Murder She Wrote unveils new identity via Young Folks
Murder She Wrote, a new retail concept and reader community for fans of dark romance, has unveiled its brand identity via Melbourne agency Young Folks, which developed the brand strategy, voice and visual identity.
The launch comes as Australian romance fiction sales grew by an average of 49% a year over three years, according to Nielsen BookScan, with readers buying three million romance books worth $46.4 million in 2024.
But for readers who like their romance a little darker, finding a place that celebrates their taste can still be harder than finding the next book.
Enter Murder She Wrote, built for people who like their romance dark, messy, and a little taboo. The brief was to make Murder She Wrote feel like the home of dark romance – a place to indulge without shame, find your people, and discover your next obsession.
Says Erin Morris, Strategy Director, Young Folks: “Dark romance often gets judged by people who’ve never opened a book from the genre. We wanted readers to recognise themselves in this brand. It needed desire and drama, of course, but it also needed to make people feel welcome.”
‘Obsession awaits’ became the tagline. And Young Folks built the brand’s language around it, with messages for the online store, book club, events, and future retail spaces. The voice is seductive, sharp, and (naturally) a little unhinged. Writing guidelines and principles for content warnings help the Murder She Wrote team know when to turn that up and when to hold back.
The visual identity takes cues from the fantasy, history, and darker subject matter found across the genre. Medieval-inspired typography, a moody palette, and a hand-drawn brand mark by Young Folks Creative Director Marco González give Murder She Wrote its own unmistakable look.
Says Morris: “We didn’t want to give dark romance one look. Some stories simmer. Others go straight for the throat. Murder She Wrote can make room for both.”
Client: Murder She Wrote
Agency: Young Folks
Strategy Director: Erin Morris
Creative Director: Marco González
Copywriter: Carmen Hawker
Account Director: Katie Bryson
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