Writers rarely consider the packaging their work arrives in.
For independent publishers that’s a misstep.
A publication’s visual identity is often a potential reader’s first touchpoint with the brand. We rarely consider publishing as a form of product design, but it carries remarkably similar characteristics. Particularly when published as a newsletter, a book, a magazine article, or a blog. Your readers’ feelings, emotions, and instincts influence engagement and reach. We’ve all scrolled past potentially great writing because we weren't inspired by the logo, colour scheme, typography, photography, or presentation. A striking visual identity is an engine to stimulate discovery. It’s worth investing the time to create something you’re proud of and thrilled to share.
Now, you may have noticed that The Engineering Experience™ looks a little… different.
My ambition has always been to create something inspiring, engaging, and a pleasure to read. I wanted the brand to be synonymous with vibrancy, clarity, and positive emotion. The iconography and colour scheme needed to be playful, legible at small scales, and eye-catching to attract readers as they scroll through their infinite news feeds and email inboxes.
So I’m excited to reveal our bold new brand identity: TEE™. It’s just three letters. But they mean a whole lot more to us. We’ve simplified the logo and designed a fresh email banner that unifies the publication name, the journey line, and our tagline: The Journey Matters.
Leaning into orange 🍊
Orange has always been a feature of our identity. But we’ve decided to stop treating it like a supporting character: it’s now unmistakably ours.
Leaning into the orange isn’t about making everything louder. It’s about becoming more recognisable and more confident. Orange is warm, optimistic, creative, and playful. Against the quieter colours that dominate engineering, technology, and professional publishing, it gives TEE™ a distinct presence.
The Journey Line carries meaning of its own:
It represents movement, choices, milestones, and the occasional change of direction.
It reflects the emotional rises and falls we experience throughout work and life.
It reminds us that the outcome is only part of the story. How we get there matters, too.
Why the change?
TEE™ has evolved quickly. I’ve spent time learning how Substack works, experimenting with different formats, organising the growing archive, and listening carefully to readers. The refreshed identity and clearer structure reflect what I’ve learned.
This isn’t a reinvention for the sake of it. It’s a clearer expression of something that was already taking shape. TEE™ is becoming simpler, more deliberate, and more comfortable in its own skin.
I’ve developed a greater awareness of the role TEE™ plays in people’s lives.
I can see where I can offer the most value to my subscribers.
I’ve discovered what I most enjoy writing about.
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TEE™ is changing, but that’s kind of the point.
Stay thoughtful.
James.