Editorial Design
Eye-catching editorial design for sustainable brands
Some things, such as editorial design, defy the digital age. A magazine, a cookery book or a brand publication to leaf through transforms knowledge, recipes and a brand’s ethos into something you’ll want to hold in your hands. We design editorial works that bring your brand to life.
Efficient implementation
Structured onboarding and offboarding for every project
Clear processes
Three established processes guide you safely through your project
Sustainable success
A weekly 60-minute group call following the end of the project
Our promise
Editorial Design: Eight reasons why we are the right partner
Creating stories rather than pages
We design editorial content to build suspense, rather than as a random sequence of pages. The narrative determines the structure and rhythm – the layout and length are tailored to it to ensure the perfect reading experience.
Design with a distinctive style
The result is a visual language that makes your brand instantly recognisable. Your colours, typography, imagery, pictograms and illustrations all work together to create a look that clearly stands out from run-of-the-mill templates.
Authentic images rather than stock photos
The focus is on your own brand imagery or the images our photographers take for you, because only these can truly tell your story. We can also incorporate stock images that blend in seamlessly and do not detract from your brand’s character.
Clean files. Smooth processes.
Your files will be logically organised and consistently structured right from the start. This standard is the result of many years’ experience in the agency sector and ensures that your data can go straight to print or online without any delays.
Extensive experience in editorial design
You can rely on our expertise in staff magazines, study guides and comprehensive product catalogues. We know what really matters when it comes to structure, information hierarchy and readability.
Be consistent with your brand voice
Your tone of voice is just as important as your design. On request, texts can be revised or rewritten to ensure consistency in both content and language – with the support of copywriters specialising in sustainability or AI-assisted optimisation.
Support right through to printing
From the initial idea through to a print-ready PDF – and, if required, right through to printing – your project is managed entirely under one roof. This ensures quality and allows you to benefit from our sustainable network partners.
Planned corrections and proofreading
A clear round of revisions is firmly scheduled after each project phase. Proofreading can be added as an optional extra. This ensures transparency throughout the process and reduces risks in the final implementation.
Our understanding
Editorial design: more than just layout
A magazine, cookery book, Workbook, White paper, Staff magazine or Sustainability Report is not just any printed publication. It is an editorial brand publication with its own structure, stance and visual language. Unlike a website, it is opened, leafed through and kept – rather than simply being scrolled past in a matter of seconds. That is precisely why good editorial design needs more than just an attractive layout: it requires a clear narrative, a well-thought-out reading flow and a design that brings the content to life.
We develop editorial projects for hotels, coaches and sustainable businesses, from the editorial concept through to image selection and layout, right through to the print-ready or digital PDF file. The result is not an off-the-shelf template, but a creation that looks, sounds and feels just like your brand itself, whether it’s a customer magazine, in-house publication or sustainability report.
Customer feedback
First-hand: what customers experience
„Many perspectives, one distinctive style: Katrin’s work has brought together the individual contributions of the professors to create a cohesive whole. We were particularly impressed by her organisation of the 7-day photo shoot. The images perfectly capture how we at – want to be perceived, and that is precisely what resonates with our target audience.“
Head of Marketing | Fresenius University of Applied Sciences
"I had recipes, photos and stories – but no coherent concept. With 2bu’s help, this has turned into a cookbook with a clear structure, a well-thought-out design and its own distinctive style. Today, I’m holding a book in my hands that I’m truly proud of and that people enjoy leafing through.“
Private chef
„Katrin designed and produced our staff magazine. With great dedication, she brought together content from the various departments, organised it effectively and, by contributing creative ideas, developed it into a high-quality publication.“
Head of Marketing | Breuninger
Weaknesses & Opportunities
Content fills pages – good editorial design turns it into a work of art
Unfortunately, this happens quite often
The publication looks good – but it doesn’t tell your story. If there is no clear brand strategy in place before the editorial content is created, the work will lack a recognisable identity: it will look good, but it will have no substance.
Without brand design, there can be no consistent look. Icons from Canva, illustrations lacking a common style, fonts without a clear hierarchy – each page tells a different story, even though they’re all part of the same work.
The content is there – but the medium lacks narrative tension. A publication needs an inner narrative that carries the reader through the work, not just pages strung together.
Paper and production come last – and that is precisely where the pitfall lies. Animal-based adhesives in bookbinding are sustainable, but not vegan; standard coated paper is rarely in line with the ethos of sustainable brands.
Here’s how we’ll sort it out
Strategy before design – and that applies particularly here. Before an editorial is produced, we recommend establishing the appropriate sustainable branding as the foundation upon which a credible publication can be built.
A clean brand design creates a consistent look. All design elements are created as part of your brand identity. Printed materials thus achieve a recall rate up to 80 % higher than digital advertising.
We build suspense from the inside out. Reading flow is a matter of strategic decisions, not layout details. According to TrueImpact, structured print products require 21 % less cognitive energy than digital ones.
Sustainability doesn’t stop at the content. We make a conscious choice when selecting paper, adhesives and so on – FSC-certified and vegan. According to Ipsos, 80 % of consumers trust a brand more when it uses FSC-certified products.
Creative process
Suitable for any business – from concept to guidelines
This process translates your brand into a well-thought-out design that suits your business. Expect it to take around a week’s research, two weeks to develop the concept, one week for the templates and two weeks for the guidelines. Each phase ends with a practical outcome. This way, you get exactly what you need for your next step need.
Research: Discover & Define
Each of our projects begins with a brief research phase. We review your information and data, gather inspiration and ideas, and compile everything into a mood board. For companies that entrust us with the implementation, this step is more streamlined than for teams continuing to work in-house. We present the mood board to you and finalise it together with you – as a guide for the next steps.
Concept: Design
Based on the mood board, we create layouts and sample visualisations. We set these out in a concept presentation and discuss them with you – your feedback is incorporated straight away. Once approved, the concept is ready for implementation. Sole traders who wish to implement the concept themselves can use this as a basis to create their own templates and populate them with content.
Templates: Develop
For SMEs that entrust the entire implementation of the project to us, we create professional templates based on the concept, which enable us to continue working efficiently. We populate these with content in additional projects, finalise the designs and, where required, oversee them right through to production or printing. This creates a consistent, reliable workflow – from the initial idea to the finished product.
Guideline: Document
For growing companies with their own teams,we already create in the previous step Templates, which can be easily filled with content internally. At the same time, we document the system in Guidelines, that ensure consistent application and long-term scalability. This creates a Fully usable, clean setup, that represents the brand clearly and reliably.
Packages & services
Your performance model with the option to opt out after each phase
You exit after the phase that suits the size of your business. Guided Start (S) ends with the concept and is suitable for sole traders who carry out the work themselves. Trusted Lead (M) provides templates as editable files for small and medium-sized businesses that continue to work with us. Bespoke Project (L) It also includes guidelines for larger organisations with their own team, which they can use to brief other service providers.
Included in all packages:
1 online meeting and 1 round of revisions per project phase
A weekly 60-minute group call following the end of the project
Unless otherwise agreed, no open working files will be provided. 2bu design is entitled to use the project for reference purposes.
All prices are exclusive of VAT.
Add-ons
Editorial design add-ons for everything beyond the basic framework
Tailor-made solutions that visibly strengthen your sustainable business – with clear, fixed pricing so you know exactly what to budget for right from the start. We’d be happy to discuss with you which elements will really make a difference to your project.
A caring approach to bringing your project to life
Your editorial design is waiting to become a reality. We’ll bring your publication to life using the templates and see it through to the finished product. Text and images are not included, so you can remain flexible.
1.500 €/25 | 2.250 €/50 | 3.000 €/from 100 pages
Set of pictograms
Whether it’s ingredients, wayfinding or infographics: we develop bespoke pictograms to match your brand identity. This requires an existing brand identity. You’ll receive the files in EPS, PDF, PNG, SVG and JPG formats.
600 €/10 | 900 €/20 | 1.200 €/40 pieces
Illustrations charged at cost
Illustrations give your brand personality. Based on your existing branding, we create illustrations that bring your story to life. You’ll receive the files in EPS, PDF, PNG, SVG and JPG formats.
60 € simple | 120 € medium | 240 € complex per item
Stylish additions made from reclaimed timber
Stock images that don’t look like stock images are all down to careful selection. With Markenblick, we search for and licence suitable images, illustrations or pictograms. This ensures your brand remains authentic, and the licence is included.
600 €/10 | 900 €/20 | 1.200 €/40 pieces
Online guide for Divi
We’ll implement your existing guidelines as a standalone website using Divi. This means your brand guidelines are accessible online at all times, easy to share and always up to date. We charge per page, depending on the scope of the work.
180 € simple | 480 € medium | 720 € complex per page
Photography services from the network
Some projects require bespoke images. Working alongside experienced photographers from our sustainable network, we create authentic images of products, staff and corporate environments.
Professional image retouching
We optimise your images, from subtle corrections to complex adjustments. Our experts carry out every retouch using their technical expertise, utilising AI tools where requested. The result is a natural look.
60 € simple | 120 € medium | 240 € complex per image
Copywriters with expertise in sustainability
Our copywriters specialise in sustainable brands and can write new copy or optimise existing content, using AI if required. We base our work on your tone of voice. A standard page comprises 1,500 characters, including spaces.
80 € per standard page
Proofreading and editing (English/German)
We check your texts in three stages: proofreading for spelling and grammar; editing for style and expression; and in-depth editing for structure and coherence. A standard page comprises 1,500 characters, including spaces.
4 € | 8 € | 12 € per standard page
Print support, including coordination
From choosing the paper to approving the print, we support you throughout the printing process. Working with your print supplier or a partner from our network, we ensure a high-quality result – vegan and resource-efficient, if required.
15 % Commission
FAQ
Answers to the most important questions
The most frequently asked questions are rarely the least important ones. That’s why we answer them here openly and straight away. This way, you’ll get a clear picture, understand our processes and know what to expect next. If anything’s still unclear, simply book a coffee date with us: transparent, structured and on equal terms.
Who is editorial design suitable for?
The project is aimed at hoteliers who wish to develop a coffee table book, to coaches and other experts who wish to compile their content into a high-quality publication, as well as to companies wishing to produce a sustainability report or a similar publication. The aim is always to produce a work that not only informs, but also serves as a showcase and can be used in the long term.
It is helpful to draw on existing material such as texts, images, data or content you have already gathered – in short, everything that is already part of your story. Building on this, a structured body of work takes shape, presenting this content in a clear, publishable form.
What tools are used to implement the editorial design?
The project is running in the Creative process. You can opt for the concept (S), the templates (M) or the guidelines (L). You can then book the final production of your publication as an add-on. The design is carried out entirely in Adobe InDesign – from the initial concept through to layouts, templates and the final design. We do not use Canva or similar tools, but rely on professional layout systems designed for both print and digital use. The aim is to create a consistent, well-structured system that can be reused flexibly.
In addition, depending on the package, the following apply: Templates and Guidelines, which clearly structure and simplify the use of the design. On request, we can implement the guidelines using the add-on „Online Guide to Divi“ as a website. In exceptional cases, we produce the concept presentation in PowerPoint, if they are required for internal coordination.
Who will be able to edit the editorial design later on?
The results are structured in such a way that they can be reused in different ways depending on the package. Sole traders receive a clearly structured concept as a PDF, which they can adapt in tools such as Canva. Medium-sized companies usually work with us to implement the plan based on the templates. Growing start-ups as well as companies with marketing or design departments use professional tools such as Adobe InDesign anyway.
The concept and the guidelines will be submitted as PDF , as is the final editorial project. Only the templates are provided as open InDesign files to allow for flexible further editing.
What additional costs are involved in editorial design?
All pictograms, illustrations and images created as part of the project – whether stock material or produced specifically for this purpose – are provided with extensive usage rights. This allows you to use the content flexibly, for example on websites, social media, in PR, for campaigns or in partnerships.
There are no time-limited or channel-specific restrictions, meaning you can use it long-term as part of your communication strategy – without any ongoing additional costs arising from individual licensing models. We simply reserve the right to use the completed project as a reference in our own communications.
What do I need before I start my editorial design?
Existing resources are helpful Texts, recipes or images. Other key design considerations are also important: a desired Illustration or pictogram style, the Font hierarchy and Colour selection.
Ideally, you should also have a clear idea of the desired Tone of Voice with. We’ll work out all the rest together with you. Of course, we’d also be happy to take care of the Strategy and the Design before the project starts. That’s when you’ll have the greatest influence, as we only provide a brief introduction to each individual project.
Initial consultation
The story behind a brand deserves editorial design that does it justice
Creative ambition meets genuine readability: Editorial design for sustainable brands transforms a magazine that people admire into one that they actually read. This results in publications that readers genuinely engage with, rather than simply flicking through.
In a no-obligation, free initial consultation, we’ll explore together whether we share this vision. You grab a coffee; we’ll make sure to set aside plenty of time. The call is there to help us organise our thoughts, share ideas openly and identify what really matters for your project. Relaxed. Honest. With no pressure to decide.
It quickly becomes clear whether it’s a good fit – strategically, creatively and on a personal level.
If so: brilliant. If not: that’s fine too. Clarity is always a bonus.
German 
English