Responsible Design
Monsoons of fake news, mis- and disinformation and unsubstantiated conspiracy theories have necessitated a paradigm shift in the design industry: honesty.
Whether influenced by an individual’s sociocultural milieu or by our industry itself, every one of us has a distinctive envelope to push. Although, it often seems the industry stretches the collective extremes with shock-inducing vulgarity, doltish nonsense and defamatory slurs to such a degree that we’ve become desensitized to the stimuli we coax down our raw throats. Propagate that sort of influence via the raging wildfire of social media and we decimate the regulatory confines of propriety.
Good design is good business. Doing good is far more consequential.
CINÉFEST
With all due respect to other clients, my absolute perennial favourite project is Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival. It’s the fourth largest film festival in Canada, and for a town as diminutive as Sudbury, that’s a pretty big deal. Unlike the red carpet celebrity-centric festivals elsewhere, Cinéfest opens its doors to the public. The brand was updated to reflect the nature of the audience… hence, The People’s Festival. This project has always provided complete creative freedom: pull out all the stops and turn heads. Well, heads have indeed turned and jaws have sufficiently dropped. Here are just a few of the concepts. I’m particularly fond of the cowboy riding the loon. Hey, why not?
IXORA
Once in a while the solution to a design challenge just falls on your lap. IXORA was a limited edition product developed by a gynecologist in New York City as an intimate topical sensuality serum for women. The task was to create a brand more becoming of a high-end cosmetic than a pharmaceutical. The symbol is precisely what it looks like… and that’s precisely where you apply it. Never overlook the obvious. So the logo, then, also serves as the instruction manual.
HSN
The scope of the branding assignment for Health Sciences North consisted of no fewer than 3,500 one-on-one interviews with every imaginable stakeholder sector in order to arrive at a solution that embraced a complete restructuring of healthcare in northeastern Ontario. This is the largest, most comprehensive branding exercise this market has ever seen. The extensive research dictated that the brand needed to reflect the highly personalized nature of health care. Every single point of contact with the brand is unique. This was quite simply distilled into a graphic representation of the double helix of a DNA molecule. The brand was adapted to include the pharmacy, STAR program and volunteer association.
JAZZ SUDBURY
I colloquially refer to this ongoing assignment as my rescue mission. When the festival premiered in 2009, the promotional materials were DIY… and quite frankly, DOA. With a vested interest in the genre, I couldn’t just stand by and watch the horror unfold. So I offered my expertise pro bono and now I’m on the board of directors and produce all the creative for the organization. Oh, no, what have I done? The best part of this is that they get what they get… award-winning design with no solicitation of creative input from the board. Ha! It does help to have a comprehensive knowledge of the product.
SCDSB
As an RGD, I’m bound by a prescribed Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct. Sometimes you need to draw a line in the sand. This project was hugely successful despite my courageous resistance to the persuasive spiritual leaders across the table. The challenge of this assignment was to preserve the historical brand of Sudbury Catholic District School Board as well as bring the organization into the 21st century with a seamlessly integrated refreshed dynamic. The logo pays homage to the legacy trinity cross. The curved shapes that encompass the cross represent spirit, mind, body and the complete student. The sum of the areas of the three smaller pieces equals the area of the larger piece. It’s math.
STC
Humour is serious business. It can be an effective marketing tool in the right context. They say a picture is worth 1,000 words (whomever “they” are). Ironically, it took words to articulate that claim. Another favourite client across the decades was Sudbury Theatre Centre. A fundraising event was staged as part of a capital campaign. The set-building crew constructed an 18-hole mini-putt course inviting teams to raise pledges for a fun-filled evening of indoor golf. The event poster was an oversized piece that was mounted on buildings to create the appearance of an actual window. The piece garnered laughter, but more importantly, a reasonable return.
MINIMALISM
Remember that radical simplicity thing? Here are some examples applying that philosophy. I’m a huge fan of using typography as a visual tool. Smart design communicates succinctly without the need for volumes of superfluous text. It’s also more memorable, especially in an environment of brevity. By distilling content down to the bare essentials, information is compartmentalized and easily retained.
PASSION
I’m often asked if I’ve thought about retiring. My typical response is, “From what? I’ve never worked a day in my life.” That’s not to say it’s been a walk in the park. I’ve taken a walk in the park… and it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be. Whether it’s a career, a hobby or an adventure, if you love what you do and with whom you do it, then count yourself among the luckiest people in the world. Passion drives our industry. For me, it’s never been about fame or fortune. Awards and rewards notwithstanding, it’s really about making a difference by influencing positive change. I may be officially off the payroll, but I can’t imagine not continuing to do this.
LEGACY
There’s something to be said about being the big fish in the little pond. I’m the most prolific brand designer in the region only because I’ve been doing it the longest. I can’t stray far from home without seeing my work prominently displayed. A brand begins with a solid, timeless visual identity. Some of the brands I designed early in my career are still enjoying an extended shelf-life. Here’s a handful of faves.