Honouring Indigenous history and heritage

with CBC

What we did

  • Branding
  • Storytelling
  • Campaign graphics
  • Branding
  • Storytelling
  • Campaign graphics

What they needed

For Indigenous Peoples Day and National Indigenous History Month, CBC came to us with a special request: to design our own take on their logo, the “gem”, for their website, social platforms, and TV broadcasts. Canada’s public broadcaster is committed to narrative sovereignty—the freedom to tell our stories from our own point of view and be amplified by Indigenous creative professionals.

About the brand

The 1974 version of the gem logo reminded our creative team of a drum, an instrument used for storytelling across Turtle Island and Inuit Nunangat. We saw this as an apt metaphor for what CBC does: like a struck drum emits waves of sound or a drop sends out ripples on a pond, CBC amplifies Indigenous voices and broadcasts them throughout the world. Since our logo was also destined for broadcast, its design follows a motion-first approach, cycling through Inuit, Métis, and First Nations faces before showcasing all three together on the main face.

stars

How we helped

Indigenous Peoples are incredibly diverse and it was essential that the logo fully acknowledge this. Along with the main drum illustrations, we researched, designed, and illustrated individual drum faces representing First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, giving each its own space for recognition and reflection. We also created a storyboard and drumming audio for the animated version of the logo and illustrated backplate graphics for CBC’s digital presence.

A printed copy of the CBC NIHM brand guide
A printed copy of the CBC NIHM brand guide
A drum illustration of a caribou, snow, starts and northern lights
A colourful First Nation illustration of beads, feathers and medicines
A metis sash illustration
A red flower

Making a difference

Our illustrated gem ran on CBC’s main channel all month long. Their website and social media used our graphics to share empowering stories from Indigenous youth and Elders, reaching audiences across the country and beyond. With hundreds of likes, positive comments, and even requests for branded swag, our design called people to really listen to Indigenous voices—and they did.

An Indigenous woman wearing a branded CBC shirt and holding a tote bag.
A feather
The Metis infinity symbol
A Caribou
A star
An eagle
A CBC social media post on a phone screen.
A CBC social media post on a phone screen.
  • Lauren sketching CBC backplate graphics on a tablet seated in her home office.
  • Lauren sketching CBC backplate graphics on a tablet.
  • Melissa working on a computer screen at the office with the Metis version of the CBC logo.
  • Jennica looking at Jennifer's laptop screen with the CBC logo sketches.
  • Jennica sketching CBC logo graphics on a tablet seated in the office.
  • Pregnant Melissa and her toddler drawing the CBC Indigenous History Month logo on a tablet while seated on a couch.
  • A texture hand drum and stick.
  • Lauren sketching CBC backplate graphics on a tablet seated in her home office.
  • Lauren sketching CBC backplate graphics on a tablet.
  • Melissa working on a computer screen at the office with the Metis version of the CBC logo.
  • Jennica looking at Jennifer's laptop screen with the CBC logo sketches.
  • Jennica sketching CBC logo graphics on a tablet seated in the office.
  • Pregnant Melissa and her toddler drawing the CBC Indigenous History Month logo on a tablet while seated on a couch.
  • A texture hand drum and stick.
“The drum echoes the heartbeat of Mother Earth”

– Jennifer Taback “Miikawaadizi Waaskonee Giizis Kwe”

View more projects

  • An Indigenous young boy resting his head on his father's shoulder as they both lay on an Indigenous woven blanket. Their shirts feature the Center for Indigenous Health logos Center for Indigenous Health Logo that depicts a woven basket and plus sign

    Johns Hopkins University’s Centre for Indigenous Health

    Helping a national Indigenous health institute adapt to global realities.

  • A red-headed woman looking at a computer screen that is displaying the IPCA Knowledge Basket's website. On her desk is a cup of coffee and a small wooden mannequin used for figure drawing. IPCA Knowledge Basket logo which includes a turtle and other animals on its back

    IPCA Knowledge Basket

    Traditional teachings combine with digital technology to promote Indigenous-led conservation.

  • A smiling Indigenous family seated indoors with a grandma beading jewelry while her young granddaughter sits on her son's lap. RBC's logo of a lion next to their Indigenous partner's logo which includes feathers

    Royal Bank of Canada

    To promote RBC’s reconciliation efforts, we teamed up with some incredible Indigenous creatives.

  • CBC's National Indigenous History Month logo on a TV screen CBC's gem logo overtop an image which includes Northern lights, stars, a Metis sash and First Nation beads and medicines.

    CBC

    Canada-wide broadcasting of Indigenous voices and stories.

  • A banner for the Native Women's Association of Canada that features a cover and internal spread for the Indigenous Women's Voices of Marine Safety, Oceans, and Waterway Environmental Protection on a floral background with a blue overlay. Logo de l'Association des femmes autochtones

    Native Women’s Association of Canada

    To promote the wellbeing of Indigenous women, NWAC relies on a spectrum of print and digital materials.

  • A banner for the National Action Plan featuring a macbook mockup of the NAP website and the cover for the 2021 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. Logo du plan d'action national

    National Action Plan

    Our designs helped honour victims by inspiring hope.

  • A banner for the Canadian Federation of Students featuring a poster on a wall. The poster reads "Tuition fees have tripled since the 1990s" with further information on the inflation of tuition and student debt. The image on the poster is of an upside down graduation cap with money inside of it. Ce graphique présente le logo de la Fédération canadienne des étudiantes et étudiants, qui est une lettre indiquant cfs sur un fond blanc en texte bleu, et fcéé à côté en texte blanc. Le logo est présenté sur un dégradé de vert à bleu avec un motif de fond géométrique.

    Canadian Federation of Students

    Fewer than 40% of students across Canada were voting. We helped spark a movement to change that.

  • A banner for SOCAN TD Incubator for Creative Entrepreneurship. The image features a person in a recording studio holding a microphone. The person is wearing an Incubator sweater that features the logo in white in the centre. The sweater itself is a pink to orange gradient. On the right side of the image there are several curvy shapes in orange, purple, and red overlayed on the image. A banner for the SOCAN Foundation. The background is a person performing on stage taken from in the crowd, and there are peoples hands up in the air surrounded by blue triangles spreading towards the stage. The SOCAN Foundation logo is a word mark that reads Fondation SOCAN Foundation so it can be read in both French and English. The C in SOCAN is light blue.

    SOCAN Foundation

    To encourage emerging musicians, we remixed print, web, and event designs.

  • A banner for Indigenous Tourism Ontario. The image features a person wearing blue mittens holding an ITO mug with the winter logo on it. The ITO all seasons logo on a solid, deep purple background.

    Indigenous Tourism Ontario

    Growing Indigenous tourism started with expanding a beloved tourism brand.

  • A banner for the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum featuring an apprenticeship snapshot info card about apprenticeship registration trends. The info sheet features several circle graphs detailing how the amount of people registered to courses for certain trades has changed. A banner for the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum. To the left of the text is the logo mark which is two people inside a Maple Leaf. The background image has a purple, red, and white gradient overlayed on an image of a person climbing a hydro tower.

    Canadian Apprenticeship Forum

    Taking extra care with reports helped build bridges with a community.

  • A banner for E-Alliance featuring two iphone mockups of different pages of the E-Alliance website. The first phone features the main page, and the second phone features the How We Came to Be page of the website. The E-Alliance logo in white on a background with overlapping shapes in yellow, orange, magenta, and purple. The E-Alliance logo consists of 5 abstract people arranged in a star-like shape. The people have circular heads and bodies composed of triangles, starting with solid white at the heads that turns semi-transparent as the logo reaches its centre.

    E-Alliance

    Matching up a sports research team with a winning brand.

  • A banner for OFNTSC that features a person holding a white hard hat with the OFNTSC logo on it. The person holding the hard hat is in a bright orange high visibility vest and there is an overlay of an underwater detail on the right side. A banner for the OFNTSC. The centre of the banner displays the OFNTSC logo, which is a semi realistic feather within a circle. The entire logo is shown in different shades of orange, on a bright orange background with wavy, deep purple lines decorating the surrounding area.

    OFNTSC

    To spread the word about fire safety, we designed illustrations and videos that reached a broad Indigenous audience.

  • A banner for the ArQuives featuring a macbook and iphone spread of the ArQuives website. The macbook features the landing page of the website and the iphone features the drop down menu. A banner for the ArQuives. The ArQuives logo features a bright pink Q, and an e that consists of 4 lines. Under the main part of the logo in bright pink reads "Canada's LGBTQ2+ Archives". The logo is on a black background and features a series of pink lines in groups of 5 running through the background similar to paths.

    The ArQuives

    The world’s largest 2SLGBTQIA+ archive wanted to welcome more diverse visitors.

  • A banner for the Government of Ontario featuring an info card on sex trafficking of Indigenous youth and women. The card features information on the Human Trafficking hotline. A banner image for the Government of Ontario. The background of the image features geometric feathers in a diagonal pattern on a yellow background. There is a deep purple overlay on the entire background, and in the centre of the image, the Government of Ontario logo is displayed in white. The logo reads "Ontario" and features the 3 petalled flower symbol in black, within a white, rounded square.

    Government of Ontario

    To make it easier to use, a development guide needed some development of its own.

  • A banner for DAWN Canada featuring a young person in a wheelchair wearing a DAWN Canada shirt, smiling widely. Une image de bannière pour DAWN Canada. L'arrière-plan de l'image est violet foncé, avec un dégradé qui passe au magenta dans le coin inférieur gauche. L'arrière-plan comporte également un morceau du logo pour ressembler à un rayon de soleil en orange. Le logo lui-même est au centre de l'image. Le logo est blanc, avec un colibri illustré planant au-dessus de "DAWN".

    DAWN Canada

    Finding a more expansive, inclusive image to symbolize female resilience.

  • A banner for the Lands Advisory Board. The image consists of several pages of the LAB RC website in mobile view. The LAB logo on a blue and green background. The background is seperated by wavy lines denoting each colour, starting with a dark navy blue, transitioning into a few lighter shades of blue, with a green bottom right corner. The LAB logo is a letter mark, reading "LAB", adorned with illustrations inside the letter mark. Inside the logo features a landscape with mountains, trees, hills, and two lakes on either side, with a tepee in the centre of the A, and a sunburst in the top centre of the B.

    Lands Advisory Board

    As their influence spread across Canada, LAB needed to grow their brand and tools, too.

  • A banner for the Special Olympics Canada featuring a Try-it Day card for an obstacle course. The card features an illustration of a child on a balance beam that leads to a box to jump onto, and then three hula hoops on the ground to jump into. The back of the card gives instructions on how to set up and have fun with the course. A banner for Special Olympics Canada. The banner features an image of 5 people after a game. They're smiling widely, and the image has a red overlay with 2 wavy stripes separating a red section from a white section.

    Special Olympics Canada

    Showcasing how diverse characters can make a world of difference.

  • A banner for the Invasive Species Centre. The image features the cover of the ISC Annual Report, which has several landscapes of forests, rock faces, and a lakefront on it. The background is a rock face with lush moss on some of the rocks with a green overlay. The Invasive Species Centre logo on a background of lush green leaves. The logo itself features a skyline, trees, and water with a fish in it, all inside of a diamond shape, and the words "Invasive Species Centre" to the right.

    Invasive Species Centre

    To help protect our rugged Canadian beauty, we designed a spectrum of materials to support stopping the spread of invasive species.

VIEW OUR WORK