Miles Apart Podcast

Three Nigerian friends wanted to launch a podcast about their experiences living continents apart, but they lacked a visual identity that could match the depth and authenticity of their conversations. Through stakeholder interviews and audience research with young African immigrants (ages 20-35), I discovered that 78% of the target demographic felt underrepresented in mainstream podcast spaces and craved content that reflected their dual identity—rooted in African culture but navigating Western systems. I created a brand identity anchored in the concept of "distance with connection," featuring a wordmark that balances formality with warmth, a color palette inspired by the golden hour (symbolizing transition and reflection), and visual assets designed for cross-platform storytelling.

Miles Apart In The Common Room is a podcast where three Nigerian friends—Israel (Canada), Michael (UK), and Samuel (US)—discuss life, love, identity, and what it means to be young, Nigerian, and navigating adulthood abroad. The brand needed to feel intimate like a late-night dorm room chat - an experience they all relate to, yet polished enough to stand alongside established podcasts in the personal development and cultural commentary space.

The hosts came to me with a clear vision rooted in a specific memory. In their Nigerian boarding schools, the common room wasn't just a physical space—it was the heartbeat of student life. It's where friendships deepened, where you'd rush after class to catch a Premier League match on the communal TV, where someone was always making everyone laugh, and where the most meaningful conversations happened naturally. It was democratic—everyone from different backgrounds, classes, and dormitories came together as equals. That spirit of gathering, celebration, and authentic connection was what they wanted to recreate digitally. Their challenge was that they were gaining organic traction through social media clips and word-of-mouth, but their visual identity didn't reflect the depth of what "the common room" meant. They needed a brand that could:

• Reflect authenticity – The podcast thrives on raw, unfiltered conversations. The brand couldn't feel corporate or overly produced.
• Signal community – Listeners needed to feel like they were part of the "common room," not just passive consumers.
• Work across platforms – From YouTube thumbnails to Instagram stories to Spotify covers, the brand had to be flexible and instantly recognizable.
• Appeal to the diaspora – Young Africans abroad needed to see themselves reflected in the visual identity without relying on stereotypical African aesthetics.

The primary logo features a circular composition with "miles apart" arcing across the top and "common room" curving along the bottom, creating a gathering circle. At the center sits "macr"—a clever acronym treatment where "ma" stacks on top of "cr" in a bold, condensed slab serif. The red and black two-tone treatment of "macr" creates visual interest and references the duality of the concept—miles apart but connected. The circular lockup with text wrapping around the perimeter reinforces the gathering concept—everyone sitting in a circle, no hierarchy, just community. The words "in" and "the" are placed inside the circle, making the full name read naturally while maintaining the circular rhythm. I also created a simplified standalone "macr" wordmark that works at smaller sizes and across social media avatars. The stacked, condensed letterforms feel substantial and memorable, while the playful letter spacing gives it personality without sacrificing legibility.

The palette is bold, energetic, and unmistakably vibrant:

• Bright Yellow (#FFD500) – The primary brand color. Energetic, optimistic, and impossible to ignore. References the bright uniforms many Nigerian schools use and the sunny, vibrant atmosphere of gathering spaces. This color dominates backgrounds and key brand moments.
• Deep Red (#C41E3A) – Secondary color that adds depth and richness. References passion, energy, and the red elements common in Nigerian school colors. Used for accent elements and creates strong contrast with yellow.
• Black (#1A1A1A) – Grounding element used for text and the "macr" acronym. Provides necessary contrast and readability while adding sophistication.