uniformity in its design, but the continuation of several design elements allowed for the web version to echo the print version. Both versions align with the quarterly edition’s theme and align with the off-kilter and nostalgic expectations of the audience.