“We’re a Gold Standard for Canada”: Exploring LG2’s Legacy of Design Success
In November 2024, creative agency LG2 capped off another successful year with a big win at The ADCC awards. Taking home its second consecutive Design Agency of the Year, the arrival of another Scarlet Letter within the independent’s walls is both a fine feather in its growing collection of accolades, and testament to the fact that its efforts in this field continue to work, year over year.
After all, by this point, anyone remotely familiar with LG2 is probably aware of its esteemed reputation in design. For the past 15 years, this has been a central focus across its three shops in Toronto, Montreal and Quebec City, under the likes of Claude Auchu (CEO), Nicolas Baldovini (partner, vice-president creative, brand design) and Ryan Crouchman (partner, vice-president, executive creative director, design). Whether the team is creating packaging or pushing the boundaries of web design, it’s all done with the same care, attention to detail, and product-first ethos which, as of late, is clearly paying dividends.
However, hitting the top of one’s field is not a small task, and design is no exception. It takes a lot of work, talent, and desire to not only stay up to date with the trends of the time, but ultimately, ahead of the curve. Every year refreshes this challenge, and this is something the team is keenly aware of as it heads into the blank slate of 2025. So, to learn more about how the agency will be approaching this, as well as the factors which have enabled this recent string of successes, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with Nicolas and Ryan for a chat.
LBB> From the top, congratulations on a successful 2024, and in particular, your second consecutive Scarlet Letter! How are you feeling right now, and what do these achievements mean to you?
Nicolas> It feels even better than the first year. Canada’s design industry is incredibly strong which makes it very competitive and difficult to win a Scarlet Letter, let alone for two years in a row. The first time we won, it felt almost like a surprise, but the second time around is a confirmation of our team’s talent, our clients’ efforts, and the quality of our work.
I’m also proud that this is the result of a collective effort by all three LG2 offices. It’s not always the case that an agency wins with work coming equally from every one of its locations, so this is proof that we’re building a strong design practice in each city. It validates that we’re evolving, but I don’t see this win as a conclusion. I’m feeling motivated as we start 2025 to keep improving.
Ryan> To me, awards function as a creative barometer, offering a clear indication of whether the energy, thought, and craft poured into each project are truly resonating. And because this show is judged by an international jury, it’s a great honour to know our work is connecting with some of the best industry leaders from around the world. The Scarlet Letter is an extremely tough award to win. Doing so twice in a row is a sign that what we are creating, and how we are doing it, is working.
LBB> To what do you attribute this success?
Nicolas> Consistency, and also the ability to be focused. Sometimes we’re focused on packaging, spatial design, motion design or web design, but the common denominator is we’re on top of trends in our industry and innovations in our modern society. It’s not easy to be both on-trend and connected to the reality of clients’ and consumers’ needs today, but I think of this as our secret sauce for the back-to-back awards. Compared to other design agencies, we’re not just specialised in one field of design. We’ve integrated multiple areas of expertise in-house to push the limits of our branding capacity. And we’re still looking to the future. We are globally-minded when thinking about the evolution of the field in the next few years.
Ryan> Like Nico said, our in-house versatility not only makes our lives more fun, but in the end, it gives our work an edge. We tailor our team composition for each project based on our clients' needs, so the process and the end result is never cookie-cutter. We don’t have one aesthetic or approach – we embrace a diversity of thinking and processes, and I believe this attitude helps create work that feels intentional and fresh.
LBB> Tell us more about the design culture like at LG2. How do you view the craft?
Nicolas> LG2 was born as an advertising agency more than 30 years ago, and we expanded into design 15 years ago. As a chameleon, the culture has changed over the years, but we’ve always focused on the product. We’re constantly reshaping and changing things behind the scenes to make sure we’re evolving as the market and technology change, and to stay true to the brand experience vision that we have. It permits us to support a vision of brands that’s larger than other agencies’. We look at projects as not just requests for artwork or a logo, but as opportunities to make an impact on the brand’s global experience.
Ryan> On top of this, our CEO, Claude Auchu, was a design leader for most of his career. Because of this, we have a built-in understanding of and respect for the practice and discipline of design. To me, this makes all the difference. If it’s going to succeed, it needs to come from the top.
LBB> Are there any projects which represent this especially well? Tell us about them!
Nicolas> Halo Dental for sure. It’s a startup that created a fog-free dental mirror and advanced intraoral camera with software to optimise dental practices and patient communications. In this case, we created an identity for a new company, which is always exciting, and a digital experience that matched its technological prowess and helped it secure funding.
Ashton is also a great example. We evolved a beloved brand platform and redesigned the restaurant architecture for a better experience. It was also a collaboration between Montreal and Quebec City.
Both projects combined multiple areas of expertise to define a new brand experience. If we’re only developing a brand identity, we will excel at it for sure, but if we’re able to build a new platform with an architecture and/or digital experience, it’s an evolution for the brand and all of its customers too. From a customer’s point of view, a brand identity is just a theory, but creating a brand experience is like taking that theory and putting it into practice.
Ryan> One recent project that comes to mind is a popup experience we designed for the Ontario Cannabis Store, the world's largest legal and centralised wholesale cannabis organisation. We were tasked with capturing the attention of young men still purchasing illegal cannabis, so we created ‘Buzzkill’, a fake, unlicensed dispensary. This included a complete visual identity, custom font, promo campaign, and the design of an interactive retail space with shelves packed with cleverly named branded products. These fake products served as a covert way to educate about the dangers and lack of quality control in the illegal cannabis market through humorous product messaging. This project really shows how we can bring together brand design, packaging, spatial design, promotion, and PR to create an unforgettable experience.
LBB> Of course, as you already mentioned, design needs to consistently evolve with the times. How do you go about this, and ensure your work stays ahead of the game?
Nicolas> The world is changing. AI is here. The craft will change for sure, and we need to be connected and stay in touch with the evolution of both that and the product because it's crucial for the next few years. But this is also not new. As the ADCC’s recently released 75th anniversary book demonstrates (Ryan wrote a great contribution), design has always been a practice that evolves with culture and technology. The key to staying ahead is to be future-looking, embrace change, and also know your history.
Ryan> In our industry, change is a constant. As designers and design leaders, we must perpetually evolve and maintain a sense of curiosity. Without an open mind to new perspectives, we risk stagnation, both personally and creatively. Ultimately, it's crucial to remember that, irrespective of the tools or trends of the moment, the most compelling work will always emerge from the fusion of three elements: innovative ideas, impeccable taste, and flawless craftsmanship.
LBB> As part of this, you’re developing some remarkable young talent who have been recognised themselves. How do you approach this? And why is this so important to LG2?
Nicolas> I see young talent as key to excellent craft. If we’re able to have a good product and win awards, it’s because we have a strong team with different perspectives. Having a diverse group of people on a project injects new energy and vision.
On top of that, it’s thanks to our junior talents that we’re doing more motion design, interpreting brand platforms differently, and seeing new trends. It’s a balancing act to match senior and junior talent – mixing experience and fresh ideas – but it always makes the work better.
LBB> With all this in mind, where do you think LG2’s place is within the design scenes of the Canadian and international industries?
Ryan> The Canadian design scene is incredibly resourceful and strong; all it takes is a quick browse through the ADCC archives to see how we consistently punch above our weight. So, considering the incredible talent that surrounds us, it’s a huge honour to be Canadian Design Agency of the Year for two years in a row. For us, it’s about creating work that has impact, feels relevant, and connects with people.
Nicolas> There’s no question that we’re a gold standard for Canada. However, while we had some good shortlists and positive feedback, we didn’t quite win big awards on the international stage last year. We can and want to be better, and international competition pushes us to do so. Canada is shining bright internationally in advertising right now, and I want us to do the same for design too. I think that Canada is getting more recognition for creativity worldwide, and LG2 can lead that charge in design on the international stage. We have big ambitions.
LBB> With this in mind, how will you be building upon the momentum of the past year? What can people expect from LG2 in 2025?
Nicolas> First of all, there’s no hiding that the last couple of years have provided a very complex economic context for all businesses. It’s impacted our clients and their budgets, which impacts ambitions. We need to respect our clients and the unique challenges they’re facing in 2025, which might mean taking a different approach to the work than we expected. In light of this, we’re building momentum with different opportunities to put our unique skills to the test. We have many things in the pipeline that we’re excited to share later this year.
Ryan> For me, it’s quite simple. Amidst all the 2025 noise, this year will be about staying creatively consistent and true to who we are. It will be about pushing ourselves to raise the bar and collectively evolve. And, it will be about staying curious and inspired while continuing to find joy and pleasure in what we do.
LBB> Finally, the work isn’t everything – moments like these are worth celebrating. So how did you go about this?
Nicolas> We don’t only celebrate when we win awards. One of the things we learned during the pandemic is that recognising the team and its day-to-day work is vital to good output, and a good work environment. I also think it’s worth saying that for younger generations today, winning awards is seen very differently. When I was early in my career, winning awards was an amazing thing. For this generation, the perspective and relationship aren’t the same at all. Sometimes, awards are seen as superficial. It’s made us more prudent about how we celebrate awards versus investing in our culture overall.
With this in mind, we’ve created moments when we give each other kudos, present cool ideas, and share in that sense of appreciation. When we won the Scarlet Letter we organised a celebration of course, but every year, regardless of the outcome, we take a moment to speak to the team, congratulate them on a year’s hard work, and toast with a glass of champagne before closing for two weeks over the holidays so everyone can rest.
Ryan> On the night of the win, we strung up some lights, popped some corks, and had a little toast. However, the next morning, the slate was wiped clean and we all began again. We are all fired up to dive into this new year and keep the creative momentum going strong.
