In short
Cereals Canada has, for decades, showcased Canadian grain quality to the world from its Winnipeg technical centre. But the current facility is outdated, and the lease will expire in the coming years, so the association faced an urgent challenge. Without a new facility, Canada risked losing its only hub where farmers, researchers, processors and global buyers converge to advance grain innovation. At the same time, Canada was falling behind global competitors in plant protein innovation, making investment in a new, collaborative space essential.
The vision was Gate: Global Agriculture Technology Exchange – a state-of-the-art facility in Winnipeg’s Exchange District that would house Cereals Canada and potential anchor tenants. It would serve as both a physical hub and a symbol of Canada’s leadership in sustainable, high-quality food ingredients.
Methodology
UpHouse was engaged to develop a name, logo, visual identity and communications material that could secure buy-in from diverse audiences – government, farmers, grower associations, donors and international buyers – and sustain momentum across the multi-year, $102M capital campaign.
Our goals were to:
— Develop a distinctive name and identity that captures the centre’s vision and collaboration mandate.
— Build a visual system versatile enough for everything from political advocacy to donor appeals to wayfinding signage in the building.
— Secure credibility early by involving stakeholders in the brand advisory committee.
— Deliver collateral and a brand story timed to critical milestones, including the June 2024 campaign launch and a fall 2024 trip to Ottawa to seek federal support.
We studied place branding best practices and researched brand architecture systems used by innovation hubs in other countries, gathering insights from stakeholders along the way. From there, we began the work to brand Gate as both a national asset and a global destination for the agriculture industry.
Execution
Naming was the strategic cornerstone of the project. While marketers often stay away from acronyms because they can be tricky to recognize and remember, we found a simple solution to achieve the project goals. The name Global Agriculture Technology Exchange highlights innovation and specifies the connection to agriculture. Its acronym “Gate” connotes a gathering place and is easy to say and spell for international visitors with English as a second language.
The primary logo uses simple geometric shapes as building blocks to create a contemporary wordmark that symbolizes diverse groups coming together. The maple leaf leverages Canada’s reputation as a global leader in quality grains. A secondary wordmark incorporates the full name, and the motif accommodates small-scale applications.
The primary colour palette reinforces the brand personality: a bold navy for sophistication, a future-oriented blue for global connection and an energetic red to root the identity in Canada. The brand font, Paralucent, offers clean forms and contemporary ink traps. It feels cutting-edge and maintains legibility across mediums.
We crafted the identity to serve Gate’s wide range of audiences: global buyers attending technical demonstrations, Canadian farmers learning how their grain is used in the global marketplace and Winnipeggers experiencing the brand (and Cereals Canada) for the first time at street level. The system scales seamlessly to architecture, signage, digital platforms and donor collateral.
The Gate identity is prestigious, approachable and reflects its purpose: a hub where Canadian innovation meets global demand.
Outcome
The Gate brand has helped Cereals Canada mobilize support. In eight months, the project raised $32.15M of its $102M capital campaign goal. This includes $13.4M from grower associations, $13M from the province of Manitoba and $650,000 from Warburtons – a key international buyer.
These results validate our objectives:
- Name & Logo Adoption: The advisory committee unanimously approved the “Gate” brand right out of the gate. The brand is now used consistently across the campaign website, case for support, donor packages and government briefing materials.
- Audience Engagement: The identity has resonated with both the uber target audiences, whose support adds credibility to the project (government, grower associations, ag enterprises), and the strategic target audiences who will use the new space (farmers, global buyers, academia and value chain members). Groups are voicing confidence in the brand and its vision.
- Political Support: The cohesive, professional identity reinforces Cereals Canada’s credibility with policymakers, enabling successful advocacy efforts in both Manitoba and Ottawa.
- Fundraising Momentum: Donor-facing collateral, built on the Gate identity, helped secure foundational commitments and set the stage for federal support.
Output-based results include widespread use of the brand in media coverage, digital platforms and fundraising materials. Outcome-based results are measured in the early funding Cereals Canada has secured and the strong coalition of stakeholders aligning behind the project.
By embodying Canada’s leadership in grain innovation, the Gate brand has delivered not only a compelling visual identity but also measurable impact in advancing this critical national initiative.
Credits
Creative + Brand Manager – Kiirsten May
Creative + Brand Manager – Adam Dooley
Strategy Director – Vanessa Mancini
Graphic Design – Michelle Slobodian
Graphic Design – Ryan Poworoznik
Production Artist – Laura Kloepfer
Production Artist – Justin Allum
Marketing Management – Sam Kimelman
Marketing Management – Gina Rhae-Ruiz
Marketing Management – Amy Houska
Marketing Assistant – Ashna Sharma
Copywriter – Sydney Small
Web Development – Ryan Yoo
Web Development – Alex Fisher
Public Relations – Adam Dooley
Public Relations – Connie Tamoto
Public Relations – Brigit Harvey
