illo crafted the new illustration and motion identity for Storytel, a global leader in the audiobook space, featuring bold, monolithic, and abstract shapes.

illo partnered with the Storytel team to create a visual system as timeless as the storytelling tradition itself. Storytels orange flame logo is a cue to the origins of storytellingpeople gathered around a campfire to share tales. As a global leader in the audiobook space, Storytel needed a bold new illustration and motion language to enhance its rebranding and unite its growing international presence. illo developed an illustration system that allows Storytels teams to craft visuals for any purpose, adaptable for both product and marketing materials. The new illustrations enhance the user experience by creating a consistent, vibrant, and engaging environment that complements book covers with a unique aesthetic.

The challenge was to design a system flexible enough to span diverse themesfrom light comedies to intense historical narrativeswhile expressing abstract concepts like ‘subscription’ and ‘story.’ The creative studio focused on Storytels core values: inspirational, personal, and uncomplicated. The solution: abstract shapes that encourage open interpretation, guiding users through the app and setting distinct moods.

The creative studio wanted the shapes to be something anyone could draw, just as anyone can listen to stories. To achieve this, they focused on two key aspects: simplifying complex subjects into essential forms and combining bold colorstaken from Storytels palettewith organic, simplified shapes. This approach made the visuals both easy to understand and engaging.

The motion system, built on stop-motion, abstraction, and shape morphing, was inspired by both the flickering of a flame and the rhythm of a narrator’s voice, echoing its analog waveform. This combination added warmth and a tactile, human quality, perfectly reflecting Storytels brand personality. The result was a scalable, efficient system that fosters creativity while maintaining consistency across all brand touchpoints.