In addition to ADCC and W3 awards we took home earlier in the year, we were recently very pleased to learn that our website for UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture was honoured with a Lotus Merit in the interactive category.

Props go out again to our team and clients!

Those of you who know a thing or two about us know that we’re very much into our food. You might have perused this blog and noticed a distinct absence of food-related posts. The reason is that some time ago we decided the topic was so huge for us that it deserved its own space, hence the creation of Industrial Brand’s In the Kitchen blog.

Over time, all our Foodie friends started to join the fold and post to the site because that was what it was about – sharing our food experiences with our other passionate friends. They techincally weren’t a part of Industrial Brand though and that posed some problems moving forward with the project. Thus, we made the decision that In the Kitchen would morph into an independent online food blog and stand alone from the company. We renamed it Foodists and have completely re-conceived the site, organizing it in a more graphic and compelling way.

The new site has its own playful identity and simple, colourful layout designed to provide friendly appeal to a broad audience. Instead of opinions, the site will offer “meditations”. Rather than recipes or tips, we’ll share “guidance”. And as opposed to the standard product or restaurant reviews, we celebrate our finds in the “worship” section.

We guarantee you’ll be hungry within a few minutes of reading.

After months of work and anticipation, today is the day. The day we launch our new identity with a new website, blog and an unimaginable list of collateral and promotional item including a new logo, new tagline, new stationery, new promo items, new website, new EVERYTHING.

Design and producing an entirely new brand identity for you own company is both exhausting and rewarding—especially if you’re a design firm! We have to be the hardest client we’ve ever worked for! And this has to be the most expensive project we’ve ever tackled! We now have a whole new sense of empathy for corporate clients that hire us to do brand identity work for them.

Now that it’s over, we’re hosting a celebration party tonight and would love you to join us. Details and RSVP here.

As a Partner and Design Director at a thriving studio, I tend to spend more time bringing in new business, dealing with clients or taking care of administrative duties more than actual design and production these days.

Par for the course I suppose, but I do miss getting into the thick of it on a more regular basis. So when our friend and client Cory Weeds, owner of Cellar Live Records, came to us with a jazz album design project, I scooped it before anyone else could claim lead.

The album is called A Night Remembered, featuring the trumpet stylings of Chris Davis. It’s a beautiful album and he’s a wonderful, soft-spoken, genuine jazz man. I began the project as we do most, by sitting down with the client to ask a bunch of questions.

I listened to his numerous answers as he told me the story of how the album came to be and why it was special. That story is actually recounted on the liner notes on the album and well worth the read. Of course I also listened intently to this collection of soulful jazz tunes seeking inspiration—and there was plenty to be found.

In the end, I asked him to summarize all we had discussed into one single sentence that would describe what he wanted the album design to express. What was the one message that would impart the special aspect of this particular album and serve as the creative brief guiding my design of the project. That sentence was:

When people listen to this album, I want them to experience a celebration
of raw, honest, musical joy—devoid of any deep symbolism or intimidating
jazz attitude—like I did when I played that special night.

While still influenced by some of the classic jazz album covers from Blue Note Records, I tried to capture elements of memory in a simple, informal layout design without it seeming too “jazz-like”. I hope my design adequately meets the challenge of that eloquently expressed brief and beautifully performed music. Thanks for the chance to work on this important project Cory and Chris. And thanks Steve Mynett for the terrific photography.

Chris Davis can be found on myspace.com and his newest album can be purchased online at cellarlive.com or in person at The Cellar Restaurant & Jazz Club in Vancouver, BC.

As we near the final launch of the our new brand identity, we’re putting the final touches on promo items such as a new demo reel.

For the music, we asked our good friend and frequent collaborator Alan Wong-Moon to compose an original track for us. Called The Industrial Boogie, it features the trombone stylings of our very own designer Steve Mynett, and the trumpet mastery of our friend and client Chris Davis (who’s new album A Night Remembered has just been released on the Cellar Live label).

Stay tuned for our demo reel’s official reveal on November 14th.

Another part of relaunching a brand with as many media touchpoints as ours is all the photography required! Beyond the endless portfolio shots of work is the need for headshots of our team. Enter Sven Boecker, longtime friend, client, collaborator and photographer of choice at Industrial Brand.

Our team had heaps of fun as Sven got us to scowl, laugh, dance, undress (now there’s a visual you didn’t need) and strike all manner of poses, resulting in some really great images that captured everyone’s personality.

Thanks Sven, for making yet another photo shoot a pleasure to experience.

The Winners of The 2008 W3 Awards have been announced by the The International Academy of the Visual Arts today and the team at Industrial Brand were awarded a Silver for the UBC School of Architecture + Landscape Architecture website. With over 3,000 entries, The W3 Awards’ honours outstanding Websites, Web Marketing, and Web Video created by some of the best interactive agencies, designers, and creators worldwide.

“We were amazed at the caliber and quality of work received this year. Our winners continue to push the envelope of internet creativity and web design, and it is gratifying to see such great work from the smallest agencies to the biggest firms” said Linda Day, the director of the IAVA. “On behalf of the The International Academy of the Visual Arts, we are honored to recognize our winners as they continue to set a high standard of excellence for Web development.”

Congratulations to everyone who worked on this multiple award-winning website.

Just a little teaser: we took down the old logo on the front door the other day. Hint: if the suspense is killing you and you can’t wait for the new website, or to get handed a new business card, do a drive by.

We love coffee in the studio—it’s a part of our foodie culture at Industrial Brand. In fact, we’re hard at work designing a new brand identity, collateral and packaging for a local gourmet coffee consultancy and retail franchise right now. So, as you can imagine, we’ve been researching, buying, evaluation and DRINKING more coffee than ever before. Is twitching and grinding your teeth a sign you’ve had too much caffeine?

I was particularly interested when I heard that our friends at TAXI Advertising had opened a full-on Cafe in what would normally be their reception area. Here’s an article on www.coffeevancouver.ca that describes the space. Maybe as we prepare to launch the new Industrial Brand identity we’ll open a small cafe of our own serving a custom roast of our own blend of coffee? (Oh man, I’d never get any sleep).

The winners of the 12th annual Webby Awards were just announced and the Graphex 2008 website, designed and developed by Industrial Brand Creative, was chosen as an Honoree out of more than 8,000 entries in 70 categories. To be selected among the best is an honour and we’re very proud to be recognized.

The creative tournament ladder-inspired theme exploring the connections and possibilities of good design was thoughtfully developed by our friends at Rethink Communications, who are also producing the beautiful catalogue showcasing all the Graphex winners (available at GDC.net soon). The creation of a promotional website that paralleled their campaign in a clever way was a challenge our team devoured with vigor, so this award feels really great. Thanks to Ben, Kevin, Cameron, Amanda, Leigh and Haig for making it happen. And thanks to GDC for the opportunity to do what we do best.

Having served as a volunteer with Graphex this year, the memory of a sea of tables displaying 600 submissions is still fresh in my mind. The notion of organizing, categorizing, review and judging over 8,000 entries submitted to the Webby Awards this year makes me a little dizzy. No wonder they charge $275 for each entry. Wait a second: $275 x 8,000 = $2,200,000. Oh my goodness. Someone is making some huge money.