07.07.16
The NSCC department of Sustainability was in search for a new look and a more compelling identity to speak to their audiences. Rarebird was provided with initial concept and branding direction in the form of a pinwheel/windmill motif, representing the different pillars of Sustainability at NSCC – Environment, Economy, Community.
Our challenge was to create a mark that fit with NSCC brand standards and colour palette, featured the pillars but also added in green to more directly relate sustainability. It was also important to have a cost-effective design for creating student and staff materials such as reusable mugs, recycled notebooks and eco-friendly t-shirts. While using a pinwheel/windmill we also need to make the symbol feel like it was about all the pillars, not just renewable energy.
As students were a critical audience, it was important to come up with a solution within the constraints that was engaging and attractive enough connect and compel them to purchase merchandize.
By creating a logo that extends to an expandable pattern we created a dynamic, energetic identity that strengthens the overall brand. It’s flexibility makes it perform at it’s best in wide-ranging environments, from full wrap full-colour coffee mugs, to small, no-colour embossed notebooks.
10.12.15
The Bike Friendly Certification Program allows certification of any building, be it retail, office, apartment etc. to a level of certification based on their infrastructure and support for cycling as a viable transportation choice for their staff, tenants, clients, customers or students. The program is supported by the Nova Scotia Department of Energy with the goal of long-term sustainability and growing a strong Bike-Friendly brand in Halifax and eventually across the province.
With the goal of having the certification make people warm to the applicant, we developed a mark that was eye catching, positive and all-around friendly. This was carried across window stickers, a brochure and the HRM site, where people can learn more, apply, and promote their bike-friendliness.
07.10.15
As a multi-faceted community project, our job was to create a brand for Common Roots that espoused their values, connected with their members, but also upped the game so they could reach a sophisticated audience of donors and grown-local buyers. In creating the brief, we realized this brand needed to function well dressed up or dressed down; it needed to belong in the rough and tumble farm environment, on a beautiful bunch of flowers, and at a high end fundraiser.
The hand-drawn logotype, that alludes to plot boxes for many, feels simultaneously rough and sophisticated, structured and human. We build a colour palette from existing colours to stand out and work well with different products and production needs. To complement the new logo, we paired with Anna Ramsay for some hand drawn veggie illustrations to bring some fun and context.
The new branding is carried across various applications, such as stamps for their paper bags and flower bouquet wrappers, stickers and signage. Rarebird’s own Lizane Tan created the fabric signs.
21.07.14
The Planning and Design Centre created a goal of bringing a Ciclovia style event to Halifax. A working group was struck and Cameron (at Breakhouse at the time) became a core member. Switch was picked as a name and a brand developed. Cameron continued in the working group as the event took shape, creating materials from banners and buttons, route maps to posters, to twitter backgrounds and web banners. The project continues to have a high visual impact on street and in media.
