LESSON 5.2
REBRANDING THE TTC
INDEPENDENT STUDY UNIT
Diagram 5.2:
The Toronto Transit Commission
As we have learned, brands grow and change over time. Sometimes the change is drastic, and sometimes it’s subtle. Fonts can be changed, colours can be shifted, logos can be added, removed or modified. The addition of brand elements or changes to typography can change a brand’s identity. Sometimes, an entirely new direction is selected for a company. The challenge of the designer is to match their creative vision with the needs of the brand, the requirements of the brand owner, the expectations of the public and in some cases the history of the company or larger society.
Re-branding requires research. Designers spend lots of time thinking about a wide range of factors before ever beginning the actual task of designing an identity. The existing brand (pros and cons) project requirements, audience, the industry the company is part of, and company history are only some of the considerations that must be taken into account before addressing the task.
Based in part on the 6 steps of the Design Process we learned about in unit 1 you are to redesign the TTC’s brand identity. You will document the entire process on your website and title each section according to the section titles below. Your documentation process will be assessed for planning/process, comprehension, thinking, and communication skills.
Key concepts:
logos, wordmarks, typography, branding, taglines.
Mark Breakdown:
Part 1: Define: Written description on your website. 10 marks
Part 2: Research: Photoshop collage, JPG uploaded to your website. 10 marks
Part 3: Plan and execute. Written work + JPGs of your redesigned elements. 35 marks
Read the Creative Brief
Part 1: Define the problem
Read the TTC creative brief.
In your own words write one paragraph explaining what you have been asked to do for this assignment. Included in your explanation should be a definition of the following terms: brand, logo, wordmark, typography, and tagline. Write another paragraph explaining why the TTC is looking to make changes to their brand identity and what they hope to improve upon. Explain what you are planning to do. Each student will complete this work separately and post their written work on their website.
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signs (station identification, wayfinding, maps, etc)
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vehicles (buses, streetcars, subways, wheel-trans, etc)
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property identification (subway stations, bus stops/shelters, train depots, etc)
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stationary (letterhead, envelopes, tickets, Metropass, etc),
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uniforms
Read about the TTCs History
This example of a brandboard was created for the London Underground. It includes elements like the main logo, variations of the logo graphic used in various applications, map graphics and colours, print elements and typography samples. It also includes a demonstration of how the brand is applied to a vehicle, and commonly used wayfinding language including ‘Mind the Gap’ and ‘Way Out’. Your TTC brandboard should include similar elements.
Part 2: Collect Information
Make a Photoshop collage/brand board that includes at least 15 different elements of the TTC brand. Save your PSD locally, and your JPG on your website. Your work must be saved on your computer in your ISU folder, and a JPG of your final work must be uploaded to your website.
Mandatory
(your collage must include all of the following)
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main/primary logo and at least one alternate version of logo (black and white, alternate layout or with/without tagline
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primary colour palette
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font/typography samples and information
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at least one sample of station signage
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at least one sample of vehicle branding
Selective
(your collage must include 10 brand elements from the list below. Some may repeat e.g. you may include a male uniform and a female uniform)
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print collateral samples (business cards, promotional material, metropass, magazine ads, etc)
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route map design
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bus stop info design
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bus shelter design
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map design
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uniform branding samples
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website
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historical references/photos
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location photos
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station design
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ticket kiosk design
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station signs (Kipling station, Dundas West etc)
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other elements (turnstiles, elevators, escalators, rails, emergency buttons etc)
Part 3: Brainstorm Ideas / Develop a Solution
There are 4 mandatory elements and a number of additional elements you will select:
Mandatory
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main/primary logo
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alternate version of logo (black and white or white on black
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typography guidelines/samples
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magazine ad (or roadside billboard)
Selectived
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vehicle (bus, streetcar or subway train)
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uniform
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station sign
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street signage
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stationary (business cards, envelopes etc)
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bus kiosk
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route map design
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bus stop design
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bus shelter design
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subway map design
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token/ticket design
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station wayfinding signs samples
Some notes about this assignment. Your mark will be based on how well you are able to develop a creative solution. You should use the ‘Design Process’ to work through iterations (or versions) of your ideas. Creating a single redesigned version of the TTC logo and handing that in does not demonstrate thinking or planning. Remember that the last 4 steps of the design process are brainstorming ideas, developing those ideas, seeking feedback and improving your ideas based on the feedback. Look at this example of a fully explored logo re-design.
Digital Resources
The following are elements that might be useful for your own development of assets. You do not have to use these, and are encouraged to search out your own images to edit and customize. These are only a starting point.
Use Google to find a truckload of different stationary design templates. Remove the existing graphics, colours and branding and add your own brand.
Download an example.
These TTC vehicles include current branding and colours. Remove them in Photoshop and add your own design elements based on your redesigned brand identity.
This is an example of an officer’s uniform. You might customize it with the new colours from your brand redesign, or completely change the uniform to something more informal.
A summer uniform, maybe?
Here's an example of what you should be able to do with Photoshop. You, however, will be updating signs with the new brand, not a message.
Here’s a sample of a brand redesign created for Ontario’s GO transit.
The following are a list of reliable sources of information about the TTC.
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https://www.blogto.com/city/2013/10/ttc_unveils_new_system_map_and_wayfinding_signage/
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https://ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Operating_Statistics/2016/section_one.jsp
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https://www.blogto.com/city/2011/09/90_years_of_the_ttc_in_photos_and_videos/
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an example of a fully realized wayfinding and branding redesign for the TTC
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TTC signage system: A case study
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244 pages of rules! The TTC Wayfinding Standards Manual.