Cavalcade of Lights is an annual winter tradition in Toronto. It kicks off the holiday season at City Hall with the lighting of the giant Christmas Tree in Nathan Philips Square along with a concert with various musical talents from Toronto and ends off in a spectacular fireworks display set off from the roof of City Hall. Millions of Torontonians partake in the event every year.

For the 2010 event, I was asked to help create a more visually appealing identity for Cavalcade of Lights. The event has been around for over 25 years and the Special Events team at the City were looking to update the look of the identity.

Working with a wordmark which had already been approved, my task was to create a visual image that created a sense of celebration, joy and excitement. What we ended up with was a cascade of lights in festive colours. The Team was able to use the wordmark with or without the cascade depending on their needs. On the eve of the event, it was great to see the visual element used throughout the square as it had a real impact on the identity of the event.

Our department produces large scale public festivals and events for the City of Toronto. We’ve worked with BFdesign on a variety of projects, from making films that boost our social media outreach, to the creation of visual and innovative brand identities that really make our event products POP! It’s always a pleasure working with Blair – he consistently delivers creative work on time and on budget, and has become one of our most trusted ‘go to’ suppliers.

Giannina Warren, Media Relations, Economic Development & Culture

This is probably one of my favourite brands that I have designed since I began working as a graphic designer. Orchestras/Orchestres Canada was in desperate need of an overhaul to their brand. The Executive Director approached me about coming up with some concepts to help move the organization’s brand into a more modern and sleek look. The final brand image is a good meld of all that the organization stands for. The “O” is the central figure in the logo, standing for “orchestra”. It also represents sound with the coloured O’s behind it vibrating like sound waves from its centre. The coloured O’s are also a representation of the diverse membership across Canada that Orchestras Canada serves.

A note from Katherine Carlton, Executive Director:

We were trying to accomplish a number of things with our re-branding exercise: communicate the diversity and the unity of our membership, effectively demonstrate our commitment to English and French language services, and not fall into old cliches (batons, treble clefs, etcetera…) about orchestras, too. Oh, and come up with something that was good to look at, too. Blair, you managed all of this – and I’m grateful every time I see the new brand!

Katherine Carlton, Executive Director

In 2007, Theatre Passe Muraille approached me to design their marketing material for the 07/08 Season. Along with creating a marketing campaign based around the productions being presented, I helped to brand the company as it entered a new era with an entirely new artistic staff.

Theatre Passe Muraille translated into English means “theatre beyond walls”, an appropriate title for the type of productions produced by one of the founding theatres of the Toronto theatre scene. I wanted to reflect the movement of the theatre company as it moves forward in the branding.

For the 09/10 season, BFdesign was approached to redesign their website and move it onto a CMS system. I created the site using WordPress and styled it according to the look of their season brochure. The site now gives the staff the ability to update the content without relying on an outside party allowing them to save money and time.

The Ontario Nonprofit Network is one of the projects which was developed at the Centre for Social Innovation. ONN is described as:

The Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN) is a network of networks that helps to build communication and coordination amongst nonprofit organizations working for the public benefit in Ontario. We support nonprofits to have the information that they need to make their voices heard and their issues addressed.

I was asked to create a brand image for the ONN. I wanted to show the interconnectedness of the nonprofit sector in Ontario. The trillium is a well-known symbol within Ontario. As the ONN does a lot of work in regards to government policy, I felt the connection between the trillium in the Government of Ontario logo and the ONN logo was appropriate.

The annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards celebrate the enormous talent on Toronto stages each year. Produced by the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA), the awards recognize outstanding achievements in theatre, dance and opera in a variety of categories. It’s similar to the Tony Awards in New York, but on a smaller scale.

I’ve been working with the Dora’s since 2000 (this year is my 10 year anniversary with them!). Since my time with them, I have been responsible for producing the multimedia portion of the show – a visual presentation of all the nominees during the award ceremony. Since 2005, I have had the privilege of working with the production team as the Art Director, responsible for creating the printed material and overall look of the branding each year.

In 2009, the Dora Awards celebrated their 30th Anniversary. In celebration, TAPA created a limited edition 30th Anniversary poster highlighting some of the most memorable Dora-winning shows from the past 30 years.

Blair Francey is a brilliant designer. He is an absolute pleasure to work with and understands client requirements. His original designs for TAPA and the Dora Mavor Moore Awards have always been delivered on time and on budget, an important factor for many not-for-profit companies. In a highly competitive marketplace Blair’s work is exemplary.

Jacoba Knaapen , Executive Director, 
Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts

A good friend of mine from school became a yoga instructor and needed a brand and website created for her. The result was a clean design for the brand of the logo as well as a simple, but effective website.

She’s a really fantastic instructor and I would highly suggest you check out one of her classes if you are looking to take up yoga or want to further your practice.

Blair Francey’s design work surpassed my greatest expectations. He created impressive and beautiful designs that fit my needs perfectly. His work is artistic, inventive, sharp, and professional. He listened carefully to my ideas and feedback. I have nothing but glowing praise for BFdesign!

Livia Berius, Certified Yoga Teacher

FAIR Canada is an independent organization whose focus is on Canadian investors in securities regulations. As a small start-up organization, they needed a new brand which was simple, elegant and reflected their mission statement:

The mission of FAIR is to be a national voice for investors on securities regulation and a catalyst for enhancement of the rights of Canadian shareholders and retail investors.

I wanted to create something that would be simple and easy to read while fitting in with the financial institutions on Bay Street.