Participating locations tuned in from all over Ontario to hear from panelists, submit questions and generate conversations within their own design communities about the future of branding and the creative industry in general. The panelists discussed how brands deal with social accountability, the evolving role of "brand standards", the role of influencers in brand success and so much more.

With over 300 people registered to attend at locations ranging from North Bay to Welland, creatives from all over enjoyed the opportunity to take part and share their enthusiasm for designers role in branding. Check out some top insights from Twitter using our event hashtag #rgdFBD. Here are a few highlights:

"If you don't have a kick-ass story, your branding and design work will mean nothing." - Julia Beardwood

"A brand is not just a logo anymore. You can feel a brand. It’s a living breathing thing" - Shirley Brady

"A logo is just an exclamation point on your brand." -Todd Simmons

"An unchanging brand is like a person wearing the same clothes and saying the same thing every single day." - Barry Quinn

"Don't be precious about your brand. Don't be afraid to take chances. Be bold, be playful." - Shirley Brady

"A brand is a standard of behaviour, quality, ethics, popularity, etc. 'Brand standards' are yesterday's tool; the old 'designer as a hall-monitor' idea needs to be changed." - Barry Quinn

"When creating a brand, try to find the connective tissue and think about how we can most effectively package it." - Todd Simmons

"It's important to build an agile team of strategists, designers & writers, and supplement that team with photographers, animators, producers, etc." - Julia Beardwood

"You can only fake who you are for so long. Most brands can act for a few weeks before going back to who they are." - Barry Quinn

"It's important to help clients see things that they can't naturally see, rather than explaining what they already see." - Julia Beardwood

“People like Kim Kardashian...she’s an authentic version of fake. As long as she sticks to a form of authenticity, they’re happy” - Barry Quinn

"It's important for people to really understand what the company does in order to have a valuable brand, which is not always tangible." - Todd Simmons

"A brand needs to be organic - it is the user interface of a company." - Barry Quinn

RGD Members can re-watch the panel discussion by visiting the Members Only Videos.

RGD's next Future By Design event will explore the same topic, 'The Future of Brand' for venues located in Western Canada, with all new panelists.

For information on how to host a Future By Design screening in your city, click here.