BFdesign » Brand Development

Ontario Nonprofit Network

Blair — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:25:05 +0000

The Ontario Nonprofit Network is one of the projects which was developed at the Centre for Social Innovation. ONN is described as:

The Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN) is a network of networks that helps to build communication and coordination amongst nonprofit organizations working for the public benefit in Ontario. We support nonprofits to have the information that they need to make their voices heard and their issues addressed.

I was asked to create a brand image for the ONN. I wanted to show the interconnectedness of the nonprofit sector in Ontario. The trillium is a well-known symbol within Ontario. As the ONN does a lot of work in regards to government policy, I felt the connection between the trillium in the Government of Ontario logo and the ONN logo was appropriate.

LivLotus Yoga

Blair — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:00:31 +0000

A good friend of mine from school became a yoga instructor and needed a brand and website created for her. The result was a clean design for the brand of the logo as well as a simple, but effective website.

She’s a really fantastic instructor and I would highly suggest you check out one of her classes if you are looking to take up yoga or want to further your practice.

In Good Company

Blair — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:00:26 +0000

Orenda, a “strategic corporate social responsibility (CSR) consulting firm”, approached me in 2009 to create a logo for a conference they were producing called “in good company”. The conference was a chance for business leaders from the not-for-profit and corporate sectors to come together and discuss social investments, CSR programs, environmental and social initiatives etc. I was happy to help out and received a fair amount of recognition for the project. Unfortunately I couldn’t attend the conference but I heard it was a great success.

FAIR Canada

Blair — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:30:54 +0000

FAIR Canada is an independent organization whose focus is on Canadian investors in securities regulations. As a small start-up organization, they needed a new brand which was simple, elegant and reflected their mission statement:

The mission of FAIR is to be a national voice for investors on securities regulation and a catalyst for enhancement of the rights of Canadian shareholders and retail investors.

I wanted to create something that would be simple and easy to read while fitting in with the financial institutions on Bay Street.

AuthentiCity

Blair — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 07:14:19 +0000

Culture is one of the reasons why cities thrive. And no one knows this better than Greg Baeker, PhD. Greg is an expert on cultural mapping for cities around the world. His company, AuthentiCity, needed a new brand and a new website to help promote his work and the various reports and articles he has written on the subject.

Three samples that were presented to Greg prior to finalizing the brand are presented below. I was exploring the idea of using a cityscape, direction, and interconnectedness between culture and the economic development of a city.

Below is a screenshot from the website developed for AuthentiCity:

Theatre Passe Muraille

Blair — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 05:18:52 +0000

In 2007, Theatre Passe Muraille approached me to design their marketing material for the 07/08 Season. Along with creating a marketing campaign based around the productions being presented, BFdesign helped to brand the company as it entered a new era with an entirely new artistic staff.

Theatre Passe Muraille translated into English means “theatre beyond walls”, an appropriate title for the type of productions produced by one of the founding theatres of the Toronto theatre scene. I wanted to reflect the movement of the theatre company as it moves forward in the branding.

For the 09/10 season, BFdesign was approached to redesign their website and move it onto a CMS system. I created the site using WordPress and styled it according to the look of their season brochure. The site now gives the staff the ability to update the content without relying on an outside party allowing them to save money and time.

Orchestras Canada

Blair — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 06:26:02 +0000

This is probably one of my favourite brands that I have designed since I began working as a graphic designer. Orchestras Canada was in desperate need of an overhaul to their brand. The Executive Director approached me about coming up with some concepts to help move the organization’s brand into a more modern and sleek look. The final brand image is a good meld of all that the organization stands for. The “O” is the central figure in the logo, standing for “orchestra”. It also represents sound with the coloured O’s behind it vibrating like sound waves from its centre. The coloured O’s are also a representation of the diverse membership across Canada that Orchestras Canada serves. Below are a few of the early options presented:

The final artwork provided to the client had many options of use: a horizontal as well as a vertical logo for use when needed. The black and white version worked quite well.

ArtsBuild Ontario

Blair — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:52:48 +0000

I had originally designed the ArtsBuild Ontario logo back in 2005 when the then newly formed organization required a brand. The logo we ended up with is a representation of the name: Arts Build. The coloured blocks represent how the organization is helping to create a sustainable arts and culture sector in Ontario through Capital Planning Preparation, workshops, research and sharing of information. In 2009, I was asked to tweak the logo slightly to streamline it.