We looked to other “crowd funding” platforms like KickStarter and IndieGogo for inspiration on what a platform could be. 

Creating just another funding app was not the answer for Make Something Edmonton — we took the base crowd-funding idea and built on it for the specific audience of this project. Working with the task force, we fleshed out their ideas and built a platform that allows users to post projects, big or small, in order to demonstrate what they are making (or have made) in Edmonton. Project profiles have flexible action buttons that help raise funds, round up volunteers or simply generate buzz.

We created a custom web platform allowing “makers” to create profiles that show off their projects and creative communities. In addition to building the maker platform, Make Something Edmonton needed to represent themselves visually. We set out to craft a visual identity to better attribute the efforts of the team and of the makers in Edmonton.

Creating a visual identity that supports the growth of a broader brand of the city was all about restraint.

After exploring a number of “creative” options, we set out to design a strong and supportive brand image to champion the acts of others. This meant sacrificing the opportunity to visually stand out. Instead, to truly echo Edmonton’s “bizarrely cooperative” nature, Make Something Edmonton’s visual identity naturally took a supporting role, providing a platform for the makers of Edmonton to tell their own stories.