Hot off the press – literally, as the sheets are still warm! – BONE Structure’s latest communication piece is quite innovative.

This standard-sized brochure unfolds multiple times, ultimately becoming a large 24’’ x 36’’ poster. Physically interacting with the piece makes it a more engaging read, and the progressive unfolding plays on the reader’s curiosity.

Black and white images with a silky finish are complemented with bold, bright red headlines. It was possible to print this original design at more than reasonable costs, considering the very large volume (over 20,000 copies). The overall document follows the graphic platform previously designed to build on the existing brand image.

Titled Incomparable – following the company’s most recent advertising campaign – the document details architectural features that are much harder to construct using conventional building methods, when compared to BONE Structure’s lightweight steel system.

Once completely unfolded, the document becomes a dramatic poster showing the naked steel structure.

• Design: Judith Mathieu
• Copywriting: Jean-François Major
• Photography: Frank Desgagnés
• Rebranding strategy: Jean-François Major

Launched in February 2010, Silver Star Mercedes-Benz’s Sprinter microsite showcases the brand’s specialized vehicle.

Meant as a reference for contractors and professionals looking for a versatile vehicle, the Sprinter website features a clean, user-friendly interface and shows the wide variety of Sprinter vehicles available. From entry-level to custom models, from financing to exclusive dealer benefits: the website features a lot of content, but a search button makes it easier to find precisely what you’re looking for.

The website was also designed to be compatible with most mobile devices.

• Web design and integration: Olivier Fortin

There’s a saying in French that goes: se prendre pour le nombril du monde. While it truly means to think one is God’s gift to mankind, it would literally translate as acting like the world’s bellybutton.

You’ve certainly met with people like that. I remember a girl I once studied with: a brilliant, committed, straight-A student – and pretty good-looking too. But it feels like she’d start every single sentence with “Me, I…”. “Me, I think the green looks prettier.” “Me, I think this font would be nicer”.

Too many websites and company brochures are written with “Me, I” in mind. Clichés like “the North American leader” and “our established company counts on specialized experts with over 40 year experience” pack a lot less punch that you’d think.

You won’t win clients over with a lengthy monologue about yourself. It’s better to show how you’re listening, how you’re interested, how you understand their needs and how you’re the company best positioned to answer them. There’s a reason why “YOU” is considered a top power word in advertising – it comes right after “FREE”.

Persuasive copywriting stays away from self-centered copy

When writing, the client should always be your focus. “YOU” and “YOUR” establish a dialogue between you and your client. A quick way of checking if copy is sufficiently client-focused is to highlight all words like “YOU” and “YOUR” in red, and all “WE” and “OUR” in green. If there’s a lot of red and little green, it doesn’t look good. Give it a try: even this article follows that principle!

So, what about you? Is your copy about your clients, or about your bellybutton?

To read the first part, click here.

Brand storytelling creates value: it’s a subtle form of advertising that creates interest by appealing to your clients’ imagination. Unlike “hard sell” advertising – which shouts and begs for your attention – storytelling makes people want to listen, want to learn more.

Just like there are many great storytellers, from Bob Dylan to Stephen King, there are many ways of telling your brand story.

**Winner of a BRONZE Summit Award**

After successfully rebranding the Silver Star Montréal logo, we’ve designed a high-end brochure that highlights benefits exclusive to Canada’s largest Mercedes-Benz dealership.

Two years have passed, and the advertising platform we designed for the Palais des congrès de Montréal still stands out.

Behind the colours, you’ll find … is a reference to the signature stained glass windows that make the Palais des congrès de Montréal so distinctive. Behind them, you’ll find people of passion, committed to each event’s success. The platform makes it easy to adapt the advertising to any situation: it’s just a matter of filling the blank with whatever the Palais wishes to promote.

The focus point of each ad is the portrait of an employee or partner, posing in front the building’s stained glass windows. Careful structure and transparency support the brand image and overall theme.

Featuring strong design and an easy-to-customize template, this advertising platform helps achieve better production flow throughout the year.

• Art direction: Phillippe Ryan
• Copywriting: Jean-François Major
• Photography: Claude Charlebois

Parabox, a partner of SIC, produces an innovative modular-panel system for designing clean rooms.

The overall brand image has a clean, sober feel, fitting the industry. The logo shows careful alignments and a stylized “X” representing panel divisions seen from above. The color green represents the product’s environmentally-friendly attributes, the panels being 100% recyclable.

Since its official launch a few months ago, the Auroral Doors & Windows website has shown increasing traffic. The website is both detailed yet user-friendly, making it possible to quickly find the doors and windows that best fit your project. The different products are presented in an interesting, interactive way, while a media section features multiples videos showing various steps of the manufacturing process.

• Design and web integration: Olivier Fortin

The times they are a-changing, and branding a-changes along with them. So we’ve updated our kreative rebranding book with some new work. Take a look!

Download our book
(This revised edition has a lot of content, and might take a little more time to download)

Holà ! The El Ranchero frozen quesadillas, in their sad old packaging, were in dire need of a creative facelift to evoke Mexican cuisine’s spicy flavors.

We were inspired by the friendly jalapeño-shaped logo and designed a packaging featuring bold, festive colors. Clear information layout allowed us to highlight the gorgeous product shot, a key element for frozen food packaging.

The signature features multiple shadows, outlines, gradients and decorative elements to further highlight the brand’s light humor.

• Art direction: Judith Mathieu
• Photography: Claude Charlebois