You might think there’s not much to be said about a soft drinks store. But if you have a few minutes to take a look at Galco’s Soda Pop Stop video presentation, you just might have to drop by next time you’re in Los Angeles.

Details make the magic: glass bottles, the owner’s overflowing enthusiasm, his “perfect granddaddy” looks, unusual flavors (like cucumber cola). Everything blends together to tell the charming story of this unusual shop from around the corner, one that feels true and welcoming.

Small businesses are always looking for ways to compete with larger ones. Galco’s Soda Pop Stop is miles ahead of any local supermarket in its specific niche. He has so much more to offer than cheap soft drinks. His clients can enter a wonderful world of exotic and surprising flavors: his world.

That’s what brand storytelling is about. But how can you leverage that potential?

The Laval scientastique! project was created with the help of multiple local development organizations to promote scientific culture on the Laval island. To this day, the theme was used as part of a series of activities during spring break, but additional ambitious projects are in development. Laval scientastique! aims to become a rallying brand for the local scientific community.

The name was coined to clearly communicate the ideas of Laval and Science, through a distinctive sound and feel. The name brings together all kinds of people: kids, teenagers, families and citizen alike.

The silhouette evokes the idea of accessible science, science that’s part of our daily lives. The character’s multiple components band together to create a greater whole, just like Laval scientastique! was created through the combined efforts of various companies, organizations and government initiatives.

The signature uses two complementary fonts: one being serious, structured and balanced, a reference to the City of Laval’s logo, while the second one is more human, fluid and expressive.

• Art direction: Martine Paquette
• Copywriting: Jean-François Major

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.

**Winner of a BEST OF SHOW Summit Award**

To promote its new positioning as Montreal’s true design center, the Carré Union hired us to design a promotional piece meant to reach designers and architects. Competing for the attention of such a demanding audience was no easy task, requiring us to tap into our deepest creative reserves. The result: a massive brochure that showcases 13 merchants’ unique refinement.

The BONE Structure construction system uses lightweight steel pieces that fit together like a MECCANO construction set. The system makes it possible to build strong, modern houses with distinct flair. Based in Laval, the company is about to launch an aggressive print campaign.

We recently established detailed brand guidelines to make the BONE Structure image as distinctive as its architecture.

Where did we turn to for inspiration?

Cavavin is a wine cellar manufacturer whose products are sold throughout Canada and the US. Back in 2007, the product offering was confusing: clients and distributors had a hard time making sense of the numerous models and options available. It was time for a clean up.

We reviewed the different cellars and grouped them into three categories. We came up with an evocative name and signature for each, leading to the 2008 launch of three distinct brands:

• SOBRA for small capacity, silent cellars.
• URBANIA for entry-level units, featuring a modern look that appeals to the urban crowd.
• Finally, MAJESTIKA for high-end stainless steel or solid wood cellars, marketed at true wine enthusiasts.

Now that the product offering was clear, it was just a matter of applying the new brand image to the rest of the corporate material.

**Winner of a GOLD Summit Award**

During Finepoint’s 15th Circuit Breaker Conference (October 2008), AREVA T&D hosted a guided tour of its Charleroi, PA plant. To make the visit more interesting, we came up with a theme that borrowed from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (which had been very popular that summer).

Distinctive imagery, where jungle and ancient Mayan structures covered high voltage equipment, added a sense of adventure to the day. The theme was adapted on numerous items…

How would your tagline sound like in “jive”? How about in hacker-speak? Or by a Swiss chef? Spice up your day by submitting your company’s tagline to the Dialectizer.

Cavavin’s jive tagline packs quite a punch: « Yo’ wine-keepuh’ »!