TORONTO OFFSHORE GRAND PRIX

DESIGN / ART DIRECTION / BRANDING

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Bringing high-speed offshore racing to
Toronto’s waterfront.

The Toronto Offshore Grand Prix is an offshore powerboat racing event that will be held in Toronto for the first time. This was a branding project developed in collaboration with the NEXT Student Agency, which helped guide the creative direction and overall approach. While the strategy team focused on positioning, audience insights, and event planning, the design team was responsible for the visual identity. My role included conceptualizing and designing the logo, selecting typography and colours, and creating branded assets for social media, merchandise, and promotional materials.

ABOUT OFFSHORE POWERBOAT RACING

Offshore powerboat racing is a high-speed motorsport where powerful boats compete across open water. The sport requires sharp focus, quick reflexes, and strong teamwork. Races are held along coastlines or large lakes, where the speed and competition make it an exciting sport to watch and a challenging sport to compete in.

CHRIS GRANT ➝ Lead Racer & Event Face

THE CHALLENGE  🌊

Toronto has never hosted a major offshore powerboating event. The client wanted to introduce this unique sport to the city in a way that felt family-friendly and engaging, while reconnecting locals with the city's waterfront.

OBJECTIVE  🎯

➝  Reconnect Torontonians with the waterfront
➝  Convert casual spectators into lifelong fans

MY ROLE  🪛

As an art director and graphic designer, I helped turn our team's strategy and insights into a clear visual identity.

RESEARCH

Before the branding phase, the strategy team conducted research to better understand what draws Toronto locals to summer events. The survey data was useful for shaping the event’s tone, messaging, and visual direction.

WHAT TYPE OF EVENTS DO YOU ENJOY ATTENDING IN THE SUMMER?

Most people preferred outdoor festivals, concerts, and family-friendly activities

HOW LIKELY ARE YOU TO ATTEND AN EVENT LIKE TORONTO OFFSHORE?

Over 80% said they’d consider or definitely attend, confirming interest in a free, family-friendly waterfront event.

WHICH FACTORS MATTER MOST AT SUMMER EVENTS?

Free entry, location, and activity variety ranked highest, so we kept these priorities in mind when developing the visuals and layouts for print pieces and social content.

BRAND DEVELOPMENT

With the research in place, the design team began building a visual identity that reflected both the energy of offshore racing and the approachable summer vibe that our audience resonates with. The design needed to feel original, engaging, and easy to recognize across digital and physical spaces.

TYPOGRAPHY

ETHNOCENTRIC

DISPLAY TYPE  ➝  Used in the logo and large headlines, Ethnocentric has an angular structure that's meant to reflect the sharp lines of powerboats. Its geometric styling creates a sense of balance and stability.

GEOM GRAPHIC

SECONDARY TYPE  ➝  Geom Graphic is used for subheadings. The rounded corners contrast with the display type, giving a more neutral tone as a supporting text.

TERMINA

BODY COPY TYPE  ➝  Termina is a sans-serif typeface used for body copy and detailed information. Its open letterforms make it easy to read in both print and digital formats.

COLOUR PALETTE

The colour palette combines blues, bright accent colours, and neutrals to create a range that feels modern, energetic, and connected to the waterfront and summer events.

#264590
#5071B7
#C4C6C8
#F9CE46
#ED1C24
#81D0E4

ALTERNATE COLOURWAYS

LIGHT BLUE
SILVER
SUNSET
WHITE
BLACK

BRAND APPLICATION

TEAM

ACCOUNT MANAGER  KAYLE LUREÑANA
STRATEGIST  
 HEFZI-BA PLAZA MANCILLA | KYRA ROLFE
EVENTS MANAGER  
 JASMINE MARCIAL
VIDEOGRAPHER  
 MITCHELL EVELY
COPYWRITER  
 ABHAY SHARMA
ART DIRECTOR  
 JORDANA LEE | SIFAT CHAWLA