CIFAR

Founded in 1982, the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research is a virtual institute dedicated to the advancement of research and knowledge on a global scale, meaning – they ask the big questions.

Driven by the momentum borne from their 25th anniversary, the Institute came to us in the hopes of finding a new visual identity that would better capture their energy and collaborative nature than their current one did.

After an extensive period of research with key stakeholders to the organization, both internal and external, we developed an identity with a nod to movement and cross-disciplinary dynamics. The palette we selected paid homage to the organization’s academic heritage, yet pushed CIFAR into a progressive and unique place visually. Three years later, the identity of the Institute still stands out in an academic research sea awash with navy and burgundy.

We completed our engagement with a brand workshop to ensure internal staff were both informed and energized about their new identity, and a renewed clarity for the future.