Esprit Orchestra

Developing a bold, striking visual identity for an orchestra devoted to cutting-edge contemporary music.

Esprit Orchestra is Canada’s only full-sized, professional orchestra dedicated to performing and promoting new orchestral music. Puncture was tasked with refreshing their visual identity, moving away from a traditional look to one that embodies Esprit’s innovative spirit.

The new identity is dynamic, expanding to create a space that establishes Esprit as a stage for new music and culture. The open wordmark frames the people behind the music—musicians, composers, and soloists—and invites the audience to explore new music with curiosity. With a vibrant colour palette, captivating imagery, and poetic language, this refreshed identity resonates with those seeking a fresh perspective on orchestral music.

Industry
Arts & Culture

Service
BrandingDigital

espritorchestra.com

Founded in 1983, Esprit Orchestra’s commitment to delivering thought-provoking and unexpected musical experiences distinguishes it as one of the few organizations of its kind globally. By collaborating with leading composers, premier soloists, and ensembles from Canada and abroad, Esprit showcases Canadian works alongside international premieres each season. With unique, one-time-only performances, every concert is a rare, exclusive event. Esprit also nurtures the next generation of new music professionals and audiences through its mentorship and outreach programs.

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Robert McLaughlin Gallery
SafeFest
Choice Properties
Shorefast

A brand reposition and visual identity redesign of an organization dedicated to unleashing the power of place.

Since its establishment in 2004, Shorefast has been dedicated to cultivating economic and cultural resilience in Fogo Island, Newfoundland—a 400-year-old outport fishing community deeply affected by the decline of the cod fishery. Notably recognized for the Fogo Island Inn, which reinvests all profits back into the community, Shorefast sought the expertise of Puncture at the close of 2022.

Method & Process
In approaching this project, a comprehensive understanding of Shorefast was imperative. This involved extensive independent research, encompassing a thorough study of internal documents and reports, literature on Fogo Island, and films. Engaging in conversations with founders, staff, locals, and partners, we further immersed ourselves in the culture of Fogo Island during an on-site visit. This process culminated in two workshops—one centered on the brand and another focused on refining website details. The insights gained from these workshops became guiding principles, shaping the direction of our work and receiving approval from the Shorefast team.

Solution
Recognizing that Shorefast required more than a conventional brand, we developed “The Shorefast Way”—a comprehensive communication guideline covering positioning, brand tone, elevator pitch, and beyond. Most importantly, The Shorefast way encourages consistent messaging across channels.

The redesigned Shorefast logo serves as a simple visual metaphor, embodying the notion of holding on while reaching out, expressed through the extending line from the “t.” The brand is complemented by a straightforward typographic system and layouts that mirror the openness, approachability, and consideration inherent in the landscape of Fogo Island and the spirit of its people. The resulting design is simple, bold, user-friendly, and narrative-driven.

The website concept draws inspiration from an organized bookshelf, offering a snapshot of personality, subjects, and themes at a glance, with deeper stories and interactions revealed upon exploration. The website, built on a custom Content Management System, ensures seamless and flexible content updates.

Industry
Non-Profit

Service
BrandingDigital

shorefast.org

This collaboration aimed to address a growing disparity between Shorefast’s identity and its brand communication, particularly as the organization expanded its reach to collaborate with similar communities across Canada. Key challenges included clarifying the connection between Shorefast, Fogo Island Inn, Fogo Island Arts, and Fogo Island Fish. Additionally, Shorefast required a cohesive visual system and an enhanced website to effectively convey its message.

The refreshed identity has empowered Shorefast with a more assertive, focused, and thoughtful presence. Internally, streamlined processes for creating reports, workshops, and presentations have shifted the team’s focus from graphic design to content. This transformation has translated into increased speaking engagements and substantial growth in donorship. Equipped with the tools and language provided, every team member and Fogo Islander can now articulate Shorefast’s narrative authentically. Moreover, the simplified and user-friendly website has made content uploading a straightforward and even enjoyable experience for the entire team.

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Choice Eastway and Caledon
WayHome
CBC Exhibitionists
Mabelle Arts

Helping to unlock the creative potential of the neighbourhood.

Mabelle Arts brings people together across real and perceived differences through shared activities. They prioritize action over conversation, focusing on fun and creative projects with tangible impacts, including economic opportunities for participants. They believe that by working together, strangers can become neighbors and friends. The resulting social capital strengthens communities, fostering celebration in good times and solidarity during challenges.

Mabelle Arts engaged Puncture during a pivotal time of redefining their strategy, mission, and vision, while undertaking a major community-driven park revitalization project. As part of the project, a new building called The Belle, was being constructed to become a landmark for the park and a cornerstone for the community to engage in arts, culture and with one other. Taking on a visual identity and website refresh, Puncture’s goal was to capture the the evolution of Mabelle Arts and their presence as a lifeline within the community.

Understanding the impact of the park and significance of The Belle, the visual identity embraces the unique angles of the building’s roofs to communicate the idea of overlap, intersection, and connection. The angles influence the logo, design system and monogram.

Using the same shape from the monogram, an asterisk motif was created to suggest the idea of “more” and to create a simple framework for their language and messaging.

Altogether these angles, asterisks and bright colour palette captures the positivity and strength Mabelle Arts brings throughout their work and community while also lending itself to communicate the diversity of their programming and what they do.

Industry
Arts & Culture

Service
BrandingDigital

mabellearts.ca

Founded in 2007 by Executive Director Leah Houston, Mabelle Arts launched out of a highly successful four year residency on Mabelle Avenue. Since then, Mabelle Arts has grown into an innovative and sustainable charity with strong roots in community-engaged arts, grassroots community development and placemaking. With a yearly budget of $1 million, Mabelle Arts has grown into a strong and stable organization with deep roots in our local community.

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Canadian Stage
TAS
Herb
Canadian Country Music Awards

Celebrating Canada’s biggest night in country music with glamour.

Industry
Arts & Culture

Service
BrandingMotion

The Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) is a membership-based, not-for-profit organization committed to the promotion and recognition of Canadian country music. Built upon the foundation to educate, elevate and celebrate Canadian talent, the CCMA progressively heralds the spirit, community and creativity that country music fosters.

Each year, the Canadian Country Music Association honours its members who have excelled during the past year, with a Canadian Country Music Association Award. The CCMA turned to Puncture to elevate their look with glamour and create visually stunning marketing assets for the 2024 awards show in Edmonton, Alberta.

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plazaPOPS
Shorefast
Tafelmusik
Scarborough Proud

Creating a brand that celebrates the culture, community, and diversity of Scarborough.

Scarborough Proud is a collaboration between Choice Properties and a series of non-profit organizations that serve the area. To kick-off its opening, Choice spearheaded a 6-week activation series that transformed Golden Mile Plaza, a mixed-use community at the gateway of the Golden Mile on the new Eglinton-Crosstown LRT, into a gathering space for the local community to connect and celebrate.

Recognizing the need for a unique visual identity for their opening event, Choice Properties reached out to Puncture to create a brand that aimed to capture Scarborough’s rich and multicultural community.

Industry
Corporate

Service
BrandingDigital

The team at Choice Properties worked with Puncture to create a unique brand identity for Scarborough Proud that celebrates the borough’s vibrant culture. The brand was inspired by two central themes: authenticity and belongingness. The foundation of the system uses bright colours, bold typography, and dynamic shapes inspired by the multicultural community.

The design highlighted the area’s rich and playful nature and provides an infrastructure that will guide the Choice team throughout the event, marketing, and beyond.

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Shorefast
Canadian Country Music Awards
Dream in High Park
SafeFest

Creating a highly visible and recognizable brand for a team dedicated to safety at music festivals.

Working with C3 Presents—the force behind top music festivals such as Austin City Limits and Lollapalooza—Puncture was tasked with creating the visual identity for SafeFest; all with the goal of standing out in a crowded and visually dense festival environment.

We developed the SafeFest hand raised in the air—a universal symbol representing a need for help, wanting attention, or having a question. It’s a gesture that is intuitive and can be understood quickly.

The Safest Hand also serves as a mascot for the brand. It takes on a positive and fun persona with its different hand gestures. It’s meant to make asking for help feel more accessible, differentiating itself from EMT or Police.

We paired the hand with a bright neon safety yellow. It’s meant to draw attention from a distance, in the dark, or under impairment. It’s a non-authoritative colour that will encourage festival goers to ask for help and watch out for each other.

Industry
Arts & Culture

Service
Branding

SafeFest is a brand new team dedicated to creating a safe space for music festival patrons by providing an additional resource that isn’t medical or security.

Launched in 2023, SafeFest found it’s way to many festivals, including Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits and will continue to be present at festivals on an ongoing basis. If you need any assistance at an upcoming C3 festival, look for the helping hand or the SafeFest team in yellow T-shirts!

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Mabelle Arts
Toronto Biennial of Art
CBC Exhibitionists
Canadian Stage

Creating a dynamic and accessible visual identity; leading to sold-out performances and industry acclaim.

Canadian Stage’s mission is to be the leading contemporary performing arts organization in the country. They came to Puncture in 2021 to refresh their master brand; they wanted to move away from being seen as a “contemporary art/intellectual/elitist” organization, towards something that was more accessible, reflecting “the art of today.”

After an in-depth research and discovery phase, the master brand we created for the organization is punctuated by a straight bold line, representing a stage. This line underscores the logo and can be extended to make connections to programming, and can also twist and turn to become more expressive of movement and live performance. A bright yellow that is easily recognizable and welcoming ties the brand together.

Since 2021, we have worked with Canadian Stage annually to create marketing collateral for their seasons, including the season brochure, out-of-home print ads, digital and social ads, video and motion assets, and sub-branding for the Dream in High Park series. For the 2022/23 season we directed and produced a photo and video shoot featuring key actors from the season’s productions, to be featured in all of the marketing collateral.

Industry
Arts & Culture

Service
Branding

Canadian Stage is one of Canada’s leading non-profit, contemporary performing arts organizations based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1988, the theatre company has since produced over 300 shows with a focus on multidisciplinary work, text adaptation, programming international contemporary theatre, and developing and producing new Canadian works. Canadian Stage also continues to promote theatre to younger audiences, running a series of artist development and education initiatives, as well as youth and community outreach programs.

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Tracks on Tracks
The Filmmakers
WayHome
plazaPOPS

Building a new website and visual assets for a community organization that transforms underused spaces into accessible gathering places.

The new website for plazaPOPS captures the energy of suburban main streets in Toronto, using a vibrant colour palette and expressive street sign motifs.

Industry
Arts & CultureNon-Profit

Service
BrandingDigital

plazapops.ca

plazaPOPS is a non-profit organization that transforms parking lots and other under-invested spaces, into free, safe and accessible gathering places. Largely located along suburban main streets where vibrant culture already exists, plazaPOPS partners with these local community groups, landowners and businesses, to support and celebrate these vital connections.

Their initiatives impact many different communities, in which Puncture was asked to create a new website that helps visualize and showcase the value that’s being created. The website captures the organization’s playful personality and forward-thinking initiatives, and provides an infrastructure for their events, programming and research—creating an open invitation for everyone to get involved.

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Canadian Stage
Herb
WayHome
Choice Properties

Creating a purposeful and inspirational brand for one of Canada’s leading Real Estate Investment Trusts.

Choice Properties, a leading Real Estate Investment Trust, is dedicated to creating enduring value through the ownership, operation, and development of high-quality commercial and residential properties. In 2018, Choice Properties underwent a transformative acquisition of Canadian Real Estate Investment Trust (CREIT), solidifying its position as the largest Real Estate Investment Trust in Canada. Recognizing the need for a cohesive brand identity post-acquisition, Galen Weston Jr. sought the expertise of Puncture to refine the brand and unite both entities under a new direction.

Method & Process
The discovery process started like any other; one-on-one interviews and working sessions to gain an in-depth understanding of the organization.Their internal structure, brand architecture, contexts of their work, audiences, competitors, and peers, and most importantly, their united vision for the future.

However, bringing two different organizations together, we had to adjust the process so that there was a high-level of participation and wide buy-in from staff. We wanted this new positioning and brand to be something the internal culture would unify and rally behind. 

This was achieved by creating working sessions with all departments then bringing together key groups at the right moments to help contribute and participate in the process. 

Solution
The outcome of our collaboration was a revitalized communications platform and a refreshed visual identity that seamlessly blends purpose and inspiration. Choice Properties, being committed to long-term value, now boasts a visual identity that authentically mirrors this dedication.

Industry
Corporate

Service
BrandingDigital

choicereit.ca

Choice Properties is a leading Real Estate Investment Trust that creates enduring value through the ownership, operation and development of high-quality commercial and residential properties.

Since 2019, Puncture has been a strategic partner, offering ongoing integrated marketing communication services to the Choice Properties team. Our services cover a spectrum of touchpoints reinforcing the brand and delivering key messages. From major corporate reports, sales brochures, and Investor Presentations to advising on community engagement strategies and contributing to the development of experiential assets like electric vehicle charging stations, bike stations, and George Weston Limited booth designs. We provide comprehensive support in writing, narrative development, video production, motion graphics, social media, websites, and photography services. This holistic approach ensures a cohesive and impactful brand presence across diverse communication channels.

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plazaPOPS
Canadian Stage
SafeFest
Yonge-Dundas Square

Celebrating 20 years of connection, community, culture, and diversity in a prominent Toronto public space.

Yonge-Dundas Square is a unique focal point of the downtown Toronto community. The square is designated for use as a public open space and as a unique event location. The square has a rich history and is a meeting point for the arts, community and culture.

Industry
Arts & Culture

Service
Branding

In celebration of it’s 20th year, the team at Yonge-Dundas Square worked with Puncture to create a brand campaign to celebrate this anniversary. The campaign was inspired by five important themes: connection, community, culture, together, and diversity. The foundation of the system uses bright colours, historical photos and text, all on a square grid — inspired by the concrete squares at Yonge-Dundas Square.

The design highlighted the Square’s diverse history and also helped advertise events over the 2023 summer period. The on-site work helped add to the vibrancy and excitement of events at the Square. Our team is looking forward to seeing what will happen next at Yonge-Dundas Square!

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plazaPOPS
Herb
Tracks on Tracks