The Project: When the City of Kingston started their campaign to raise money for a new downtown arena, they called us to help them develop their fundraising materials.

The Challenge: Because the project was controversial from the start, the City was looking for materials that would generate excitement and buy-in from the community at large.

“We needed to position Kingston as a hub of sports and entertainment,” says Geoff Coons, assistant to Kingston Mayor Harvey Rosen. “After all, this was going to be the single largest facility between Oshawa and the Quebec border. We needed to remind people of the possibilities.”

The Solution: First, we created an identity that could get to the heart of the project. “We wanted to show the human element and the sport element and combine them in a celebration,” says BmDodo Strategic Design partner Brian Dodo.

Because the building was going to be a hockey arena first and foremost, we used hockey sticks and a puck as the logo’s key elements. We created a person made up of sticks and a puck to show the synthesis between sport and humanity.

We also wanted people to connect with the project in a personal way. We wanted it to be something they could take pride in and feel part of. We thought if there was a way that people could wear the identity, they would develop a deeper emotional connection with it. We designed t-shirts and magnets to keep the image close to people’s hearts – literally.

The Results: “The materials did a very good job of capturing the spirit of the building and reminding the community – both the supporters and the detractors – of how great a facility this can be,” says Coons. “Even people who didn’t contribute said they like the materials.”

Despite the controversy, the campaign raised $1.6 million, and the arena opened in early 2008.

Deliverables

Campaign Identity
Promotional T-shirts
Promotional Magnets
Campaign Brochure
Case for support Brochure
Roll-up banners
Bumper stickers
Outdoor Posters