When we dissected our entrepreneurial approach, we realized that before we build things we tend to tear stuff apart. This inspired us to deconstruct the letter M to form an icon, consisting of 1 + M. From there we exploded the rest of the wordmark and noticed the power of these unique pieces. This was kinda what unlocked everything as our exploded logo would create a library of unique artifacts that would represent what OneMethod is all about: a bunch of different folks with different skillsets, fitting together under one method to shatter the stuff we think we know (advertising, design, taco restaurants etc…) in order to build new iterations of all these things. And with that, the artifacts became the root of our new branding system, where they now inform pretty much any and every visual expression or representation of the brand.

This new system has been integrated into everything. From massive decals on our shared office spaces and tiny patterns subtly stamped onto our Word docs and Keynote templates, to notebooks, business cards, a pressed vinyl mixtape, our bathroom signage, and even custom basketballs for our new court. For business cards, each person got 5 and must decide who is sponge-worthy. Each card is numbered out of 5 like an art print, and entirely unique, and they all form like a puzzle, aligning to other cards where artifacts are cropped/connected at the edges. For the vinyl record, we actually made an original mixtape with a local DJ, the pressed the vinyl and sent them out to our family, friends, and media. We’ve also custom-made skateboard griptape, fridge magnets, laptop decals, and 3D statues of the artifacts just because 3D printers are awesome.

Result-wise, the rebrand was featured in a number of local industry publications and has already earned some design awards. The office space itself, prominently featuring the system, has also been featured in local and international publications. But most importantly, the biggest result is that this system has given our creative team an absurdly flexible and inspiring toolkit to work with.

OneMethod is a Toronto-based creative studio that has been making things since 2001. When our shop turned 16 last year we felt like we needed to refresh our visual identity to match our maturation. You know, like any 16-year-old. The previous visual representation of the brand, originally designed 10 years ago, was based on the idea that we were super digital and super different. But the objective for this brief was to match our current vibe and approach, which has slowly evolved to be almost entirely about our entrepreneurial spirit and our destructive approach to creation. Basically, when we make an omelet, we tend to burn down the whole kitchen. And budget-wise, we were looking at under $5,000 in hard costs and the scale is somewhat of a shifting target because we keep expanding the reach of the system.