Element Award Winners

National Museum in Gdansk by TOFU Studio in Gdansk, Pomorskie, Poland

As a part of visual makeover, TOFU Studio redesigned the logo for the National Museum in Gdansk, a prominent Polish cultural institution. With the new logo, their focus was to highlight the primary role of the museum to showcase art and history to its visitors. The museum's original logo was a gothic-style window. Continuing with the window element of the original logo, TOFU Studio presented the redesigned logo as “the window to the world of art” with a flexible frame, adjusting its form to the vast variety of the museum's historical collections.

Patel Brown Art Gallery by The Office of Gibert Li in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Patel Brown is a contemporary art gallery founded by two esteemed gallerists. The Office of Gilbert Li crafted a logo that leverages the founders’ reputations while emphasizing the gallery’s ommitment to representing unconventional and non-mainstream artists. The logo, combining playfulness and modern boldness, features a monogram intertwining mirrored “p” and “b” forms, symbolizing the powerful partnership of the distinguished gallerists.

Chef Bombay by Concrete in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Founded in 2000 as a f amily business, Chef Bombay grew into a significant supplier of Indian food across grocery stores in North America. To differentiate Chef Bombay from other retailers, Concrete crafted distinct, recognizable packaging to reflect the company’s high quality. Embracing Indian cultural cues, the design incorporates bold typography and a vibrant colour palette to resonate with the brand’s heritage and evoke quality. The new packaging is designed to resonate with consumers seeking authentic and exceptional Indian cuisine.

Hermit Goods Packaging Design by Caribou Creative in Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada

Hermit Goods, a female-owned well-being brand, prioritizes self-care with locally made, vegan and natural products. Caribou Creative crafted packaging that positioned Hermit uniquely in the market and aligned with its v alues of sophistication, simplicity and sustainability. The wordmark and packaging foster a sense of belonging and homecoming. Recyclable, screen-printed bottles and eco-friendly box packaging reduce waste and the timeless minimalism ensures longevity. The versatile “one-for-all” box design streamlines merchandising and adds a unique touch to the unbo xing experience, enabling Hermit’s growth in retail settings.

KitKat Ramadan Iftan Bar by Rethink in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Client: Nestlé KitKat)

KitKat is known for its association with breaks, encompassing various cultural interpretations. To celebrate the evening fast-breaking in Ramadan, KitKat launched a new Iftar bar. Meant to be savoured daily, it’s comprised of 30 pieces and segmented into three parts, representing the three stages of Ramadan. Taking inspiration from Islamic architecture’s geometric patterns, the packaging by Rethink features a minimal title design and a calendar that tracks fasting progress, with a daily unveiling as pieces are broken off. The packaging also showcases lunar calendar-inspired, cutout moon phase icons on the sleeve that animate when the inner box is pulled out. This design honour s the Ramadan tradition while embracing KitKat’s “break” philosophy.

OddPop by Sandra Dammizio Provisional RGD in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

A fictitious beverage, OddPop offers an alternative to sugary pops on the market by using carbonated coconut water sweetened with imperfect fruits. Its goal is to reduce kids’ sugar consumption and manage food waste. With interactive, stackable packaging creating “odd” characters and portion sizes tailored to kids, the product is well-suited to its target demographic. Aluminum cans are used for their carbonation retention property and eco-friendliness. The tagline “Not Your Average Fruit,” combined with painterly graphics of vibrant fruits with vintage photography, creates a collage-like effect. Dielines feature stackable character parts with sugar in formation.

Púa Mezcal by Padre Group in Ciudad de México, México

Through a top-notch distillate, Púa Mezcal shows the cosmopolitan and vibrant Mexico to the world. Padre Group developed the visual identity, brand strategy and packaging for Púa Mezcal to be launched in the American, Mexican and Spanish markets. The patterns highlight its Mexican heritage, and the sleek and minimalist packing with outbursts of colour creates an elegant and contemporary look. The packaging captures Pua Mezcal’s essence while giving it a distinct personality in a competitive market.

Puyu Tea Packaging Design by Studio in Beijing, China

Studio’s packaging design for PUYU’s freeze-dried tea powder creatively embodies a natural landscape by shaping its tea capsules in to vegetation-inspired forms, establishing a connection to the tea’s origin. The design seamlessly merges traditional Chinese aesthetics with contemporary preferences, resulting in an artistic and modern presentation. The colour palette thoughtfully corresponds to different tea flavors. While each capsule has unique design elemen ts, the outer packaging utilizes recyclable materials to reduce both waste and production expenses

Sapsucker by Vanderbrand in Toronto, Ontario Canada (Client: Lower Valley Beverage Company)

Lower Valley Beverage Company’s Sapsucker caters to health and wellness enthusiasts who value savouring life. Developed by Vanderbrand, the brand uses a bold colour palette, no-nonsense visual language and the tagline “Pairs Well with Life” to encapsulate its roleas more than a drink. With a focus on sustainability, the 8-pack carrier is recyclable and made with minimal adhesive. The photography and messaging offer a fresh perspective on the pursuit of life and have played a significant role in growing Sapsucker’s online presence.

A-Frame Club by Wunder Werks in Denver, Colorado, USA (Client: Zeppelin Station) 

Zeppelin Development commissioned Wunder Werkz to develop a visual identity to transform their two-acre wooded lot, featuring a 1940s lodge, into the A-Frame Club — a tribute to the golden age o f skiing. Wunder Werkz handled the branding, spatial design, interior conceptualization and creation of digital experiences. Influenced by mid-century design and vintage lodge aesthetics, the project integrates honest materials like cedar, leather, custom stained-glass, Malm fireplaces, Noguchi lights and breeze blocks. The identity pairs Humanist typography with national park-inspired icons, applied across signage and collateral. The digital interface is designed to translate the physical ambience online. The branding for A-Frame embodies a playful and authentic mountain experience, enhancing the connection between nature, history and style for a lasting alpine narrative.

Create Your Place Campaign by MJMA Architecture & Design in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Client: City of Toronto)

With public engagement at its core, MJMA developed an experiential campaign for City of Toronto’s upcoming Western North York Community Centre. The “Create Your Place” engagement initiative established a distinct and cohesive brand identity deployed across various communication channels. A dedicated project website and social media served as a comprehensive information hub for residents, offering project updates, engagement opportunities and contact details. QR codes were placed in high schools and br anded items like buttons, magnets and snacks were distributed, leading to increased engagement from younger residents in the area. Event materials, including engagement panels, posters and postcards, consistently represented the brand and encouraged community participation. The brand bridged online and offline communities, fostering meaningful interactions in both realms.

Exhibition on the 70th Anniversary of the Luxembourg Agreements by C&G Partners LLC in New York City, New York, USA (Client: The Claims Conference)

C&G Partners designed an exhibition at the Bundestag commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Luxembourg Agreements. The installation consisted of illuminated cubes detailing the history of the agreements, addressing the Holocaust’s impact, negotiation tensions and the Claims Con ference’s ongoing efforts. Referencing structures like the Memorial to the Mur dered Jews of Europe and Stolpersteine blocks, the nine large, angled cubes offer a visual journey. As dusk falls, the cubes glow, symbolizing history’s illumination. Elevated walkways reveal additional messages, underscoring the design’s multidimensional impact. The exhibit effectively captures the significance of the Luxembourg Agreements and their enduring impact on Holocaust recognition, compensation, education and welfare services carried forth by the Claims Conference

KitKat Chocolatory by OneMethod in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Client: Nestlé Canada)

To revamp Nestlé Canada’s KitKat as a brand and connect with a new, younger audience, OneMethod developed a “chocolatory” experience anchored around the first-ever KitKat Chef’s Table, where the customers created their very own, one-of-a-kind KitKat bar with a chocolatier. This experience was central to the store design and changed the chocolate bar purchase experience and brand engagement, distancing itself from convenience store buying. Beyond the space, OneMethod also designed the product offerings, packaging, merchandise, e-commerce platform, back-end services and the overall customer experience,mapping flows from a multitude of touchpoints to the Chef’s Table and beyond

Rally Social Room by ZGM Modern Marketing Partners in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

ZGM Modern developed branding for Rally Social Room, a bar offering a unique blend of drinks, food, dancing and table games, aiming to be Edmon ton’s most distinct night-out destination. The brand’s essence was captured in its interactive logo, custom party animal illustrations and animations. The brand experience began with its neon signage, dr awing the audience to Rally’s historic building, which is complemented by immersive stairwell murals. The branding permeates every touchpoint, bringing Rally Social Room to life.

Black Excellence Community Library by Fusion Design Group Inc. in Markham, Ontario, Canada (Client: Strides Toronto)

Strides Toronto commissioned Fusion Design Group to integrate resources on Black heritage, curated by their internal task force, into an accessible, online library for youth ages 2 to 15+, their par ents, guardians and teachers. The aim was to maintain the library experience while ensuring easy navigation. With distinct rooms capturing Black culture through prints and colours, the resulting Black Excellence Community Library website is warm, engaging and a pleasure to navigate. Illustrations of librarians guide users, enhancing the navigation, while a homepage floor plan mirr ors the experience of entering a new building. Patrons of diverse backgrounds are depicted throughout the website, fostering inclusivity and connection.

Think Tank Training Centre by Will in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Think Tank Training Centre, a renowned Vancouver-based computer graphics and visual effects school, sought to transform its digital presence to reflect its evolution and global leadership. Will Creative led this transition, crafting a brand identity with a custom dynamic typeface named “Reality Shift” and a distinctive, grounded tone of voice. The refreshed branding was articulated through a new website, showcasing the school’s shift to online learning and expanded offerings. A strategic digital marketing plan aligned with the brand’s essence, creating an awareness-to-conversion funnel, and the in troduction of “The Cortex” community and a podcast increased engagement. The revamped website attracted record student enrolment, transcending the campus’s limits.

Alba by Vanderbrand in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Client: Edenshaw)

Vanderbrand created a distinctive printed brochure for Edenshaw’s residential project in Mississauga, named “Alba,” incorporating unique fabrication materials, printing methods, and finishing choices. To reflect the brand’s contemporary narrative, the letters in the logo were designed to be repositioned, conveying flexibility. The photographs were curated to showcase various points of interest throughout the community at different times of the day. A custom clamshell box finished with embossing and f oiling techniques holds the brochure. The box is affixed with functional matte black hardware and is produced in a palette inspired by light and shadow. Within the brochure’s pages are smaller, loopstitched pamphlets that symbolize moments of pause and reflection. These pamphlets offer additional project details and can be detached and set aside for future reference. The digital experience mimics printed materials with interactive modules, virtual maps and galleries.

Heartland by Vanderbrand in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Client: Orlando, Corporation)

The Heartland rebranding by Vanderbrand revitalizes one of Canada’s largest town centres in Mississauga as a premier destination. The wordmark with a sans serif f ont maintains the brand’s familiarity and the horizontal alignment conveys stability. An abstracted “h” icon, inspired by local architectural motifs, represents Heartland’s unique retail experience and open-concept, street-front locations. A vibrant colour spectrum and expressive graphic compositions create an optimistic brand narrative across applications. The tagline “It’s all here” was introduced to convey Heartland’s comprehensive offerings and inclusivity. After months of city-wide closures, the reopening was celebrated using the icon’s geometry at various scales for visual dynamism, bringing visitors from diverse backgrounds together.

National Student Show & Conference by *TraceElement in Dallas, Texas, USA (Client: Dallas Society of Visual Communications Foundation)

The National Student Show & Conference, a communication arts competition and conference for students, commissioned *TraceElement to design a poster for entry calls and conference announcements. To captivate the young audience, a vibrant, attention grabbing 9-foot by 5-foot long poster composed of 1,998 pieces of candy was developed. This sweet solution attracted significant attention, enhancing conference visibility and boosting entries to record levels.

MTELUS: High Five by Cossette, Septième in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

MTELUS, a premier Montreal concert hall, sought to mark its 5th anniversary with a dynamic comeback after a two-year pause on live performances. Focusing on energizing fans, the plan was to offer a free show featuring beloved local artists. Driving a powerful re-entry into the scene, Cossette revived the brand’s essence by  developing a striking visual signature using motion. Inspired by stage elements and sound waves, a hero visual was crafted to provoke emotions and gather attention by transforming static media into vibrant experiences. The result was not only an energizing signature, but also a sold-out event

Select Food by Office/Bureau in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Select Food Products, a producer of premium sauces and condiments, underwent a transformative shift under new leadership. To signify this change, Office/Bureau developed a dynamic visual identity and a video to showcase innovation and growth while conveying brand values to their audiences. The cen tral element of the identity is “the whisk,” symbolizing the blend of flavours in sauces and each tine representing a key attribute of the brand. The colour palette draws inspiration from French cuisine’s “Mother Sauces” and includes a fresh green and blue, with the familiar Select blue. Showcasing the new branding, the dynamic video with fast transitions, vibrant colours and music introduces Select’s products and efficient manufacturing to its audiences, emphasizing innovation and growth.

Periods for Periods by Rethink in Toronto/Vancouver, Canada

While nations like Scotland and New Zealand move towards free period products, North America still falls behind in addressing menstrual product accessibility and affordability issues. To spark conversations and advocate for equal access, Rethink designed a campaign for Periods for Periods, showing that menstrual periods are as commonplace as punctuation periods. Over 140 designers, including renowned figures like Debbie Millman, Ellen Lupton and Giorgia Lupi, were invited to craft a font using 230 period symbols. Representing over 17 countries, each designer’s interpretation ranged from literal to metaphorical, with uteri, flowers and abstract shapes. The campaign embraced a red and pink colour palette, unapologetically highlighting period blood’s natural colour.