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A brand identity that celebrates branding’s most overlooked symbol.

Client: RGD
Agency: Rethink
Role: Digital Art Director
CD: Alex Bakker
Case: View

Client: RGD
Agency: Rethink
Role: Digital Art Director
CD: Alex Bakker

Client:   RGD
Agency:   Rethink
Role:  Digital Art Director
CD: Alex Bakker

Project Details

To celebrate the most notable branding and design from around the world, we drew inspiration from branding's most overlooked symbol: the registered trademark (®) — and used it to create the entire identity for RGD Branding Awards.

Project details

The problem

The Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) is Canada’s largest professional association for graphic designers. In 2023, they introduced the RGD Branding Awards — a new award program to celebrate the best in branding and design from around the globe.

We were tasked with the challenge of creating a brand identity for RGD Branding Awards that would attract a panel of international design judges and motivate design studios from around the world to submit entries.

The problem

The Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) is Canada’s largest professional association for graphic designers. In 2023, they introduced the RGD Branding Awards — a new award program to celebrate the best in branding and design from around the globe.

We were tasked with the challenge of creating a brand identity for RGD Branding Awards that would attract a panel of international design judges and motivate design studios from around the world to submit entries.

The problem

The Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) is Canada’s largest professional association for graphic designers. In 2023, they introduced the RGD Branding Awards — a new award program to celebrate the best in branding and design from around the globe.

We were tasked with the challenge of creating a brand identity for RGD Branding Awards that would attract a panel of international design judges and motivate design studios from around the world to submit entries.

The solution

To celebrate the most notable branding and design from around the world, we drew inspiration from branding’s most overlooked symbol: the registered trademark (®) — and used it to create the entire identity for RGD Branding Awards.

The brand identity was widely praised by the design community at large. Most notably, Brand New – the world's leading source for opinions on branding and identity design — applauded the identity for being “mesmerizing”. The ®-centric design system even won the hearts of the global design jury at Cannes Lions 2023, winning a Design Lion in the “Creation of a New Brand Identity” category — making RGD Branding Awards one of only three entries from around the world to do so, out of a possible 985 submissions.

Most importantly, the design system helped RGD Branding Awards become RGD’s most successful program launch to date — surpassing their projected
revenue from entry fees by over 200%.

The solution

To celebrate the most notable branding and design from around the world, we drew inspiration from branding’s most overlooked symbol: the registered trademark (®) — and used it to create the entire identity for RGD Branding Awards.

The brand identity was widely praised by the design community at large. Most notably, Brand New – the world's leading source for opinions on branding and identity design — applauded the identity for being “mesmerizing”. The ®-centric design system even won the hearts of the global design jury at Cannes Lions 2023, winning a Design Lion in the “Creation of a New Brand Identity” category — making RGD Branding Awards one of only three entries from around the world to do so, out of a possible 985 submissions.

Most importantly, the design system helped RGD Branding Awards become RGD’s most successful program launch to date — surpassing their projected revenue from entry fees by over 200%.

The solution

To celebrate the most notable branding and design from around the world, we drew inspiration from branding’s most overlooked symbol: the registered trademark (®) — and used it to create the entire identity for RGD Branding Awards.

The brand identity was widely praised by the design community at large. Most notably, Brand New – the world's leading source for opinions on branding and identity design — applauded the identity for being “mesmerizing”. The ®-centric design system even won the hearts of the global design jury at Cannes Lions 2023, winning a Design Lion in the “Creation of a New Brand Identity” category — making RGD Branding Awards one of only three entries from around the world to do so, out of a possible 985 submissions.

Most importantly, the design system helped RGD Branding Awards become RGD’s most successful program launch to date — surpassing their projected revenue from entry fees by over 200%.

The solution

To celebrate the most notable branding and design from around the world, we drew inspiration from branding’s most overlooked symbol: the registered trademark (®) — and used it to create the entire identity for RGD Branding Awards.

The brand identity was widely praised by the design community at large. Most notably, Brand New – the world's leading source for opinions on branding and identity design — applauded the identity for being “mesmerizing”. The ®-centric design system even won the hearts of the global design jury at Cannes Lions 2023, winning a Design Lion in the “Creation of a New Brand Identity” category — making RGD Branding Awards one of only three entries from around the world to do so, out of a possible 985 submissions.

Most importantly, the design system helped RGD Branding Awards become RGD’s most successful program launch to date — surpassing their projected
revenue from entry fees by over 200%.

"As unexpected as it is impactful”

STRATEGY MAGAZINE

"As the UX Strategist, I felt incredibly lucky to work as part of a team where everyone, from our designers to the marketing team on the client side to the developers, all kept the user top of mind throughout the entire process.”

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A brand identity that celebrates branding’s most overlooked symbol.

A brand identity that celebrates branding’s most overlooked symbol.

A brand identity that celebrates branding’s most overlooked symbol.

A brand identity that celebrates branding’s most overlooked symbol.

A brand identity that celebrates branding’s most overlooked symbol.

Project Details

Project Details

Project Details

The problem

The problem

The problem

The solution

The solution

The solution

The solution

"As unexpected as it is impactful”

"As the UX Strategist, I felt incredibly lucky to work as part of a team where everyone, from our designers to the marketing team on the client side to the developers, all kept the user top of mind throughout the entire process.”

Want to know more about other projectsand ideas I’m working on? Sign up to my monthly email list.

That was a lot of scrolling.Reward yourself by signing upfor my monthly email list.

That was a lot of scrolling.Reward yourself by signing up for my monthly email list.

Explore the work.

That was a lot of scrolling.Reward yourself by signing upfor my monthly email list.

That was a lot of scrolling.Reward yourself by signing up for my monthly email list.

Want to know more about other projects
and ideas I’m working on? Sign up to my monthly email list.

That was a lot of scrolling.
Reward yourself by signing up
for my monthly email list.

That was a lot of scrolling.
Reward yourself by signing up for my monthly email list.

That was a lot of scrolling.
Reward yourself by signing up
for my monthly email list.

That was a lot of scrolling.
Reward yourself by signing up for my monthly email list.