Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto (BBBST) is a not-for-profit organization near and dear to my heart. I was a Big Brother for 6 years so I was happy to provide support when, in 2013, they asked for help to rebrand their annual fundraiser – Paddle Royale.
We started with research. We consulted with BBBST leadership and the talented team of young volunteers who organized the event in the past. Our insights revealed that unlike other charitable events, Paddle Royale had an opportunity to take more risks and position itself as a bolder, more playful fundraiser.
The event was aimed at young professionals 18 to 35 years old so the chosen concept, a Mexican Luchador, focused on the event’s youthful and competitive energy. Along with the logo, we created a detailed style guide, sponsorship package, custom paddles, and t-shirts that highlighted the event’s tagline – Bring Your Game Face.
Our designs ran for several years before the team decided to switch things up. Along with an Applied Arts Award for Best Pro Bono Design our work helped the event raise over $500,000 for match programs across Toronto.