Case Study
Centre for International Governance Innovation
A bold new home for a different kind of think tank
The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) is a global non-partisan think tank advising influential policy makers around the world on topics ranging from global economics to global security, politics, and international law. CIGI is known for their innovative thinking and caliber of research, but the organization’s visionary, aspirational outlook was not reflected in their brand.
They listened, prompted valuable conversations, built consensus and offered effective solutions. This is a creative team with a skillful process you can trust. Spencer Tripp, Director of Communications and Digital Media
A re-branding process serves as a framework to produce a common understanding and vision of what an organization is, and becomes a guiding force internally for leadership and staff. To gain a clear understanding of CIGI, we conducted a comprehensive brand audit, consisting of in-depth interviews with stakeholders, a peer-group analysis, and a workshop with key stakeholders on-site in their headquarters in Waterloo, Canada. The outcome was a clear vision and internal manifesto that would form the basis of the brand strategy and visual redesign ahead.
Our team crafted the new brand around three core values: objective, visionary and impactful. These values are expressed through a visual identity that is minimal, clean and modern, reflecting the objective, non-partisan nature of CIGI through generous use of white space and a minimal color palette. The overall design principle removes clutter and leaves room for the issues — the important topics CIGI raises, researches and analyzes. For the new logo, the Futura typeface was chosen—rich with history, yet modern and clean in appearance. A bold line is placed above the logotype, which gives the mark weight—a roof under which ideas are created.
The new brand is bold in its simplicity, providing a visual and strategic anchor for years to come. We contributed to CIGI’s voice being heard even clearer. The results of the new strategic brand positioning and visual design equips CIGI with even more leverage on impacting global matters.
