Narrative Design
Malaya Study Group
Optimising the digital presence of a longstanding philatelic society
Client
Malaya Study Group
Expertise
Brand Strategy
Digital Design
Visual Identity
Sector
Non-Profit
Year
2019
Making philately accessible to a wider audience
The Malaya Study Group exists for collectors of stamps, postal stationery and history of the states of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and North Borneo. The brief was to design and build a new website that would cater to the needs of members and encourage others to join.
1
Creating, sharing and displaying philatelic information in a way that is easy to access and digest
Image: Stuart Rossiter Trust
2
More than stamps – the MSG’s areas of interest include postal stationery and other ephemera
Image: Malaya Study Group
3
An old photograph of Penang Road, Penang
Image: Gutted Arcades of the Past
4
The Malayan Philatelist is the Group’s journal, published quarterly
Image: Malaya Study Group
5
Philately is gaining popularity among millennials, many of whom see the creative pursuit as an escape from their screen-based lives, according to Philatelic Traders Society chairman Suzanne Rae.
Image: Suzanne Rae / The Guardian
Breathing new life into an old site
The previous site was rich in content but dominated by a long list of links – information needed to be reorganised in a way that would be clear and accessible for users.
Heritage in the 21st century
The sage green, dove grey and burnt gold colour palette was inspired by historical and contemporary interiors, a soft, elegant backdrop for the variety of content. A gold version of the Malayan tiger, the Group’s emblem was used in place of its
monochrome predecessor.
The Group requested that Monotype Corsiva remained in use for headings – this was paired with Helvetica Neue for body text.
Reorganised content and levels of accessibility
Content was reworked into specific sections such as upcoming or recent items, meeting reports and other key information. This included a members’-only area that could be accessed by logging in, containing further content such as auction results.
Bringing added value to MSG members
The updated website has seen increased use by members, particularly during the global pandemic. Further resources such as virtual meeting recordings and the Group’s history have also been subsequently added to the site.
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