SET Magazine
Wier / Stewart reSETs the stage for Listerhill Credit Union's paradigm-shifting youth marketing program.
If you've been following us for a while, you probably know that this project is one of our favorites. Just look at how many magazines we've published. SET Magazine falls right into the W/S sweet spot. It combines a unique marketing solve with wide design parameters and a great client. It's been written about on Financial Brand and has won multiple CUNAawards.
Better yet, the long-standing program has solved the traditionally impossible task of engaging millennials with a credit union brand.
The Challenge
While the project's old-school medium roots were strategic, it became clear that SET Magazine needed a digital presence that matched its print counterpart.
We needed to design a site that was beautiful and functional. Its purpose was to grow the audience beyond the alt-monthly newsprint faithful.
Then, we needed to rebrand the publication to match the digital medium. The result is a brand-spanking-new layout and design, higher-quality paper and printing method, a saddle-stitched format, with color and typography standards that feel more appropriate to our ever-changing demographic.
Listerhill Literally Owns the Medium
One of the things we love the most about SET Magazine is that Listerhill has been and will always be (most likely) the only advertiser in the publication.
This gives our client a big-time advantage in terms of frequency. And, it leaves their competition scrambling to compete for the attention of new customers ages 15-25.
"Designed with a mobile-first approach for an audience on-the-go, the SET website aims to show off the art direction, photography and illustrations created for the printed magazine. The content management platform makes it easy for the editorial staff to engage with their audience between printed issues with additional web-only content."
Wes Childers / Interactive Director
"The SET redesign was a great opportunity to bring in a more 'grown up' aesthetic, but still reflect the youthful energy of our readers and writers in the up-and-coming Tennessee Valley and Northern Alabama. Inspired by the great content, SET is truly a sandbox in terms of exploring loud, colorful design and incorporating a sense of play to engage readers issue after issue."
Rachel Baker / Designer
"When asked to spec the redesign, we knew we wanted to take it up a notch. Moving from newsprint to offset printing gave us more opportunities to show off our design skills and get creative with vibrant colors, texture and overprinting. It's like our favorite child grew up and went off to college... we're so proud!"
Lauren Cowart / Production Manager
