Calgary is a vibrant city full of open minds and boundless ambition; diverse neighbourhoods; a history of innovative startups across every industry. It’s consistently ranked as one of the best cities in the world to live. It’s the epitome of endless potential.
But there was a problem — the current and historic city brands no longer reflected what Calgarians know to be true of the city. Research showed a majority of citizens felt it didn’t resonate with them. Perceptions across Canada were similarly skewed towards a single-dimensional understanding of who we are.
We needed a new city brand that captured who Calgary is. Not who Calgary was.
Research uncovered three truths about Calgary:
These truths all pointed towards one thing: we are the Blue Sky City.
We created a visual language inspired by beadwork, a cross-cultural art form where individual elements come together to form something strong, beautiful, and greater than the sum of its parts — a balance of individuality and collective identity. This is reflected in a dynamic logo system, and a broader visual language of beadwork and patterning.
Our typography is big and generous, and allows us to make bold, impactful statements whilst still retaining that world-famous Calgarian friendliness and positivity. This is accompanied by a palette of bright, primary colours. These colours have an inherent simplicity with a childlike optimism and vibrance, and serve as the foundation for all other hues.
These elements all come together to deliver a bright, bold, and iconic reinterpretation of Calgary; one that is true now, and has been true since the First Peoples set foot on this land. This is a brand that can be used easily by all civic partners, and one all members of the public can embrace and be proud of, here in the Blue Sky City.
To learn more, visit blueskycity.ca
