What Makes
Leaders
Leaders?
What Makes
Challenge conventional thinking and dare to bring a different perspective forward.
Celebrating 35 years of working with the
leadership and communications teams of
inspired organizations to lead the change.
We’re talkin’ about a
(r)evolution
200 years in, Canada’s first bank continues to be defined by its innovation and commitment to customers. Our 30-year alliance with BMO Financial Group has allowed us to work alongside leadership teams through massive shifts in their industry and in the world. We support BMO holistically from a brand-building perspective on a myriad of activities and initiatives. Ours is a trusted partnership that spans five CEOs, more than a quarter century of excellence in annual reporting, and the creative expression and application of the BMO brand and identity across four continents and a vast array of businesses.
Our contribution:
- Internal and external messaging strategy
- Internal and external audience research
- Brand strategy and positioning
- Brand portfolio and architecture
- Information architecture
- Brand identity design
- Naming and nomenclature systems
- Corporate and employee communications
- Visual expression and design systems
- User experience
- Brand governance systems and tools
- Digital platform development
- Signage and wayfinding
- Annual reports
- Global business brand integration
- Sponsorship branding and application
A new ally for energy
Introducing Alectra. An energy company that will serve nearly one million customers through the merger and acquisition of Horizon Utilities, Powerstream, Enersource and Hydro One Brampton. Alectra is now the second largest municipally-owned electric utility by customer base in North America, second only to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Ove provided and continues to support the organization through the creation and development of the company’s brand strategy and positioning, naming and identity, implementation and conversion of all branded assets and marketing communications activities.
Our contribution:
- Internal and external audience research
- Brand strategy and positioning
- Naming
- Brand portfolio and architecture
- Brand identity design
- Naming and nomenclature systems
- Visual expression and design systems
- Co-branding applications
- Marketing communications
- Brand guidelines
- Signage, fleet and uniform brand conversion
A love letter TO Canada
In preparation of Canada’s 150th anniversary of confederation, City of Toronto wanted to support this event with their own campaign. This campaign had to capture Toronto’s contribution to Canada’s history as a vibrant world class city and a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture. Working in collaboration with our colleagues at Publicis, Ove supported the City of Toronto by developing the campaign theme, tagline and visual identity system that was applied to a number of mediums, programs and event celebrations throughout the city.
Our contribution:
- Theme development and tagline
- Brand identity design
- Visual expression and design
- Marketing communications
From air fare to air care
A challenger brand that’s quickly become one of Canada’s most iconic companies, WestJet is a company whose leadership is always looking to innovate and bring air travel forward. WestJetters, as their employees are often referred to, are continually redefining the experience and are known for their friendly and personable twist on customer service. Over the years – with our sister agency Publicis – we have worked with the team at WestJet to evolve and keep the brand vibrant, fresh and focused through consistent brand messaging and tools that keep the company truly connected with its guest travellers.
Our contribution:
- Brand portfolio and architecture
- Brand identity design
- Visual expression and design systems
- Marketing communications
- Brand governance system and tools
- Digital platform development
- Video production
- Annual reports
“Can elephants really dance?”*
For over a decade, working alongside our counterparts at Publicis, we have been part of the transformation that has seen the 252-year old institution embrace changes in the landscape and deliver the online world. We work collaboratively with our partners at Canada Post to help them realize their commitment to innovation and exceptional customer service – by continually challenging conventional thinking and facilitating excellence through strategic design.
When technology changes your world, you change too.
*Click here to watch Canada Post CEO Deepak Chopra at the leadership expert series at Rotman.
Our contribution:
- Internal and external audience research
- Brand strategy and positioning
- Brand portfolio and architecture
- Information architecture
- Brand identity design
- Naming and nomenclature systems
- Visual expression and design systems
- Marketing communications
- User experience
- Retail and environments
- Brand governance systems and tools
- Video production
Because the world changed again today
The rise of globalization has brought the world closer together – and when two leading law firms saw that their clients’ worlds were changing, they decided to lead the change in legal services. Gowling WLG represents a combination of two powerhouse law firms who have joined forces to bring their clients the benefits of an international firm. With an international assignment comes an international solution – the resulting collaboration involved teams from many disciplines in Toronto, Montreal, London and Birmingham working together to bring Gowling WLG to life.
Our contribution:
- Internal and external audience research
- Brand strategy and positioning
- Brand portfolio and architecture
- Brand identity design
- Naming and nomenclature systems
- Visual expression and design systems
- Marketing communications
- Corporate and employee communication
- Brand governance systems and tools
- Digital platform development
- Signage and wayfinding
This brand is your brand
CBC’s The National belongs to us all. As the country’s most trusted nightly newscast for longer than most of us can remember, it has taken up the CBC mandate to tell our stories with an unparalleled passion and commitment to excellence. So much so, that The National itself has become part of the Canadian experience. We were thrilled to be asked by the CBC to help The National redefine its brand and identity for the future following the retirement of host Peter Mansbridge. The solution centred on making the news relevant and accessible to an increasingly diverse audience, with a renewed commitment to putting the story at the centre of everything. Cutting through the clutter to get to the truth of the story became the inspiration for a bold new back-to-basics visual expression and design system that impacts all of The National’s content and communications.
- Competitive brand audit
- Stakeholder workshops
- Brand positioning strategy
- Brand identity
- Visual expression and design systems
- Motion graphics consultation
- Brand guidelines
- Brand usage training
The challenges our clients face become increasingly complex year over year.
They require innovative, cutting-edge solutions and expert attention. With access to the Publicis global network of strategic thinkers across dozens of disciplines and every conceivable market in the world, our team is able to tap into incredible insights and resources for our clients.
We work across sectors, across borders, across languages and cultures and across generations.
