LG2 designed Ontario Cannabis Store’s “Buzzkill” pop-up from top-to-bottom including the identity, packaging on the shelves, giveaway merch and posters. The pop-up kicked off a campaign that included 15-second digital and radio spots, OOH, and organic and paid social.
Progress is one of those slippery words that linguistics profs like to call an “empty signifier.” It can mean many different things, depending on the context. In tech, it means innovation. In the creative space, it means expanding your skills. In the workplace, it can mean ESG.
At LG2, it means all three. According to partner and chief creative officer Josh Stein, “Standing still in any industry is dangerous. We leverage the power of creativity and technology to unlock the full potential of our clients’ brands. It’s about advancement and helping make a positive change in the world.”
Tapping into Domino’s fast food fanbase, the “Trade Secrets” campaign asked for tips online and via a mobile billboard at competing chains in exchange for the brand’s own best-kept secret: pan pizza.
One positive change is LG2’s B Corp certification. Certified B Corps must consider their environmental and social impact on all stakeholders in their ecosystem and measure their progress against it. The ultimate goal is to transform the economic system into a more inclusive, equitable and regenerative global economy.
“The Orange” is an emotional 3-minute spot broadcast at its full length on TV to tell the story of illness from a child’s eyes and help raise money for the CHU Ste-Justine Foundation Quebec’s largest mother-and-child hospital.
A manifestation of this is LG2’s approach to ESG in their work. “We are baking ESG factors into our strategic and creative process,” explains partner and chief creative officer Nicolas Baldovini. “We have impact metrics and goals and we are actively promoting this model to clients.” Examples include the Spirit of Sustainability and Pride programs for the LCBO, or the annual ESG report for Quebec’s Fonds de solidarité (FTQ), the province’s largest development capital investment fund.
Baldovini says these are sincere efforts that both help attract new talent and reinforce the authenticity of LG2’s messaging. “We’re working with a new generation and the pursuit of progress is something very important for them,” says Baldovini.
To launch National Bank’s new personal finance series on International Women’s Day, LG2 took over the covers of popular magazines to flip the script on how society typically talks to women about finances.
This investment, alongside growing its in-house capabilities, has allowed the agency to redefine itself as a diversified “brand experience agency.” While every agency has a pitch slide that says, “We do everything,” Stein agrees that’s only true in the sense that large networks outsource. LG2 has that slide in their pitch deck too, but all the disciplines are under one roof.
The idea of progress also applies to LG2’s business model, which has seen it embrace niche specialties such as spatial design. Started 10 years ago, the specialty in architecture has enabled it to solve client problems with what the team calls “total brand experience.” A recent example is the rebranding of the Ashton QSR chain in Quebec, where LG2 tied everything together from store interiors to product packaging and brand identity.
To promote chicken as the ultimate source of protein for Chicken Farmers of Canada, LG2 designed a large, heavy billboard that was carried around Toronto by bodybuilders to prove that Canadian-raised meat makes you stronger.
Critical to all of this is building relationships with progressive clients. What marks a client as progressive by LG2’s standards? “A progressive brand is ambitious, innovative, sustainable and future proof. I would call Bell progressive for embracing mental health issues,” Stein refects. “Hydro-Quebec is progressive for focusing on energy transition and using immersive digital to engage with a younger generation.”
A first-ever brand identity, a website, and a manifesto video were built to help startup Halo Dental successfully launch its pre-orders and the first step to disrupting the dental hygiene technology industry.
An example, LG2’s recent campaign for Ontario Cannabis Store called “Buzzkill.” The objective was to urge cannabis users to shop legal. LG2 opened an activation on Toronto’s Queen Street that looked like a regular cannabis retailer, but inside presented customers with information on the benefits of legal products.
Ashton’s brand redesign is a perfect blend of modernity and tradition that pays homage to Quebec’s most popular poutine chain. LG2 tied every part of the brand together from the new logo to the paper packaging to the interior design of the restaurant.
Elsewhere, LG2 worked with Techaide to combat intolerance and hatred in in-game chat rooms. They created a platform for the charity’s
annual GG Aide fundraiser that celebrates the vibrant diversity of gamers, using six different animated characters, an event and a new website.
One of six unique animated characters designed for GG Aide to help raise money and call attention to more inclusivity in gaming. All characters come to life on the conference’s interactive website.
Then there is Halo Dental. “Halo is a young dental equipment start-up that wanted to shake up the category,” says Baldovini. “It has created a ‘fog-free’ dental mirror that looks and feels like something that came out of Apple’s product design department. We worked with them on branding, developed the e-commerce website and a brand activation kiosk, delivering a multi-faceted package.” Halo’s invention went on to win a prestigious Red Dot Innovation award for product design.
The progress message is helping LG2 with new business, including furniture manufacturer Keilhauer, Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources, iGaming and Hydro-Quebec. Recent industry recognition includes Design Agency of the Year from the ADCC, a silver strategy Design AOY, and being ranked fifth on strategy’s Creative Report Card.
How’s all that for progress?
CONTACT:
Julie Dubé
Partner, Executive Vice-President, Growth
julie.dube@lg2.com
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