naming
A name not only defines who you are it can provide depth and context to a product or business. It can be the “Once upon a time..” in your brands story.
a little ego or a freudian sip
Therapy wanted to acknowledge the changes and challenges of the pandemic by designing Limited Edition labels and posters for fresh vintages of their popular blended wines — Ego and Sip. We center on the average person and shine a light on the thoughts and feelings racing through their minds and frame them inside a crystal ball alluding to the uncertainty of what the future holds. Key pandemic dates and wine details place these limited edition designs at a turning point in history and help us remember that whatever the future brings, we wouldn’t have gotten there without all those on the front line keeping the world turning.
flip the script
Century Hospitality Group have been leaders of their industry in the greater Edmonton area for over 20 years. They pride themselves on fanatical guest service and offering a luxury dining experience that is creative and unexpected – often wowing their guests with a fresh approach to hospitality.
the giving tree
Raising funds to make a difference is an art form, and those we work with at the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation are masters on par with Rembrandt and Goya. They understand that it’s not only about raising critical funds for state-of-the-art new machines or funding innovative research — it’s also about the people behind the donations that make it all possible, their donors.
Great Food Can Still Be Fun Food
Nineteen (XIX) faced a problem of being too good for THEIR own good. The quality of service, textural quality of the restaurant interior, and the calibre of dishes they served made it intimidating for the casual diner. We developed a concept that took their elevated cuisine and churned them into items that were less precious, more approachable, and just plain fun.
The models’ expressions convey the happiness and almost playful nature of a child enjoying their favourite treat.
raising awareness & support
The Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation provides life-changing philanthropic support for all medical excellence centres within the Royal Alexandra Hospital. The Royal Alex is home to the Lois Hole Hospital for Women, the CK Hui Heart Centre, and the Eye Institute of Alberta — each of these centres of excellence house many devoted doctors, nurses, frontline staff, and administrators doing vital work to ensure we as a community have the medical support we need. These areas of care denote a natural section structure for the reports which allow each department’s statistics, financials, and most importantly, success stories to shine.
expertise
love what you do
Our clients stoke the fires of our passion to mould and shape ideas. We know that’s a bit dramatic, but we really love what we do. Every new project for us isn’t work, it’s just a new problem begging for an elegant solution. That’s what we do. We solve problems for a living. And when you love what you do, it ceases being work and turns into play.
branding
Storytelling can happen at many levels. Some clients are at the beginning of their journey and only need a logo for now. Others are taking it to the next level and need a fully developed branding system. We work with businesses big or small and cater the project to what the client needs.
We specialize in doing full discovery, brand material audits, competitive analysis, shareholder and customer interviews, industry research and much more in addition to brand strategy and over all design. No matter where you find yourself in your businesses story we want to come along for the ride.
web
From one-page, single-scrollers, to simple brochure sites, and up to full e-commerce website systems, we work with our clients to ask these important questions and plan their online strategy. We don’t just think about the website but how that fits into larger goals with advertising (online or traditional) and content marketing (social media).
The client is involved throughout the website process. We discuss what content needs to be included, where it is positioned, how it looks, and how it operates. No one knows your business better than you. We help you communicate what’s most important on your site and make sure it’s functioning responsively whether it’s being used on a desktop or mobile device.
design
Design is apart of the world around us. The chair you’re sitting in, the cup you’re drinking from, or the phone you’re holding in your hand, all we’re specifically designed with you in mind. While we specialize in certain types of design, we either know someone with the specialty skills you’re looking for or we can use our extensive network and experience to find who comes highly recommended.
Looking for a simple logo? We can help with that. We can also design your business cards, flyers, catalogues, annual reports, postcards, social media graphics, e-newsletters, product packaging, website graphics folders, videos, posters, and much much more. If we don’t offer that service ourselves, we often collaborate and/or partner with different design disciplines to ensure that you will get the best overall and well-thought-out product.
advertising
Lateral ideas with compelling layouts are a large part of what makes an ad successful. Eliciting a response from someone who sees your ad is gratifying, but now you have to get them to act. How do you do that? What does that look like? Can you measure that action to see whether your hard spent ad dollars are working? These are important questions and if you didn’t know about them before you do now, so start asking!
Action can mean very different things in a printed medium vs an online one. Selecting the right place to spend your ad budget can depend on your industry, location, budget, demographics, and of course the key message. We are happy to help you with great advertising, but we can also help you make sure those ads get seen and get results.
social
Online interaction isn’t just between people but brands and customers. You should ask yourself where your customers are online and figure out the best way to interact with them. Social media is not a magic bullet and not all platforms will suit every business the same. Engaging on the proper platforms ensures you’re not wasting your breath shouting from a soapbox on the corner.
Now you may know where you’re going, but what are you saying? Having a map or a rough guide helps point you in the right direction. Develop a strategy for what you are talking about and with who. Once the strategy is in place, decide on the tactics you will use to communicate that message. Remember the most important thing is being authentic. You know your business and people want to hear from you, just not always be sold by you.
services
Our expertise in the above specialties is comprised of many smaller skills & services that we have honed over the many years of not only agency work, but other creative pursuits in our lives. “Creativity” as many people refer to it doesn’t come out of thin air. It’s a person’s ability to take in the world around them, ask questions, see solutions, create connections, make mistakes, learn from failures, make something better, and distill all that information into something elegant and useful.
If we are helping our clients name their brand-spanking-new business, developing a strategy for their kick-ass new marketing campaign, or “just” writing content for their website and social media platforms – we bring that same level of curiosity and depth to all the tasks that make up that project. Making each of these as precise and well-thought-out as possible is what contributes to the larger whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
visual identity
If your name is the first line, your visual identity or ‘logo’ is the front cover. A well-designed identity can provide a strong sense of professionalism, can make a person smile, or feel powerful.
strategy
Solid strategy can make sure you and your business are pointed in the right direction. It can help provide clarity or purpose and communication for your customers guiding them to action.
print + design
Good design can make complex ideas simple. Great packaging or a well-designed brochure gives customers something tangible to interact with and helps make that strong first impression last.
digital + web
These days businesses are expected to not only have an online presence but also interact with customers in the digital medium. A responsive, easy-to-use website, following current best practices with integrated analytics, helps you do that and gives you feedback on how to adapt when needed.
marketing
A catch-all these days – marketing can tell you who you should be selling to, what services they are looking for, where they are, and how to reach them. This can include advertising, but it’s certainly not limited to it!
social media
It’s all about content. Writing engaging posts, with compelling photography, and short videos shares what you’re all about interactively with a wider world. It’s simple, but not always easy.
content + development
An idea or design, no matter how great, is only useful if it can be fleshed out or developed. It has to be tested, broken, examined, refined, and given shape so that it can stand on its own and serve a purpose.
photography
Superb imagery can set a mood and conjure emotion. We want to stir those feelings because emotion that is felt leads to action that is taken. Photography is even more important in today’s social media driven world.
illustration
Illustration can be more tactile and helps to convey energy and deeper qualities that other mediums have difficulty communicating. It allows for unique stylization of not only a drawing but a brand as well.