As the world continues to adapt, businesses should be intentional to adapt their branding to directly reflect this evolution. The Toronto Public Library was founded in 1884 and has dramatically adapted and evolved over the last 130+ years.
Through my proposed rebrand, I created an entire branding package that would equip The Toronto Public Library to be confident in choosing to shift their brand.
One of my ideas behind the rebrand was that I wanted to add a greater emphasis on having the brand be bilingual. The logo design, in both French and English, serves to show that the brand is modern, adapting, and fresh. Having more than one branding collateral creates engagement and excitement between a brand and the target market. People are going to be excited to look through the different branding collateral options!
I wanted to also draw attention to how The Toronto Public Library is the biggest public library system in the world. I did this through creating a personal relationship between the audience and the library through using words like “Your Toronto Public Library” and bold words like “More” to effectively draw attention to how the library is there to equip you and that it has more to offer than you may have thought. This wording may seem subtle but creates a deeper excitement in a consumer as they are eager to know all that the library has to offer them.
I intentionally used “the” in the rebrand to emphasize the new approach of pushing both the physical and digital experiences that The Toronto Public Library has to offer. The minimal wording and bold fonts catch the eye of someone walking or driving by and allows them to quickly process what the banners are for.
With the shift towards a digital experience, I intentionally updated The Toronto Public Library’s app. By integrating the branding, ensuring that the app would be user-friendly, and maintaining a fresh aesthetic, I am confident that the app would better serve the library’s audience.
Along with the app, the business cards, and the banners, I recognized the importance of creating merchandise that would appeal to the target market. This minimalistic black canvas reusable book bag is not only branded because it has the logo on it, but the product itself is branded directly towards the audience. Products like this build rapport with an audience by showing them that their needs and desires are seen and recognized.
The final piece of the rebrand was a focus on The Toronto Public Library’s monthly feature titled May Showcase: Attributes of Fiction Literature. I drew from the bold fonts and bright colours to create a piece that would leave you wanting to learn more about the exhibit.
The entire rebrand connects the audience to the library through making them want to learn more about all the library has to offer. Through fonts cut off and words crossed out, I wanted the audience to be left wanting more—to be left wanting to gain a deeper understanding.
