McKinley Studios constitutes an ecosystem of six vertically integrated studios consisting of research, architecture, interiors, art, branding and furniture. Not only does the work out of McKinley Studios push the boundaries of design—under this unique structure, McKinley’s expertise expands far beyond the conventional, and needed a new brand identity to match.

This unique group of studios, is based out of Vancouver, BC and Calgary, AB Canada, but their work can compare to the highest standards across the globe. A custom Pantone colour Pomme Grenade was developed to make a splash stand out in the industry (no other brand has this exact colour). We simplified the primary logo to remove all unnecessary letters and developed a range of alternative logos such as an extended version, a reduced version of just the backwards ‘m’ and a stacked version. This logo set gives McKinley the freedom and play to switch up their logos in a variety of applications. Simple yet effective visual elements of brand include letter overlay on key images, to distort them slightly yet give the images visual interest. Their bold design system is unique and can accommodate endless applications without feeling tired. Some of the main applications that Matter rolled out after the identity was approved included their new website, a stationery package, signage (including a 4ft ‘m’ that stands outside of the Calgary office), hoarding system, sub-brands, internal event collateral and even custom coffee packaging.