Katie Wilhelm

Naming, Logo, Print, and Web Design to Share Insights into the Indigenous Economy

About the Project

A Window into the Indigenous Economy

“One of Humber College’s key priorities in the pillar of accessible education is creating a culturally meaningful environment that recognizes the historical and current context of Indigenous peoples. As part of this commitment, Humber’s faculty members, researchers and scholars are continually engaging in research that seeks to integrate more Indigenous knowledge into the curriculum.

A prominent example of such a research project is Indsights: A Window into the Indigenous Economy led by Principal Investigator Audrey Wubbenhorst, professor in the Faculty of Media & Creative Arts at Humber. The research project addresses questions such as: How does Indigenous economic development challenge Western assumptions and colonization? What can be learned through examples of Indigenous economic development? What content can be created to meaningfully engage with Indigenous knowledge in the classroom?” Source: Humber College

About the Logo and Brand Design

The Name

I worked with the team to discover the vision and ethos behind the project. The name combines the words Indigenous and Insights and is combined with a tagline to illustrate this project’s mission clearly. The name was designed to be unique, enhancing the brand's search engine optimization and creating a unique name for trademark and copyright purposes.


The Logo Design

The logo design is a modern take on a braid of sweet grass which holds significant meaning to First Nations people. This symbol represents interconnections and the importance of storytelling and aims to educate others on Indigenous business practices.

There are seven pieces in the braid design, representing the Seven Generations Principle, which is that the decisions we make today should result in a sustainable world seven generations into the future. The design's outer braid and inner braid create a star shape in the negative space, forming an inspiring North star-like symbol.

This circular design also illustrates a compass with many directions representing the inclusion of diverse perspectives. This repeated pattern echoes the project’s continuous sharing of information. This styling connects the design to Indigenous ways of knowing and being.

The Colours

The colours selected are fun and positive and drawn from natural elements of land and water. This is a nod to the principle of recognizing land and water as sentient beings. The saturation of the colour palette aims to invoke happiness and a feeling of the joyful celebration of Indigenous people’s achievements.

The Font

The font used is Atkinson Hyperlegible, a typeface created in partnership with Braille Institute. It has been developed specifically to increase legibility for readers with low vision and to improve comprehension. The Indsights logo design effectively communicates the project’s nature in an accessible and strategic way.

The Case Study Designs

Media

“Humber College and the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business Partner for 'Indsights: A Window into the Indigenous Economy'“, Humber College, June 22, 2023

“Indsights: A Window into the Indigenous Economy’ Case Studies Featuring Indigenous Entrepreneurs,” Anishnaabek News, December 2, 2022.

“Digital Narratives: Insights into Indigenous Economic Development,” Humber College, July 14, 2022.

Testimonial