Elsevier
Transforming a publisher into a force for progress
Elsevier was founded almost 150 years ago, and has undergone major changes in recent history. In the 2000’s it shifted from print to digital, and now it is transforming again from digital to data and AI. In the middle of all that, the brand had fallen behind: inconsistent, ineffective and leaning heavily into its publishing heritage. For the brand to be a driving force for the transformation, and regain relevance in the eyes of the market, it needed a major overhaul.
- Brand Identity
- Digital Design Direction
- Design System
This project was completed jointly with State of Tomorrow.
A Design-Driven Approach to Daily Joy
Joy 101 was designed to deliver small yet meaningful moments of daily joy, accommodating even the busiest lifestyles. Recognizing that joy is unique to each individual, the platform offers diverse modalities such as breathwork, yoga, meditation, and journaling. It emphasizes personalized, intentional content rather than addictive engagement.
Content is curated by Hoda and her network of contributors, known as the Joy Collective, including Maria Shriver, Joanna Gaines, and Dr. Wendy Suzuki. Central to Joy 101 is its personalized experience, dynamically adapting content to user preferences and behaviors.
Christian Titze, Chief Strategy Officer at Alice“Our goal was to translate Hoda’s vision into a product and experience that feels as personal, warm, and intentional as she is—while inspiring real change and emotional resonance in people’s daily lives”
Hoda Kotb“I wanted Joy 101 to feel like a deep breath— Every detail, from its design to its voice, reflects how I strive to live: present, grateful, and led by heart.”
Contentful as the foundation for personalized content experiences
Contentful provides the structured content backbone for a scalable personalization ecosystem, bringing diverse formats, creators, and editorial inputs into one organized system that can be modeled, enriched, and delivered across channels.
By pairing Contentful with a personalization engine, each piece of content can be matched to individual member needs, preferences, and context. The result is a flexible content architecture that supports tailored daily experiences while preserving editorial control, consistency, and long-term scalability.
A New Chapter, A New Connection
With Joy 101, Kotb is offering more than content—she’s creating a new kind of relationship with her community. The app is the first in a planned suite of experiences including live events, community engagement, and exclusive member access.
The design approach prioritizes emotional resonance and genuine engagement, crafting personalized interactions that encourage sustainable daily habits rather than addictive use. The result is a platform that not only feels personal and intentional but also reflects the emotional clarity and trust that Kotb has built over decades.