Brand Strategy Consulting
& Visual Identity for Publishing
Nicky Borowiec is a London-based brand strategist and specialist consultant for the publishing industry, providing brand strategy consulting and visual identity design for publishers worldwide.
I help publishers and knowledge-led organisations build strong brand foundations through clear positioning, purpose-driven strategy, and thoughtful visual identities, creating credibility, trust, and meaningful connections with global research communities.
Work with me
Nicky’s brand
experience.
I have over 20 years’ experience providing brand strategy consulting and visual identity expertise for the publishing industry, with a particular focus on academic publishing. I’ve worked in senior in-house creative roles in the UK, leading brand strategy and design for global publishing organisations including Palgrave Macmillan and Nature Portfolio.
Today, I work with academic publishers, university presses and knowledge-led organisations worldwide, delivering brand strategy and visual identity systems tailored to the needs of the research community. My clients include CSIRO, American Physical Society, BMJ Group, Bristol University Press, COUNTER Metrics, Bloomsbury, University of London Press, New York Academy of Sciences, RightsZone, and UCL Press, among many others.
testimonials
Happy publishing clients
“Although Nature and the Nature Portfolio are among the most renowned brands in scientific publishing, before Nicky there hadn’t been much attention paid to really shaping and cultivating the critical details surrounding brand – brand design, brand architecture, tone of voice and many other elements had all risen independently and had never been really considered holistically. As the Nature Portfolio’s first Brand Director, Nicky conceived and led a multi-year effort to create real order, discipline and meaning across all aspects of the brand. She succeeded spectacularly by being an unlikely combination of perceptive brand analyst, first-class designer, and effective cat-herder. The importance of that last part is hard to overestimate: In her own good-humored but unmistakably tenacious way, Nicky managed to finish the project and achieve her objectives despite a highly complex organization and stakeholder structure. I wouldn’t hesitate for even a split second to entrust her with another important brand project.”
Dean Sanderson, Chief Strategy Officer, AIP Publishing (previously Managing Director, Nature Research Group)
“[Nicky’s work] has had a huge impact on the business, guiding and shaping our approach on everything from product development to customer support as well as sales and marketing. I can’t recommend working with Nicky highly enough and would encourage any business to sit down for a cup of tea with Nicky to find out how she can elevate your brand.”
Clare Hodder, RightsZone
“Working with Nicky was such an energising, enjoyable experience: she took the time and trouble to understand our ambitions . . . and the way she helped us articulate our values and personality has benefited us in every aspect of marketing. The design process was collaborative and clear: at each stage Nicky sought our feedback and listened deeply, refining her ideas, until we had a visual identity that simply delighted us and encapsulated the brand perfectly. I cannot recommend Nicky highly enough.”
Alison Jones, Practical Inspiration Publishing
“Nicky is a highly talented, inspiring designer who has the ability to take nascent ideas and develop them way beyond what you could envision. I know my authors and their books are in excellent hands. For me, Nicky has established a new standard for academic book designs at a time when many academic publishers use a standard template design. She flies the flag for these books as equally worthy of bespoke, striking covers. I always feel she is just as invested in the book project as I am.”
Philippa Grand, Head of Publishing, LSE Press
“Nicky has regularly come to LCC to run workshops with our students on publishing and design. She is great at getting them talking and making them think, while presenting ideas and concepts brilliantly. Her hands-on approach has been very much enjoyed by the students who really like the real-world case studies she explores with them.”
Frania Hall, Course Leader, London College of Communication
“A real pleasure to work with from start to finish – professional and punctual . . . with a brilliant eye for design. We were delighted with the final article template, which is exactly what we were looking for.”
Rose Harris-Birchill, Open Library of Humanities
“I owe a big thank you to Nicky for helping me with the design for the Journalology brand. Those of you who have worked with Nicky will know just how awesome she is. And if you haven’t had that privilege yet, you should rectify it the next time you need to outsource branding or design work.”
James Butcher, Journalology
“The whole COUNTER team is delighted with the beautiful work Nicky produced for us. She listened closely to our brief and the feedback on every iteration of design, but also gave us a clear steer when she felt we were making mistakes, and the results absolutely exceeded our expectations. The new logo, colours and typefaces are recognisably ‘COUNTER’, but a stylish, modern and polished version of COUNTER (and of course, they meet accessibility guidelines), and we’ve been able to take her brand book and put the guidelines into practice without stress. If you’re looking for a designer who understands the knowledge community, you’re looking for Nicky.”
Tasha Mellins-Cohen, Executive Director, COUNTER Metrics
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From the Blog
14/05/2026
My Free Mini Brand Audit! 10 minutes to understand your brand.
How do you know if your brand is working? Take 10 minutes and find out! A regular check-in helps make sure that your brand is still aligned with your goals, your audience, and the value you provide.
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02/02/2026
Why Established Academic Publishers Need a Brand Review
You’re an established academic publisher. You have respected titles, recognised services, and a long history in the industry. So why would you need a brand review now?
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12/03/2025
AI in Design: Ethics, Challenges, and Where to Draw the Line*
It feels like AI suddenly became part of our lives, and in every industry, including design and branding. It’s a complicated and incredibly fast-paced situation. Here are a few thoughts.
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