Good design shines

It's not uncommon for designers to be congratulated for a job well done.

It is, however, a little more unusual for their clients to be recognized for taking a chance on what some might call unnecessary.

Those who create brands, and those who have had brands created, know just how valuable a logo can be, though. To show their appreciation for those who have taken a chance, paid a designer, and watched what came from it, the Sudbury Design Society once again handed out Good Design Awards.

This is the second time the SDS has awarded local businesses with awards in the organization's four-year history.

In an effort to better showcase the effectiveness of design to businesses, two forward-thinking local companies were put in the spotlight. Stéphane Gauthier, cultural director of Carrefour francophone de Sudbury, and Mark Gregorini, proprietor of Ristorante Verdicchio, accepted awards on behalf of their organizations for the design work they had done.

Gauthier was standing next to designer Christian Pelletier while holding the framed award from SDS. Pelletier was responsible for the early stages of the Carrefour francophone's new imagine. He created the La Slague brand, which garnered quite a bit of “buzz” before beginning work on Carrefour work.

“We really had to change the image,” Gauthier said.

Before the redesign, Carrefour was working with a look that was as old as it was — and it certainly didn't reflect the spectrum of what the organization does.

The new image, according to Gauthier, lends itself well to the variety of what Carrefour does, from child-care services to concert promotion, in a light, fluid visual.

While it was nice to be in the spotlight, Gauthier said he was most happy to win the award because “it's for the right reasons.”

Much like Carrefour, the SDS Good Design Awards are interested in making Sudbury a better place to live, he said. Whether it's by providing a more vibrant cultural landscape or offering a safe place for children to be, it's all adding to quality of life in the city.

“Design is part of it,” Gauthier said.

Frank Chartrand, president of the SDS, said both winners are deserving of recognition for the chance they took on design.

“They both put the faith in different designers to make something happen,” he said. “(They have) the interest in making Sudbury a greater place to live.”

He said the SDS's board of directors is tasked with selecting winning designs.

With more events like this, Chartrand said he's looking forward to more businesses striving for purposeful design to compliment their purposeful work in the community.

For more information about the SDS, visit www.sudburydesignsociety.com.