The NEXT Summit is an annual one-day virtual conference organized by Invest Nova Scotia (formerly Nova Scotia Business Inc.). Businesses small and large are invited to participate in workshops, attend virtual talks with business experts who are experienced in global trade and connect with industry partners to learn more about the programs and services available to assist their business.

Half Twelve designed the event branding and marketing assets to have a focus on the ‘x’ and ‘t’ in the name and play on the idea that they look like multiplication and additional signs - symbols of growth.

The Beercracker Countdown Box is an advent calendar for beer lovers. Hiding beneath the perforated cardboard doors are 24 craft beers plus a surprise gift for Day 25. The focus on beer allowed us to tinker with the traditional nutcracker soldier and adorn his uniform with symbols associated with beer such as ring pulls, hops and wheat.

One of the themes discussed in NSBI’s annual report was the need for Nova Scotian companies to embrace the digital age and utilize the internet as a tool to grow their businesses. Naturally, as the province’s business development agency, NSBI needed to lead by example and commissioned Half Twelve to create their first annual report microsite to accompany the traditional print version.

Mapannapolis is a historical society based in Annapolis County (NS) made up of local volunteers and students from NSCC's Centre for Geographic Sciences (COGS). Their collaboration has resulted in the creation of digital ‘storymaps’ documenting the location of heritage buildings, historical structures, graveyards and churches. These maps are also where the stories that weave through these layers of history are preserved for the benefit of anyone interested no matter where they are in the world.

Half Twelve was commissioned to revamp the Mapannapolis brand as well as design and build a website to host the digital 'storymaps' that illustrate the social history of Annapolis County.

All photography used in this project by Andrew Tolson.

Egg Farmers of Nova Scotia (EFNS) is a not-for-profit organization that represents the province’s 26 registered egg farmers. As well as highlighting their members, the high standards they apply to their work and the work they do in the community, EFNS also promotes the consumption of eggs by educating consumers about nature’s perfect food.

Half Twelve was asked by EFNS to give the lightest of refreshes to their visual identity and to redesign their website so it had a more contemporary look and feel that appealed to the modern consumer. Their primary objectives for the website were to make it easier to navigate, easier to share content on their social media platforms and to revamp their recipe section. They also wanted a content management system (CMS) that made it easier to update or add content as well as providing a private section for their members where they could access private documents.

Site development by Red Ear Media.

Now into our fourth year of working with Nova Scotia Business Inc., we recently rolled out the 2019 campaign for the Export Achievement Awards across print and digital platforms.

For this, Half Twelve developed 'Exportant', a theme that highlights the fact that Nova Scotian companies who export make an important contribution to the provincial economy. To illustrate the campaign, we juxtaposed some of Nova Scotia's top exports (lobster, beer, tires, digital media and brainpower) with the various modes of transport used to reach global markets.

The Faculty of Engineering at Dalhousie University is currently entering an exciting period of change that includes the $64m redevelopment of its campus located in downtown Halifax. To mark this new period, the Faculty commissioned a brochure to showcase its strategic plan (broken up into four goals/visions for the future).

“Thinkers & Doers” was the theme developed to reflect the fact that the staff and students didn’t limit themselves to traditional education in the classroom but actively engaged in real-world projects that affect Canadian industry. As well as being a fundraising tool for the Faculty, the brochure was also intended to serve as a recruitment tool for future students. To support this, the cover shot highlighted the diversity of the Faculty’s students.

Using specially commissioned photography and bold typography, each of the four visions opened with a portrait of a Faculty staff member and a quote that echoed the vision. Each section opener was then followed by articles about staff and students playing their part in helping the Faculty achieve its goals.

Avalon Controls are one of Canada’s leading electrical engineering firms specializing in process control in industries that include the energy, brewing and marine sectors. They required a refreshing of their brand identity and the creation of a new website to highlighted the wide range of services they offered. 

The Avalon brand was given a more contemporary feel by introducing a modern typeface that was altered to incorporate a tick mark which conveyed the idea of quality service. The striking combination of blue, orange and white allowed for greater visibility of the brand when being represented out in the field.  

The creation of a new, responsive website meant that clients using mobile devices now had easier access to Avalon’s list of services in the out-of-office situations common to many of the industries served by Avalon.

The UNV Partnerships Forum is an annual event held by the United Nations Volunteers program to discuss the role of partnerships in achieving the agency’s sustainable development goals. As part of its work in developing countries, these 17 goals include promoting gender equality, working to eradicate hunger and encouraging economic growth.

Half Twelve was commissioned to create a brand that symbolized partnership and conveyed the idea that by working together, agencies can create a synergy that provides results more effective than anything achieved by working alone. The brand was created for the 2016 forum where representatives from government, UN agencies, NGOs and the private sector met for two days in the city of Bonn.

In their role as Nova Scotia's business development agency, NSBI launched a campaign to advertise the benefits of exporting and also draw attention to the services they offer to assist export-curious businesses in taking that first step into foreign markets.

Under the banner of World. Oyster. Go., the campaign began as a series of native advertising pieces placed in the Business section of Nova Scotia’s largest daily paper. These pieces profiled local businesses that had benefitted from exporting to international markets.

By summarizing the famous phrase and using a slightly impatient (but friendly) voice in the style of a pep talk from a mentor, ‘World. Oyster. Go.’ was a motivational call for businesses to realize that exporting their products or services should be a given.

Photography by Meghan Tansey Whitton

A brand identity for Michelin star chef Tom Aikens’ second restaurant in London, UK. The visuals focused on the restaurant’s suppliers in their respective work environments, allowing diners to note the care and high standards employed to produce the food they were about to enjoy.

Portraying the suppliers in monotone reflected the fact that their produce was created using traditional, eco-friendly methods that favoured quality over quantity.

These are just some of the logos that Half Twelve has created over the years to bring brands to life.