The Story of Studio Locale

The locale in a story influences the characters greatly. It is not just the setting of where the story takes place, but also the history and backstory between the characters and their surroundings. It forms the characters and contributes to who they are. The choices they make throughout the story are forged by their past experiences and interactions. Without this type of setting and character development, the story will often feel flat, barely scratching the surface of what makes the characters relatable, interesting and engaging.

Successful branding and marketing requires a similar locale development to give the (insert appropriate – logo, campaign, message, website, etc.) a genuine authenticity that will resonate with, feel natural to and engage with its community. What is the history of the company or founder that brought it to this point? How does the vision or goals for the brand fit in with the current environment? What are its essential values? Without developing this part of the brand’s narrative, similar to an underdeveloped story locale, it will feel thin and unsteady amidst the sea of competing brands. It will fall short of standing out and being memorable (or stand out and be memorable for all the wrong reasons!)

At Studio Locale we are a team of experts at uncovering those experiences that shape brands – mainly because of what has shaped us! We come together from different backgrounds, bringing unique perspectives, experiences and insights to each of our projects.

We are open to new ideas, don’t claim to be experts on everything, love to learn and hear different perspectives. Each new interaction, both inside and outside of the studio, influences how we approach the challenges brought to us by our clients.

Bringing over 20 years experience of building brands, designing logos, creating websites and producing marketing materials, we understand where design and communications has been and where it is today. We watch for new trends, new tools and new ways of connecting with clients and the communities that shape the space where brands live.

Here’s a bit of insight into each of our journeys up to this point.

Anson

Anson has been building websites and applications for more than 20 years. With a never-ending desire for continuous learning, he has enjoyed the journey from building basic websites in the late 1990s to evolving his skills to combine strategy, user experience, marketing and the technical know-how that is required to produce a successful project today. Always focused on the customer experience, Anson views digital experiences through the eye of the user to build solutions that meet their needs while supporting the goals of your organization. And Anson has been a champion of accessible websites long before current AODA regulations mandated it – another layer of the customer experience at the forefront of site designs!

Erynn

After 10 years of running her own spa, Erynn decided to make a career change into graphic design – a field she was always drawn to and practiced while owning her own business. Her passion for design allows her to always strive for the best possible solution, pushing her own limits and those of design. She loves learning and figuring out new ways to tackle design obstacles. And when not designing, Erynn spends her free time with her family, going on lots of little adventures and acting like a kid again, feeding her soul and providing inspiration for the next challenge.

Jess

A recent graduate from Conestoga’s Graphic Design Program, Jess is a hard working and passionate designer. She has always enjoyed all things art, and now gets to pursue her passion as a career. Always learning, Jess enjoys finding new and creative ways to bring clients’ ideas to life. When not designing, she can be found at the hockey rink or reading a book.

Moayad

A graduate from Sheridan College’s Software Engineering program, Moayad started his development career as a full-stack developer but his true passion lies in front-end development. His keen eye for the details and visual balance enables him to fine tune the user experience on websites and bring the design concepts to life. Outside of development he enjoys learning something new, watching his favourite shows, and playing video games.

Truc (TT)

TT moved to Canada from Vietnam where she managed marketing activities for international brands Huggies and Abbott, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge in brand management, strategy, product development / launch, marketing strategy and execution. TT’s expertise provides her the ability to assess which marketing activities are required to achieve the objectives and then execute on them flawlessly. When not building marketing strategies and campaigns, she fills her time exploring and watching princess movies (reluctantly!) with her daughter.

Philip

From his early days, Phil was always creating. Sketching, building, and creating filled his days, providing him with opportunities to further develop his talent and before graduating from high school, he had designed the commemorative street banners for the opening of Kitchener’s new city hall. He honed his craft at OCAD (before the U), guided by iconic Canadian designers, and then on to two agencies where he supported some of the largest Canadian companies alongside boutique brands. But Kitchener was still home and creating a studio had been a long-time goal so he made the switch to build a studio in Kitchener. Phil continues to balance art and design to develop creative solutions that deliver results with an unexpected flair.

Robin

Starting with a successful career in corporate communications, marketing and client services at two of Canada’s largest communications companies, Robin was given the opportunity to make a change and build the studio with her partner-in-life, Phil. While the timing for the move wasn’t the best with two small kids at home, the lure of launching something together in a community she loves was too much to resist. That continued tenacity and desire to help other companies grow to their greatest potential drives Robin every day to build the best brand for all of the studio’s clients.

You can learn more about the creative and professional services we offer our clients here at Studio Locale.