5
UNIVERSITIES
700+
STUDENTS
1
new brand
NETWORK OF JARISLOWSKY CHAIRS
BRAND REFRESH + INFORMATION DESIGN + SOCIAL MEDIA
The Jarislowsky Network of Chairs in Trust and Political Leadership began its brand refresh with a simple foundation: an existing logo and two core hex codes. The goal was to transform these limited visual assets into a complete, scalable brand system that could support a national network while remaining complementary to the existing identities of the five participating universities. The refresh focused on creating a digital-friendly visual language through expanded graphic elements, including abstract shapes derived from the main logo, creating a flexible toolkit that could adapt across platforms and communications. Distinctive photography was carefully curated and edited to reflect the network’s connection to Canadian leadership, featuring imagery of national landmarks, political institutions, and spaces where public dialogue takes place. Together, these elements establish a cohesive tone and visual direction for all future communications.
Beyond developing the network’s own visual identity, I also led the design process for creating promotional materials that aligned with both the new Jarislowsky Network brand system and the individual brand guidelines of all five participating universities. This required balancing a shared national identity with the unique visual standards, audiences, and communication styles of each institution.
These materials supported initiatives such as the Network-sponsored Certificate in Democratic Leadership, a two-year program led by each university chair that introduces students to the Canadian democratic process through experiential learning, discussion, and engagement with political leaders, public servants, and experts. Through this work, the brand system was translated into meaningful communications that connect directly with students across Canada while maintaining a consistent and recognizable presence.
Working on the Jarislowsky Network of Chairs in Trust and Political Leadership brand refresh was a rewarding opportunity to contribute to a national initiative focused on developing future leaders and strengthening civic engagement. Building a visual identity that could bring together multiple institutions while creating a recognizable and adaptable presence was an exciting challenge, and the result is a brand system designed to grow alongside the network.
To support the unique programming offered at each participating university, custom logos were developed for university-specific communications. Each logo builds from the core Jarislowsky Network identity while incorporating two key colours drawn from the visual branding of the individual institutions. This approach created a unified family of marks that feel connected across the national network, while allowing each university to maintain its own distinct identity and presence.
The custom university logos were designed to serve as a bridge between the national network and the local communities it supports. Rather than creating separate identities that existed independently, each mark was carefully constructed as part of a larger visual system, ensuring consistency across all five institutions. The core shapes and structure of the Jarislowsky Network identity were adapted into each variation, creating recognizable connections between universities while allowing room for individual expression. By integrating each institution’s established colour palette, the logos reflect the unique character of their campuses and communities while reinforcing the shared mission of advancing trust, dialogue, and political leadership across Canada.
The new brand system was then applied across a range of information design materials, including brochures, annual report templates, and social media content. These pieces utilize the newly developed visual language, photography style, and graphic elements to create clear, engaging communications designed for a wide audience. This work directly supports the network’s outreach to over 700 students across Canada, helping strengthen awareness, accessibility, and engagement with the opportunities offered through the program.