In the Hot and Heavy World of Romance Novels, Harlequin Is Rebranding to Stay Ahead

It’s probably a sign of the times that reality stars like Hannah Brown—an alum of The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and Dancing With the Stars—has not only finished writing her second book, but that it’s also a romance novel. Set for release on May 7, Mistakes We Never Made is a story that Brown has called “fast-paced, steamy and hot.”

Which could also describe the entire romance novel sector.

While much of the publishing industry struggles with layoffs, consolidation and social media platforms siphoning off would-be readers, the pulpy love story is enjoying a renaissance. Romance novel sales have risen by 113% over the last three years, according to data from Circana. They’re now the highest-earning genre in fiction, whose 39 million titles sold in 2023 generated revenue of $1.44 billion.

Within this special-interest domain, no publisher (including Forever, the imprint releasing Brown’s novel) approaches the dominance of Harlequin Enterprises. The Toronto-based fiction colossus cranks out 120 titles every month in North America (globally, that figure swells to 800) and sold 131 million books last year—a little over four books every second.

For all its size, Harlequin doesn’t take its lead position as a given. Today, the publisher is taking the wraps off a major brand refresh that’ll be visible everywhere from its book covers to its website to the language it uses on social media.

“Our 75th anniversary was a great moment for us to make some changes to our publishing strategy and also our marketing and communications,” vice president and associate publisher Farah Mullick told ADWEEK, explaining that the brand is also responding to “a shift in consumption. Consumer behavior changes, and we need to be responsive to that shift.”

Why the shift? Amid the 1,157 stressful and isolating days of the pandemic, thousands of consumers sought solace in romance novels. “They needed something that is a feel-good story that leaves them hopeful and optimistic,” Mullick said.

And while the readers of love stories tend to be female (82%) and middle-aged (42 is the average), they’ve been steadily getting younger: Today, a third of Harlequin’s readership is under 30. TikTok has had an especially heavy influence on this age group, and so Harlequin has made tweaks to stay in step with the mores of that online community, as well.

Here’s a breakdown of where Mullick’s team—with a creative assist from Québec City-based agency Cossette—made their adjustments, and why.

The Books

Harlequin is using more realistic photography for its characters, posing them in a way that emphasizes plot, not canoodling. “People know that we publish romance, so it’s important to give the other pieces of what they’re going to get out of the story,” Mullick said. “Sometimes the covers don’t have couples at all.”

There’s also a wider array of typefaces and, interestingly, a smaller brand logo than in years past. Gen Z readers, Mullick said, “are very vocal about not having something so heavily branded. They take pride in their books almost being a fashion accessory. We made sure the product is something they’re proud to show off.”

The Website

Harlequin has dispensed with the greeting card-like product photography in favor of color blocks—which Mullick calls “fun, vibrant and punchy”—that better emphasize the books themselves. Some backgrounds also employ patterns of elongated diamonds (that’s what a harlequin technically is) as a means of reminding shoppers of the brand without being too heavy handed about it.

Another important feature is images of real people reading the romance novels. Harlequin has been deliberative in portraying a diversity of readers because, as Mullick puts it, “our fans want to see themselves. Diversity and inclusion really matters.”

The Social-Media Voice

As part of the rebrand, the tone of Harlequin’s social media messages will shift, subtly but deliberately, into language better tailored to Gen Z readers. What’s that mean? Mullick explained that Harlequin’s voice will sound like “confiding in your best friend.” Her team sought to strike the right balance of the conversational and the informal, with some boldness and confidence mixed in. Here are three examples:

• Same Harlequin, bold new lipstick. The romance you know and love has a fresh new look.
• Romance is waiting for you. From the love interest down the street. Or the one on Wall Street. Take your pick.
• We’re proud of our shelves. Each spine promises an immersive story, heart-racing moments, and romance ever after.

The Product Line

While Harlequin has added new book lines for years to keep up with changing tastes, lately it’s been paying particular attention to what people are saying on BookTok, a TikTok community of people who like to talk about what they’re reading.

“There are fans that love the classic romance tropes—enemies to lovers, the appeal of the rugged cowboy—and then you have trending themes on TikTok,” Mullick said. “Sports romance is one. Spicy romance is another.”

The Afterglow series is an example of spicy romance (read: forthright sexual content, but with relatable characters and an engaging plot). Launched in January as a direct response to TikTok conversations, Afterglow includes new titles like Manila Takes Manhattan and, for fans of gay romance, You Had Me at Happy Hour.