Weird But True franchise
This franchise was started in National Geographic Kids magazine and has since been turned into multiple book formats, an Emmy-winning TV show, multiple short form video series and a board game. I've also designed social media assets and a style guide for both vertical and global licensing partnerships.
Weird But True logo design by Jonathan Halling
What My Team Delivered:
• Style guide creation for both vertical and global businesses
• Brand & visual Identity
• Design
• Art direction
• New digital experiences
• Video style direction
• Pacing of content that is user friendly to demo
What Was Accomplished:
• Increased branded content opportunities and ad sales
• Produced successful brand collaborations with Disney, Star Wars and Pixar
• Successful 10-book series that has sold millions of copies and produced multiple spin-offs (51 books in all!)
• Won awards, grew brand affinity and created recognition
• Created new genre in nonfiction kids books
• Grew YouTube subscribers to channel
My most recent book designs in the franchise are Weird But True New York City, a spin-off title Weird But True Know It All: Middle Ages and Weird But True Disney.
Spreads from Weird But True New York City
Style Guide Creation
I wrote and designed the Weird But True brand guide that helps employees and licensees (See McDonalds Happy Meal program below) understand how to put together a Weird But True product across any media. The essence of the brand has to be in both the text and the visuals. If not, it's just another fact book.
McDonalds Happy Meal program
McDonalds Happy Meal featured plush animals and Weird But True content in 70 global regions. I art directed many agencies to create digital, social and print products in the Weird But True style.
Co-Branded Weird But True
For Disney's 100th anniversary, we published a Weird But True Disney with silver foil ears and swipe and a vintage Mickey. We also published Weird But True Star Wars in Fall 2024. I designed both the cover and interior.
Short-form Video
We developed Weird But True Shorts video series for the National Geographic Kids YouTube channel. I consulted on the content of the videos, provided art direction for the graphics and designed all the title cards. We also cut down videos from the longer Fox channel series to go on Kids YT.
Consumer Products
I designed a game box for the Weird But True board game and consulted on the game play for Buffalo games.
Social Media
I designed many social media banners for various Weird But True properties. Here are just a few.
Website Hub
Weird But True was so popular that it needed a digital hub to house the different types of media. I designed the hub page graphics for natgeokids.com. See core realignment project here.
Art Direction
I've also art directed every iteration of the Weird But True book franchise including Ultimate WBT, WBT World, WBT activity books, WBT. Ripped from the Headlines and WBT Know It All.
