We needed to remind potential buyers about what they already love about Mount Pleasant. We considered the neighbourhood—an area on the brink of change, yet a part of the thriving Main Street corridor. We considered the people already living in this community and those aspiring to. We identified the target as a specific group of urbanites with a taste for how the community is now: one that values lifestyle and amenities like brew pubs, delicious local food, and the proximity to transit and bike routes. From this sprang the foundation of the campaign concept and messaging: Live Pleasant. It is a fun entendre, at once a personal statement about where you live as it is an attitude.

 

We designed the Vya logo to be clean and modern to reflect the design and construction of the building, also foreseeing the possibility it may be stamped into concrete forms or walkways. The eye-popping yellow serves to almost illuminate the presentation centre during what we anticipated would be a relatively grey and flat winter—injecting life and a point of interest to the site. Speaking of illumination, we even designed a custom “Live Pleasant” neon sign for the main display wall in the presentation centre. It emanates a yellow glow that serves as a beacon with just the right touch of kitsch.

 

The design of the logo also includes a long diagonal element to lead the eye, convey a sense of motion and ascension, a nod to the future transit plans for the area and the ongoing gentrification. This element gave the overall identity an added dimension and provided for integrated directional signage when needed.

 

With a relatively lean budget to work with, the presentation centre itself is an adaptive reuse of the existing building. As such, there were limitations to what could be done. By creating tight focal points with areas of white space, clean and clear signage and a site dominated by yellow, the design was effective in drawing in viewers and delivering a clear and consistent message.