Reinvent Yourself

The challenge: Convey a new vision

Following the winds of change that have swept across the Palais des congrès de Montréal since the arrival of its President and CEO, Robert Mercure, in September 2018, the Palais has positioned itself as a veritable “vector of Montreal’s creativity” by building promising partnerships and innovative initiatives.

Major changes to the Palais’ offering have been made. The opening of an event lab available to customers  which brings together innovative local companies, and even Palais Média Propulsion, a studio at the cutting edge of technology that supports event organizers in the creation of impactful digital content, are just two examples of the avant-garde projects which now shape the identity of the Palais on the local and international scene.

With this in mind, the Palais team called on our services to update its brand strategy and deploy an identity better suited to its new vision.

Add to that the COVID-19 pandemic, which hit the events industry halfway through our mandate and that had to be taken into consideration in developing the new branding. That’s when health and safety concerns also fueled the discussions, since these issues will take on heightened importance in how event planners choose a destination and will radically impact the industry.

Our Approach: Consultation at the heart of the process

The brand identity and its graphic expression platform are the product of introspection, reflection and discussions carried out through workshops bringing together the main stakeholders of the Palais. This process of revamping the graphic identity was carried out with the participation and involvement of employees, partners, suppliers and members of the city’s artistic and business communities. The aim of this consultation was to develop a unifying project that listens to concerns and that resonates locally while representing us well internationally.

The result: The Palais, a vector of Montreal’s creativity

The new identity revolves around a central idea: vector space. Briefly defined as an entity with a structure that allows for multiple combinations, this concept recalls the Palais’ new vision, and also its gathering spaces where ideas converge. The six colours of the new logo are inspired by the iconic, internationally renowned tinted glass wall of the building’s west façade.

A visual identity in motion

In keeping with the excitement that inhabits the Palais, the new identity was designed to be in motion, as it will be broadcast on the Palais screens and across all the digital platforms. In its main form, the hexagon, or coloured “prism,” evokes the notions of adaptation and innovation. Moreover, in order to aptly represent the various subjects that are broached at the Palais, the logo can be transformed to suit the events and the major themes addressed.