Curio Studio just turned one! After twelve years of continued success in the Edmonton design industry, Woodward Design rebranded to Curio Studio in Spring 2015.
First off: when you’re in the business of branding other companies, it can be very daunting to do your own branding. We started by interviewing some of our existing clients, getting impressions of how they saw the studio and what working with us has been like. We developed long lists of potential names, with lots of crazy options and rejects. With help from writers, designers and peers giving ideas and feedback, we settled on Curio Studio. We wanted a new name that reflected the unique ‘objects or artifacts’ we create for each of our clients, like a cabinet of curios.
The Curio visual identity began with a lengthy process of exploration, combining different tools and artifacts into an iconic logo. The oblong shape was carefully chosen to reinforce the antique nature of the business name. Many rounds of revisions were worked through on the form and typography, and the logo was critiqued by peers and mentors of the studio to make it perfect.
The end product has been described as unusual, distinct, and inherently curious, some even seeing a profiled bird within the compass. This interpretation of the logo is a great reflection of our creative process and the caliber of work we strive to produce at the studio.
In addition to the logo, we created a comprehensive colour palette, secondary graphics and unique icon system, which are utilized throughout the entire brand. Stationery, brochures, a revamped website and a social media campaign unveiled the rebrand to our existing and potential clients. For the launch event, we gave each of clients and vendors a unique copper curio object to take home, further reinforcing how much we value the relationships we have built along the way.
This has honestly been one of the best years the studio has ever had.
Thank you to all of our peers, clients and friends who have supported Woodward/Curio throughout past years and through this rebrand!
We have lots of exciting projects for 2016 on the burner for clients and plan to continue expanding the Curio brand into new directions, so stay tuned.
If you haven’t yet, follow along with us on twitter and instagram, where we post lots of images of our work and process.
Best,
Amanda, Graham & Rachel
This post was last updated on March 16, 2016 by Rachel Beyer