Below: Before and After Images in Slide Show, Summary, Credits
The Toronto architecture and design community is booming – with firms emerging to take advantage of continued economic growth in the province. According to Statistics Canada, there are roughly 50,000 designers in Ontario, over 60% of which are competing specifically in the Toronto market. Founded in 1987, Raymond Chiapetta and Associates is one of these firms.
After almost 30 years in business, the founders of Raymond Chiappetta and Associates—a Toronto-based commercial interior designer—moved on and sold the business to two of its partners. Principals Joe Trozzo and Isabelle Talbot embraced the transition as an opportunity to update their brand, bring it in alignment with their personalities, and truly take ownership of how they’re seen in the market.
Of course, rebranding a decades-old business with a large base of clients and suppliers can seem like a risky venture. Joe and Isabelle didn’t want to alienate all the relationships they’d built in that time—and through our voice of stakeholder survey, we were able to confirm that they didn’t need to worry. We conducted anonymous interviews with a representative sample of those they work with.
Our brand strategy sessions uncovered the company’s unique position in the market as “pragmatic by design.” Instead of foisting a distinct style upon every project, the team instead captures the specific and unique need of each of their clients. And meanwhile, Joe and Isabelle value perfect project management just as highly as flawless design—an important balance to strike in the commercial sector.
During the name development process, we landed on a rebrand that name-checks the company’s history while also taking it into the future. The name Ray reflects the intimate involvement that Joe and Isabelle bring to each project and to their clients’ business objectives. When you work with them, it’ll be on a “first-name basis.”
The identity itself is simple, but the fit and finish of the materials reinforce Ray’s own attention to detail. The business card’s duplex stock gives it extra thickness.
The result has been a flurry of buzz around the Ray brand, including media coverage in architectural magazines. The company has managed to build its client base, while continuing to build relationships with existing partners.
Client: Ray – www.rca.on.ca
Partner: Isabelle Talbot
Partner: Joe Trozzo
Brand Strategists/Designers: Parcel Design – www.parceldesign.com
Partner: Erin Brand
Creative Director, Partner: Gary Beelik
Designer: Jim Ryce
Designer: Kristine Do
