Fresh Design: Ben Leather & Associates Website

(October 8, 2010)

Ben Leather has been building websites since 1997. In internet years, that’s like a century. Of course being an excellent developer doesn’t make you a good web designer, so we worked together to build a shiny new website with clear messaging and a no-nonsense approach. You can check out all the details on the site.

And just so we’re clear: being a web designer doesn’t make you much of a developer, either – some gifted folks can pull off both, but most of us just have to accept our limitations and work with other skilled and talented individuals to put the whole puzzle together.

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Something for Everyone

(September 9, 2010)

This summer, BC Ferries wanted to promote its onboard amenities during peak travel times. I teamed up with regular Oculus collaborator Stephan Jacob to design this brochure that serves not only as an information tool, but a coupon and build-it-yourself miniature ferry. Check out all the details in the portfolio section.

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Delicious New Design for BC Ferries

(September 2, 2010)

This summer, BC Ferries launched a new Dessert Bar in their Pacific Buffet and asked me to create a series of posters, banners, screens, web ads and buffet signage to promote the new onboard calorie-fest. It was a lot of fun working on the project but I have to admit having to work very hard to not run out and satisfy daily chocolate cravings; it’s not easy looking a photos of mouth-watering chocolate all day and writing enticing copy without falling prey to a few serious lustings for dessert!

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BC Ferries/Parks Canada Coastal Naturalist Murals

(May 31, 2010)

June is almost here, and that means the BC Ferries/Parks Canada Coastal Naturalist program will be starting up again soon.

I’m very proud to have been a part of this exciting and valuable program both for 2009 and 2010. If you’re not familiar with the program: each summer, naturalists onboard BC Ferries’ main route sailings give presentations on the beautiful and diverse  Gulf Islands National Park Reserve ecosystem that you’re sailing through. These presentations are engaging and educational and great for all ages.

Each year, public feedback is overwhelmingly positive, with both visitors and locals reporting both increased conservation-oriented mindset and behavioural changes as a result of participating in the program. It’s not only a fantastic public service; it’s great branding for Ferries and Parks Canada.

I designed a series of murals (different configurations for different vessels) that form a backdrop to the presentations and extend the program beyond the presentations, highlighting some of the amazing flora and fauna found in this rich and delicate ecosystem. Each mural integrates images with maps of the region, showing locations of some of the many important species and habitats found in the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve and the areas BC Ferries sails through.

Check it out in my portfolio section and make sure you look for them the next time you sail between the mainland and Vancouver Island.

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Fresh Packaging Design: Dress Me Up Organic

(April 13, 2010)

I’ve been wanting to tackle product package design for a while now and I finally got my wish when Tressa at Dress Me Up Organic came to me needing her Teething Bonbon packaging redesigned. There were a fair number of iterations as we tweaked everything to be just right (not easy with hand-made objects as each one is slightly different!), but in the end, we came up with a simple, elegant die-cut card. Check it out in the Portfolio section.

Up next is a Point-of-Purchase display unit…

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