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How A Logo Became A Brand's Life Force Through Design
Seven years ago,
a Canadian wholesaler supplying Dollarama approached us with a challenge: create a logotype for their pet product brand, Sam 'N' Maizie. The name itself was quirky , fun, and playful—but it wasn ’t easy to design for . Plus, designing for a Dollar store brand meant diving int o the world of " no-name " branding—a space wher e standing out while looking low-cost is a delicate balancing act.
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Designing a logo for this market is complex. It’ s much easier t o create a luxurious br and where every detail screams pr emium. But here? The challenge was to balance approachable, low-priced aesthetics with meaningful design. We had to create a logo that could fi t int o the no-name category yet carry its own personality—a brand identity that stood out while staying humble.
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As we always do at ‍FlipTheWorld ‍, we turned to our Form Follows Function design principle. We asked: What make s pets happy? The answers were in their tails, their paws, and — most importantly — their smiles. These traits inspired us to create a custom logotype, as no existing font could capture this essence.
We designed the letters as if they were "paw - written," i ncorporating ink traps to mimic smiling expressions and tails in negative space. The result was a logo that didn’t just represent the brand — it felt like a happy pet, full of life and personality.
The logotype wasn’t just a logo — it became the foundation for the brand’s entire visual language. By slightly tweaking the letterforms, we extended the same design principles to create packaging label cards, seamlessly linking the logo to the product presen tation. This design solution shaped the brand’s culture and even influenced their business decisions.
Design is so much more than aesthetics. It’s a tool that can lead a business in unexpected directions — shaping packaging, product decisions, and even the brand’s internal culture. The custom Sam 'N' Maizie logotype is still one of my favorite projects becau se it’s proof that great design doesn’t just work — it breathes life into a brand. What’s your take? How has design helped shape your brand or business? Let’s talk.
