Branding + Design : Identities, design, digital, print, and everything in between. Through my independent consultancy DA Branding Inc, I consult on and develop branding and marketing solutions from concept to completion in all forms of media. More than 20 years of experience has allowed me the opportunity to work with a diverse range of clients and industries across the country, developing unique solutions, vision, and strategies that best represent the brand.
Below you will find examples of more branding and identity-focused project work. For a more comprehensive portfolio of advertising and expanded case studies, please contact me here.
Interior Living + Gibson Fine Art
Calgary, AB
Identity Re-Brand / Interior Signage and Display / Corporate Collateral / Writing / Tagline
Interior Living and Gibson Fine Art share ownership and an amazing gallery and an interior design inspiration and show space. These two companies once being at separate locations required an identity evolution to reinforce that these two experiences, while a natural integration, still also very much have their own identity.
The solution required a fine-tune of one existing identity and a substantial revisit of the other to bring them together in a cohesive story. These two brand can still speak to separate audiences, but can as easily come together in a more natural collaboration.
Delta Hotels
Calgary, AB
Restaurant + Public House Interior and Exterior Branding/Design
Delta Hotels, Downtown Calgary contracted me to expand on the recent interior design to create more exposure to attract local downtown patrons. The concept included utilizing existing exterior and interior structural pillars as backdrops for the design.
The concept translated the public house's name origin to a graphic visual story. To ensure consistency between the new concept and the existing work, the colour palette was directly derived from a feature wallpaper used internally. This resulted in a highly visible and impactful design that maintained a clean high-end design aesthetic that would appropriately complement the Delta Hotels brand.
Gordie Howe Cares Pro-AM
NHL Alumni Hockey Tournament and Luncheon
Calgary, AB / Branding + Design / Social Media Content Development and Management
Adeline Design
Vancouver Island, BC / Branding + Design
Boost Theory
Toronto, ON / Branding + Design
Identity Design
As a bespoke parts and performance shop, the identity required versatility in its construction so that it could be emblazoned on anything from tiny engineered components, to the side of their delivery truck. The solution simply created a stylized B intersecting with a T—which are not just the acronym of the brand name, but also represent the highly integrated nature of true performance parts and technology. The counters of the B and T integration also create an equal sign, which further reinforces the theory-building position of the brand which is echoed by the tagline that was created to accompany the logo, Intelligent Performance.
Gordie Howe Cares
Calgary, AB / Re-Brand + Design
Identity / Writing / Website / Brochure / Direct Mail / Postcards
When people hear the name Gordie Howe, this is the image most will recall—that rugged but graceful record-making hockey player sporting the famous number 9, known also as, “Mr. Hockey”. In a career spanning twenty-six NHL seasons, Gordie accomplished more than even some of the most elite players of the game could ever imagine. And now, an even larger legacy exists. One with a goal to reduce statistics instead of creating them.
This is also his story.
Kids Cancer Care: Kindle Pursuit
Calgary, AB
Digital Campaign
Kids Cancer Care is a not-for-profit agency amplifying the voices of children and families who are battling cancer. Their programs are uniquely designed to meet the needs of the whole family at each stage of the cancer journey, from diagnosis through treatment and beyond. This annual high-energy campaign demanded an equally energetic and visually impactful solution that attempted to capture some of the amazing passion that participants have for the event and for the cause.
Aero Design : Helicopter Cargo Baskets + Accessories
Powell River, BC
Website / Brochure / Identity Evolution
Aero Design had a long history of supporting the aviation industry in Canada through developing and manufacturing Helicopter Cargo Baskets since 1999. I was brought in as a consultant to tune up the corporate branding, and to allow a busy product presentation some room to breathe in the open air.
J5 Design + Innovation
Calgary, AB / Branding + Design
Identity / Interior Brand + Space Design / Corporate Collateral
The epitome of brand versatility, this project provided me with the opportunity to design an entire client experience from the identity to the branded space. Through the use of incorporated custom art, thoughtful dimensional design, and digital illustration, this space created a continuity of brand experience and discovery at every stop.
Rocky Mountain Motorsports
Racetrack Development / Calgary, AB / Branding + Design
Identity / Brand Management / Writing / Website / Sales and Operations Collateral / Advertising / Social Media
As an avid track racer and motorsports enthusiast, having the opportunity to work on this identity at its beginning and throughout the development's evolution has been a rare opportunity to combine passions. Below is a small sampling of some of the many pieces of collateral developed as it continues to cement its place as one of North America's premium motorsport circuits.
From the original identity, to sales and operations collateral, video editing, drone shooting, photography, and social media content management, this project has encompassed every facet of design and brand.
Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism
Print Ads + Posters
Writing / Art Direction / Design
A little work from home. These concept ads helped pull me out of Toronto and back to Atlantic Canada to work on the Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism account.
HIVE Workplace Consulting
Calgary, AB / Branding + Design
Identity / Corporate Package / Standard's Guidelines / Social Media
This workplace organization company develops highly functioning workspaces with productivity and design at its core. The final identity leaned into a geometric pattern that aligned with the floor plan design process HIVE delivered as part of its planning process. It represents clean modular organization but in a form that's anything but traditional. From the colourful palette, to the the expanded patterns, and approachable tone, HIVE delivers on inspiring workspaces.
STRUM Media
Toronto, ON / Branding + Design
Identity / Corporate Package
A smaller project, but with no less attention given to the concept. The owner of this video production company has a background in music and in sound engineering. With harmony at its core, video requires the same level of sensory collaboration. The word Strum conjures a sound in our head that we are all familiar with, and it was the perfect metaphor for how the final product should make a client feel. The identity itself includes ascenders and descenders that represent the 6 strings of a guitar as a subtle homage to the owner's guitar playing beginnings.
Calgary Youth Justice Society
Calgary, AB / Branding + Design
This project is a 200-page Student Guidebook/Workbook design used as the curriculum for a local youth program. In this project I was able to utilize some of my own custom artwork as a background throughout the project from which the entire palette was derived. It has since evolved into a robust brand containing multiple programs and services under the CYJS identity.
Contact me to see the complete expanded brand execution.
Fashiontruck Canada
Mobile Retail Store / Toronto, ON / Branding + Design
Identity / Logo / Post Cards / Business Cards / Retail Bags / Launch Web Page / Mobile Truck Wrap / Instagram
Think of your favourite food truck. Then think of where you like to shop retail. Bring those two things together and you have Fashiontruck. Based in Toronto, this retail store comes to you. Focused primarily on women's apparel, the identity needed to remove some of the negative visuals that one might associate with a delivery truck and inject the same feeling one would associate with a small boutique clothing store. With subtle hints to road signage and a clean approachable tone, this branding succeeded in creating excitement for this unique shopping experience.
SURFSET Fitness
Calgary, AB / Branding + Design
Identity / Logo / Interior Displays / Exterior / Interior Signage / Digital
Ottawa Cancer Care
Ottawa, ON / Branding + Design
Identity / Brand Development / Creative Direction
Serious causes can't take a passive approach. This annual event may include a familiar and fun summer sight, but the cause it benefits is one where the kids involved wanted to ensure people knew they weren't just selling lemonade—they were part of a movement. This collage-style creative allowed for a raw and edgy approach, and provided the intense bright pink and yellow primary colours a place to feel right at home. The imagery perfectly represented this empowered group of amazing kids to scream, "We're not taking this sitting down!"
Cardel Homes
Home Builder / National / Branding + Design
Brand Ads
I was once told early on in my career that it can be tough to work with pets and children. I saw that as more of an opportunity than advice on what I should avoid. After all, kids and pets are loved more than all else—and that's hard to argue because they're about as genuine as it gets. In this particular case, the puppy photo was a stock shot, but the boy with the ruler was one of those photo shoots where you're lucky to capture a great moment.
Man + Woman
Retail Store / Kelowna, BC / Branding + Design
Naming / Identity / Logo / Employee Training Field Guide / Business Cards / Store Interior / Exterior Signage / Retail Bags / Digital
Online Gaming
San Diego, California, US / Branding + Design
Investor Pitch
ESPY Experience
Independent Retail Store / Calgary, AB / Branding + Design
Sometimes your brand direction can be led by an unexpected player. In this case, it was revealed through the exercise of redesigning the retail shopping bag. The objective was simple: create a vibrant walking mini billboard that would be easily noticed in the small neighbourhood that this retail store calls home. The design became so recognizable that it quickly stepped up to lead the visual brand.
Branding / Retail Shopping Bags / Print Ads
Colorado Miners
Denver, Colorado, US / Branding + Design
A non-profit organization dedicated to supporting today’s youth. Founded to fill a void in the development of today’s youth and to give young people as many advantages as possible to be successful in life.
The Holy Grill
Calgary, AB / Outdoor + Print
Freedom Fit Pass
Calgary, AB / Branding + Design
Identity / Logo / Post Cards / Posters / Business Cards / Apparel / Web Site / Social
Mark Giordano - Calgary Flames
Calgary, AB / Identity + Workbook Design
Mark Giordano, when he was with the Calgary Flames, created a charitable initiative to give back to the community. His program developed a series of steps to help kids stay on the right track and achieve their goals.
The redesign of the logo had to keep some of the same feel as the original in order to stay consistent with collateral that was previously developed, but was updated to be more representative of the level of professionalism of the organization.
The Naam Vegetarian Restaurant
Vancouver, BC / Conceptual Development, Writing + Design
Billboard + Print Ad Series
Rocky Mountain Rally
Calgary, AB / Branding + Design
Identity / Branding / Poster Series
"Rally Driving's Different"
Vertigo Theatre : Y-Stage
Calgary, AB / Conceptual Development + Design
Overall Rebrand / Posters for children's series of educational plays.
Kids came, they saw—but the plays weren't designed to give them all the answers. They were created to make them even more curious about the content. The tag line we developed "Where kids find their questions" helped set the stage for parents to continue the conversation after the show.
Vertigo Theatre : Mystery Theatre
Calgary, AB / Conceptual Development + Design
Season Poster Series / Play Posters for individual productions.
Season series awarded an Anvil Award at Ad Rodeo in Poster Series. Black Coffee received high compliments directly from the estate of Agatha Christie for the concept's representation.
Mustard Alternative Writing Workshop
Calgary, AB / Branding + Design
Identity / Poster + Ad Series / Swag
When you get to create an identity for a name like Mustard, you have fun with it. This raw alternative writing workshop demanded an identity as fluid, fun, and creative as the writers themselves—one that screamed, jump in and get a little messy. Challenge accepted.
SURGO Skateboards
Moncton, NB / Branding + Design
Branding / Identity / Writing / Skate Deck Designs / Interactive Digital Kiosk
The Social Impact Lab
Calgary, AB / Branding + Design
Boldt Photo
Calgary, AB / Branding + Design
Boldt Photo is a West Canadian Photographer working out of Alberta and BC. Mostly specializing in high-end auto photography, this identity project needed some high-energy branding to match his high-octane subjects. Playing off of the photographers last name this identity gives just the right amount of lightning strike required to know his clients were coming to the right place.
