Anniversary & birthdays

Re-branding is a form of group therapy that every organization confronts as it evolves.

In addition to being celebrated with cake, anniversaries and birthdays typically mark a time of reflection. A review of what has been. A reckoning of what is still ahead.
Coincident with its 15th anniversary, Navigator is moving from its rather elegant headquarters in an iconic heritage building to expanded premises in the heart of Toronto’s financial district.

That pending change in our physical space got us thinking about change in a broader context. Specifically, how could we better reflect Navigator’s growth in size, scope and influence in our corporate brand?

To be clear, the subsequent descent into the rabbit hole of logos, typefaces and templates is hardly unique to Navigator. It’s a process that all companies undertake at some point in their history: an attempt to visually represent a corporate identity that has evolved over time.

It’s much more than a question of cosmetic surgery — eliminating a few lines, tweaking a feature or two and presenting a smooth new face.

This is complex stuff. In fact, it’s close to being a form of corporate group therapy. After all, everyone has ideas about what matters most and how to best express the values and the essence of an organization.

The exercise is not made easier by the fact it also involves synthesizing all the bits of branding that have evolved in an ad hoc way. Those who have contributed the most to that end result are often the most reluctant to relinquish the hodgepodge of the past.

Aesthetics inform this process, of course. But there’s also an essential strategic significance. In the information age, branding and logos are imperative for resonant communication across a number of internal and external channels and platforms.

For Navigator, as for other companies, the greatest challenge lay in matching our look to our position line: ‘When You Can’t Afford To Lose.’ From the outset, our guiding principle was to reflect that in our updated look.

Navigator will roll out its new look — and its new space — over the next few months. And on the occasion of our anniversary, we are renewed, refreshed, and always grateful for a remarkable 15 years.

Let us eat cake.