Cambrian College Wins National Award for Brand Redesign

SUDBURY – Cambrian College has won a national award for its new brand identity and logo.

Cambrian took home an In-House Design Award of Distinction this year from the Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD). The award was given to Cambrian on May 27 at the Association’s DesignThinkers conference in Vancouver.

Cambrian’s new brand and visual identity was created by the college’s own marketing team, with the design led by alumni of Cambrian’s Graphic Design program. Members of the team include:

•  Graphic Designers: Amy Richard, Matthew Lehtelä
• Director, Marketing, Recruitment and Student Success: Renée Scott
• Marketing Manager: Kerri Jokinen
• Marketing Officer: Jessica Davidson
• Video/Multimedia Specialist: Paul Hamilton

This award also recognizes two local firms that supported the visual elements of the college’s rebrand:

• Photographer: Tennille Heinonen, flofoto
• Digital Support for Brand Guidelines Website: Studio123

“It is an honour to be recognized with an award of this calibre from peers in the national design community,” says Kerri Jokinen, Cambrian’s manager of marketing. “The rebrand was this team’s largest and most ambitious project to-date, requiring a balance of strategy, collaboration, creativity, and sheer determination. This team works tirelessly behind the scenes to support marketing and design initiatives at all levels of the college, so it is great to shine the spotlight on the people behind the work, and to have their efforts validated in such a tremendous way.”

This year, RGD received over 250 entries from across multiple sectors such as post-secondary education, health care, financial services, retail, and arts and culture. The panel of 17 judges included in-house leaders from organizations such as Scotiabank, Laura Canada and the Royal Alberta Museum.

“I selected this project as my Judge’s Pick because it skilfully combines creativity with depth,” explains Cole Nicks, a registered graphic designer and one of this year’s judges. “The design cleverly references the dragon as a symbol, connecting it with the brand’s heritage through the use of flame imagery. Additionally, the candle symbolism adds layers of meaning, invoking ideas of knowledge and enlightenment. What makes this entry stand out is its simplicity and timeless appeal. Among all the submissions reviewed, this creative stood out for its ability to captivate with its impactful yet straightforward design. It’s a great example of how creativity can be used effectively in visual communication, showcasing the power of thoughtful symbolism and minimalist design to convey a rich narrative in a visually striking manner.”

Cambrian’s rebrand was undertaken to modernize the college’s visual identity to better reflect Cambrian’s evolution as a global institution. Cambrian’s new logo consists of two twisting shields that represent innovation and new perspectives that come with education. The flame symbolizes enlightenment and includes an element from the previous dragon logo. A fresh typeface, expanded colour palettes, and an extensive photo library are among the other elements of the new brand that can be found in the college’s digital brand guidelines.

Learn more about Cambrian’s new brand identity at www.cambriancollege.ca/brand.