Dure

Brand Design: Beyond the Capes

About the project

Beyond the Capes is an internal podcast series created to spotlight the women behind JazzWorld, the people whose work, leadership, and everyday contributions often happen beyond the spotlight. I developed a visual identity that reframes “behind the scenes” as a position of strength rather than invisibility, creating a brand that feels confident, modern, and distinctly its own while remaining connected to JazzWorld.

Client:

JazzWorld

Services:

Brand Design

The Problem:

The podcast needed to celebrate women authentically without falling into predictable visual cues associated with “feminine” branding.

The identity had to communicate strength, individuality, and recognition while fitting naturally within an established corporate environment.

The challenge was to create something that could feel empowering without becoming overly literal, decorative, or disconnected from the JazzWorld brand.

The Insight:

The women being celebrated weren't simply “behind the scenes.” They were behind the impact. Their influence may not always be the most visible, but it is fundamental to the work happening across the organization. This became the foundation of the identity:

You don't need to be in the spotlight to have an impact.

Design Process:

I translated this idea into a visual direction built around strength, movement, and recognition.

Rather than using conventional feminine motifs, I explored a bolder graphic language that could feel confident and contemporary.

The identity was then developed to work across the podcast's different touchpoints, from episode visuals and digital communication to internal promotional assets, while maintaining a clear relationship with JazzWorld's existing brand ecosystem.

The Solution:

The resulting identity positions Beyond the Capes as a confident celebration of the women whose contributions drive impact from every level. The visual system combines a bold, contemporary aesthetic with the established JazzWorld identity, creating a balance between individual expression and corporate consistency.

At its core, the identity turns the idea of the “unsung hero” into something empowering:

The cape isn't about being seen. It's about the impact you make.

Key Takeaways:

Strong branding starts with a clear idea, not just a visual style.
Challenging familiar visual stereotypes can create a more authentic expression of a concept.
A successful sub-brand needs to feel distinctive while still belonging to its parent brand.
The strongest visual identities can communicate an idea before the audience reads the words.