Magnolia Network branding mixes silos with dynamic layouts

In early 2022, Magnolia Network officially launched as a linear network following a streaming debut in summer 2021.

The network, which replaced DIY Network, is a partnership between Chip and Joanna Gaines of Magnolia fame and Discovery, offering a variety of home improvement, interior design, cooking and lifestyle programming.

For the launch, Loyalkaspar was tasked with creating a design and branding system to support the network across all mediums while also keeping a keen focus on usability across device sizes.

“The overall style was the result of an extensive audit and, ultimately, a distillation, of the existing Magnolia brand, from magazine to food and retail,” said Beat Baudenbacher, co-founder and CCO, Loyalkaspar.

The look draws inspiration from two silos on the Gaines’ property in Waco, Texas, for its key iconography along with the heritage of Magnolia for its typography.

“There is a distinct visual style that ties those entities together, even though it is fairly eclectic. The framework takes cues from dynamic magazine layouts and information hierarchy, with ample negative space for a sense of overall calm.”

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Fonts including Recoletta, a classic yet quirky serif that has ties to Magnolia’s publishing roots, and Walsheim, a geometric, confident sans serif that is used for informational display on the network, tie the branding together and elevate the new Magnolia wordmark.

“The main color scheme was also adapted from the print application, while adding unique shades of color for a wider range.”

This distillation, including the silo-inspired logomark, was so well received that it has now been adopted for the main Magnolia master brand over the organization’s 30 plus sub-brands. 

“When looking at the overall portfolio of Magnolia brands, most of them are typographic execution. The design of the ‘Silicon’ mark therefore separates the network from the rest of the Magnolia universe,” noted Baudenbacher.

“It’s also an extremely useful tool for a media brand. In fact, it was ultimately elevated to represent the entire Magnolia brand.”

“Most of the brand foundation was articulated and defined leading up to the digital launch,” said Baudenbacher. “A great brand has a strong enough visual foundation that allows it to stretch with its expanding content library.”