Awards of Merit

Ryerson University — Reputation Campaign

Creative executions spanned video, digital, print and outdoor platforms, revolving around the concept of a pivot in which an ominous future is replaced by a more positive outcome that has been advanced by Ryerson research. Focusing on the city impact rather than the act of research made it possible for the campaign to showcase Ryserson in a relevant way and stand out from
other post-secondary education advertising. The campaign has successfully driven website traffic and online engagement with significant performance increases over previous campaigns.

Canadian Museum of History — Neanderthal Exhibition

To clarify the relationship between myths and facts, the design team used two distinct scenographic strategies to depict the information: the first employs a refined look and feel with one accent colour and the other uses a more playful approach involving geometric graphics and a multitude of colour accents. Antechambers create key moments that allow visitors to connect with the content, punctuating the path and reducing ‘museum fatigue.’

PwC Canada — 2019 Vision to Reality Awards

The concept is comprised of multiple patterns, each designed to best represent each member of the V2R community. The main and alt patterns depict individuals finding like-minded peers and separating from the pack, with the triangle motif in the main pattern carried throughout the campaign. The look and feel was adjusted during the design process to align with a companywide rebrand, shifting from a photography-focused approach to a pattern-focused direction.

Mindbridge Analytics Inc. — IMPACT AI Conference 2019 Cross-Media Campaign

The design team used an inviting colour palette with fresh, digitally-centric typography to make the topic of AI feel less intimidating. Over four dozen custom illustrative scenes communicate the different ways that AI can improve people’s lives. Lineal visuals with punches of solid colours and contemporary music created an optimistic tone. Wayfinding on the day of the event was also customized to fit with the established design. IMPACT AI 2019 sold out tickets, including expanded seating beyond the original allotment.

Beau’s Brewing Co. — Core Lineup Packaging for Summer 2019

To transition from paper bottle labels to the very different template of a 473 mL metallic can, the design team had to prioritize the branding while still setting aside plenty of real-estate for the creative illustration that Beau’s is known for. The design employs brand blocking on cardboard trays and uses bright colours with bold graphics to unify the products on the shelf. A successful summer marketing campaign titled ‘Come Together’ launched the core lineup and also helped successfully launch three new brands by attaching them in concept to the existing lineup. Retail sales have seen a lift that can be partly attributed to the updated design.

Pilot Coffee Roasters — Branding and Packaging

The Pilot Coffee Roasters brand embodies its key attributes of precision, innovation and quality. Strong primary colours, bold typography and geometric patterns give the brand a memorable presence. All branded materials including packaging, merchandise, training documents, digital promotions and retail fit-outs follow this aesthetic.

Deloitte Canada — 175 Campaign — “The infinite organization: Realizing lasting success”

The design team commissioned custom illustration to hold the concept together across all platforms. The infinity symbol around the city represents companies with enduring success and continued evolution. Working with the internal client to interpret source material, the team was able to capture the life cycle of a business with intuitive, easy to understand graphics. The campaign was released with external, digital and internal captivations including: report, brochure, website, video, environmental graphics, UpExpress Union Station captivation, app, social media ads and internal communications.

Ferris Wheel Press — Original Fountain Pen Ink Collection Packaging

The capsule designs perfectly convey the personality of each of the nine inks, bringing them to life in fantastical scenes that reinforce the brand story of Ferris Wheel Press. ‘Easter-egg’ elements are incorporated to reward those who take time to admire the finished product, providing moments of discovery. The canister is designed to be re-purposed as a desktop pen holder, and each bottle includes a velvet travel pouch for writers on the go.

Halifax Public Libraries — Engagement Materials 2019

A series of sandwich-board inserts and stickers were created to be handed out as giveaway prizes at local gatherings to help draw in community members to Library pop-up events. With the Halifax Public Libraries brand, the challenge is always to find interesting ways to express it with consistency while allowing uniqueness and individuality to shine through. Creating ‘pixel’ art with the brand squares from the logo helps highlight the Library’s offerings and priorities in an interesting and creative way. Both the stickers and sandwich-boards were inexpensive to produce and can be reused for future promotional opportunities.

Quadrangle —‘Human Space’ Branding

The team identified key characteristics to guide the creation of the new brand: Dynamic, Humble and Playful. To embody these descriptors, the design incorporates strong contrast and heavily weighted sans-serif fonts; simple iconography, rounded shapes and minimalist icons; and bright colour combinations and quirky geometries. The logo represents the connection between an
environment and its users. The graphics specialist worked with in-house accessibility consultants and IT team members to ensure compatibility with screen readers, best practice alt text usage, appropriate colour contrasts and font types, and other important accessibility considerations.

Capital One Canada — Capital One Digital for Good™ Summit Branding

With most of the budget devoted to finding inspiring speakers, assets to decorate the large venue had to be created with limited resources. Careful planning and creative placement of furniture and signage helped effectively brand the space and make efficient use of individual areas for speakers and breakout sessions to provide guests with a great experience. The overall effect helped Capital One reinforce its position as an innovative fintech organization committed to helping charities feel understood and better equipped to take on digital challenges.

CBC — CBC Docs Brand Takeover

The team created a traffic-stopping brand takeover of the Isabel Bader Theatre, a key Hot Docs Festival venue. The takeover included interior and exterior branding with an accompanying ice cream truck. Collateral assets such as pins, postcards and brochures were also distributed during the event. The takeover was successful in driving impressions, one on one interactions and downloads of the CBC Gem app, in addition to traffic to the CBC Gem Docs homepage and video views of the documentary channel streams.

Bruce Power — Nuclear Innovation Institute Identity

The colourful triangle mosaic symbolizes different areas of expertise coming together to collaborate, while the arrows represent movement and the free flow of ideas. The vibrant colour palette and triangle shapes are applied across NII collateral such as brochures, trade show booths, swag and social media platforms. The final identity captures the qualities of imagination and inspiration
that the NII embodies. The multi-coloured logo was well received and seen as a breath of fresh air in an industry that is trying to attract more young people.

Canadian Museum of History — ‘Death in the Ice: The Mystery of the Franklin Expedition’

The Canadian Museum of History (CMH) developed partnerships with key stakeholders and secured loans of significant artefacts. To structure the narrative and hold visitor attention, the ‘chapters’ of the story were presented in different settings, moving the visitor from the vast Arctic to Victorian London to forensic labs to underwater shipwrecks. Large images provide
immediate cues to the time period using oil paintings, daguerreotypes and illustrations for pre-twentieth century settings and colour photographs for contemporary scenes. Over 115,000 visitors saw the exhibition at the CMH, exceeding forecasted attendance by over 20 per cent.

Ecobee — SmartThermostat Packaging

The team used this packaging update as an opportunity to evolve the existing brand look and feel, while also retaining consistency with existing brand assets. A minimalist, stylized representation of the product on the front panel reinforces the product’s distinct ‘squircle’ ID. The uncoated paper combined with iridescent foil accents juxtapose the almost-magic features of the product
with a more refined, domestic tone. The refined packaging system was very well received and the updated icons, colours and other design elements have been adopted across ecobee’s campaigns.

Art Gallery of Ontario — ‘Impressionism in the Age of Industry’ Exhibition

The artists featured in this exhibition observed men and women at work and painted those individuals into history, prying open its often-told story to uncover a broader, more complicated and grittier view. The exhibition graphics were designed to echo this grittiness and the robustness of industry and to highlight travel, which was possible by the steam engine and rail lines that
were being built from the city into the countryside. Designed brochures at the entrance are presented as a roadmap, providing information about the times through the artwork.

Ryerson University — 2019 Undergraduate Admissions Handbook

Illustration and photography played an integral role in elevating the benefits of living and studying in the heart of the most dynamic city in Canada. The new handbook design also inspired updates to additional collateral to improve brand consistency across all student recruitment channels. Ryerson has seen an increase in online traffic and in the number of applications received since the launch of the new materials.

Canadian Credit Union Association — ‘Different By Design’ Conference Branding

The theme ‘Different By Design’ celebrates the proud history of credit unions in Canada and the difference they make to their members and in their communities. Under this theme, the team created a simple visual identity using the X as a key visual element in playful colours and at various scales and patterns. The team also used large-scale signage and floor decals to help attendees easily navigate through multiple floors. Strategic planning, collaboration and careful budgeting made it possible to execute the largest event in CCUA’s history and position CCUAas a market leader within the Canadian credit union industry

Government of the Northwest Territories — Visual Identity Program

It was important for the visual identity to represent the spirit of the North’s rich and diverse cultures and tell a compelling, forward-thinking story. The update retains the polar bear symbol as a strong visual identifier which is now supported by GNWT wordmarks and the curve-inmotion. Careful planning, research, coordination and support from other internal departments has helped create a continuous brand experience through all collateral effectively conveying the theme of “one government, one voice.”

Vidyard — ‘Focus 20/20’ Vidyard Company Kickoff Event

The kick-off event addressed the fiscal 2020 calendar year, which inspired the ‘Focus 20/20’ optical theme of the event. Research and initial exploration of the theme led to a serious, dark yet punchy concept that suited the concept and the industrial space where the event would take place. Design deliverables included the event logo, slide layouts, swag, posters, hype videos and lanyards, which were created in tandem to ensure consistency. Internal feedback was overwhelmingly positive, paving the way for future internal events to hold to the same standard.

Canopy Growth Corporation — ‘Inside Tweed’ Video Series

The team created a series of videos taking viewers on a ‘behind the scenes’ tour. Production included a three-week, cross-country shoot, conducting interviews with 30 people in different locations and post-production finesse to knit together narratives and messaging that enhanced the brand story. As Health Canada regulations prevent cannabis producers from featuring people, characters, or promotional messages in advertising and online content, the videos of employees speaking about their work provided an opportunity to showcase Tweed’s history, culture and products, providing an insider’s point of view on the operation and community

Cambrian Solutions — Personal Care Ingredients Catalogue

To reflect the significance of product look and feel within the Personal Care industry, the catalogue uses texture as a key element of the design with swatches and smudges of creams, concealers, clays and waxes. The tactile element on the page mimics how consumers often try products on the backs of their hands. On the cover, chemical formulas overlaid over natural, botanical ingredients represent the intersection of science and nature in the ingredients. The catalogue was very well received and Cambrian sales representatives use the booklet on a weekly basis when introducing themselves and the company to prospective customers.

Art Gallery of Ontario — ‘Guillermo del Toro: At Home with Monsters’ Exhibition

Through the use of wall colours, textures, rugs, custom-designed wall paper wainscotting and photo murals, the team created an intimate atmosphere in a large gallery space. The exhibit also took into consideration accessibility, various learning styles and audience participation with legible labels and panels, videos discussing Guillermo del Toro’s collection in his own words, an audio guide and drawing station exercises. By recreating the atmosphere of del Toro’s home, called ‘Bleak House,’ the team brought this collection to life for visitors. A comic book wall was created using actual comic books to highlight the obsessive tendencies of such a collection.

Canada Life Insurance — GroupNet Series Redesign

The team rebuilt the video series using modern character designs, clean illustrated environments and relatable situations with conversational voice-overs. The character design was created based on stakeholder feedback to be more realistic, expressive and relatable. Simple shapes, subtle shadows and bold, branded colours make the design unique. The new videos deliver a consistent experience across multiple member touch points and the style can be easily replicated and adapted to endless storylines across the Great-West Life brand.

TRIUMF — Five-Year Plan

Content was presented in two documents: a Strategic Plan and an Implementation Plan. A bold visual approach makes the layout intriguing, approachable and easy to navigate. Diagrams, photographs and typography allow users to explore the documents at their own pace and desired degree of engagement. The document played a critical role in securing a historic level of funding from the Government of Canada in Federal Budget 2019.

Legal Services Society — ‘How to Appeal Your Conviction’ & ‘How to Appeal Your Sentence’ Booklets

The infographic feel of the pullout flowchart at the beginning is carried throughout the booklet, which is designed with a modern “digital” vibe. Increased emphasis on the visual elements of the design was achieved through the addition of tables with bold step lettering, distinctive icons for easy identification of the different courts and creative callouts of instructions on sample forms. Margins were widened and font was enlarged overall to improve readability. The project was more than a year in the making, involving input from the courts, government, prosecutors, legal workers in the field and individuals in the system.

York University — School of the Arts, Media, Design& Performance — Programs of Study Book

A unique set of abstract patterns and colours was created and applied to the inside title pages ofthe book, speaking to the unique language of each department. Compiled together on the cover page, the patterns encompass the stories of all seven departments. In York University’s effort toward sustainable printing practices, the book was printed on 100% post-consumer uncoated paper. The book was well received by prospective students and parents, and the faculty were happy to receive their own unique sets of marketing collateral.

G Adventures — ‘National Geographic Family Journeys: Travel Style’ Launch Campaign

The cross-media launch campaign included digital display ads, video content and a direct mail activity book recognizing similarities across different types of families around the world and speaking to how travel can help families connect with each other. The brand experience reflected the excitement, fun and connections offered within the trips. To speak to both adults and a younger audience, the design uses creative solutions to delineate different messages while maintaining a cohesive tone and style. The campaign has been successful in generating online impressions, contest entries and generated leads.

We Charity — Mother’s Day Campaign

In Kenya, the word, “Mama” is a sign of respect. This campaign renamed ‘Mother’s Day’ as ‘Mama’s Day,’ elevating the term ‘Mama’ to mean ‘next-level mothering’ and reclaiming this annual event on WE’s terms. The team mined the organization’s library of stories to profile the incredible Mamas WE works with around the world, using strong, slightly cheeky copy to demonstrate that these women aren’t just mothers; they’re community leaders, role models, entrepreneurs and protectors.

University of Toronto — Boundless Campaign Transition

A newly-designed webpage re-introduces the mission and achievements of the Boundless campaign, showcasing five key areas of impact supported with stats, custom iconography, donor quotes and supporting video content. The team combed through the Boundless campaign’s history to distill thousands of scholarships, infrastructure projects, research initiatives and more into 45 stories that best exemplify its impact. Since the roll-out, the campaign has generated 40 million digital impressions and attracted more than 300,000 website visitors, successfully driving engagement among students, faculty, staff, alumni and donors.

Slice Labs Inc. — Corporate Brand Book

Working with the leadership team, floating threads of information were knitted together into a brand book documenting everything ‘Slice;’ the playful tone, look and feel, foundational pillars, etc. The book is included in Slice’s new employee welcome package to assist new team members and help them add their ideas to the Slide Brand. It is also referenced and shared with customers to help tell the company story and welcome them into the process of how Slice products are built. More information on the Slice Brand can be found at www.slice.is.