CSA Group

The Problem

As a leader in standards research, development, education and advocacy, CSA Group had helped improve the safety of people in Canada for nearly a century. Over that time, it had also achieved significant global expansion, including the U.S. market, which added sizable competition. Realizing that its brand expression and position did not adequately reflect its innovation and full potential as an organization, CSA Group needed to elevate its presence as an undisputed industry leader—and prepare itself for the next hundred years.

The Solution

OX partnered with CSA Group to rethink its overall brand strategy, crafting a new purpose statement and redefining the brand’s personality, identity and expression system. To bring the evolved brand to life, we created comprehensive guidelines with a redesigned website and a full suite of integrated marketing communications and templates. We then launched the brand through a series of new materials commemorating CSA’s Centennial Celebration, engaging both internal and external audiences.

Services

Research & Insights
Brand Strategy
Identity & Voice
Brand Planning
Website Design
Physical & Digital Experiences
Advertising

Brand Strategy

At a brand level, the team identified a number of core strengths in CSA Group, culminating in a new articulation of the organization’s purpose: to hold the future to a higher standard. We then dimensionalized these ideas into a redefined brand personality and voice.

Brand Identity

Given the iconic stature of CSA Group’s identity, the team chose to evolve the existing logotype rather than reinvent it. We heightened focus on the certifying mark, establishing a deeper connection between the organization’s core “product” and its identity.

Brand Expression

We then constructed an expression system that would modernize the brand toward that of a global leader, balancing conventions of graphic elements and tone with the need for flexibility across multiple applications. Detailed brand guidelines documented these updates to ensure consistent use in the years ahead.

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Website Design

Designing the experience of a new CSA Group site required attention to a variety of stakeholders, regional requirements, content types and actions. Beyond reflecting the latest iteration of the brand and its character, the site provides a simple and intuitive user experience—even while navigating complex subject matter. A global photography shoot gathered an on-brand image library befitting the organization’s expansive presence.

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Brand Photoshoot

A global photography shoot gathered an on-brand image library befitting the organization’s expansive presence. We created over 10,000 new images, shot across nine cities in five countries.