Campaign Icons
McMaster University
As part of the early planning for McMaster University's upcoming fundraising and institutional advancement campaign, I developed an icon system to visually represent the campaign's five strategic pillars. At this stage, the campaign identity and messaging were still evolving, so the icons provided a consistent visual framework that helped communicate complex ideas clearly and cohesively during the planning process.
Icon System
The icon system was designed to align with McMaster University's established branding guidelines, ensuring it felt like a natural extension of the existing visual identity. Each icon matched the style, weight, and simplicity of McMaster's existing iconography while incorporating gold from the University's colour palette. While McMaster's branded icons are typically maroon and black, these icons introduced gold as a secondary design element to reflect the visual direction of the upcoming comprehensive campaign. This subtle shift helped distinguish the campaign assets while maintaining consistency with the University's overall brand system.
Existing McMaster Icons
Campaign Icons
Built as a scalable visual system, the project included a library of icons representing the individual research areas within each pillar. The system was built to be cohesive, scalable, and flexible, making it easy to organize and communicate complex information across presentation decks, printed materials, and stakeholder communications during the campaign's planning and development.
1
Nexus Health
AI-Guided Drug Discovery
Bio-Innovation Building
Immunology and Allergy
Infectious Disease
Lung Health
Health Ethics
2
Planetary Health
Living Labs
Nuclear Reactor
Cleaner Energy
The Electric City
3
The Civic Mind
Civic Culture
4
Student Success
Under the Arch
Through the Gates
Into the World
5
McMaster Entrepreneurship Academy
Support for Student Entrepreneurs
McMaster Seed Fund
Devices &Diagnostics
Cancer
Radio-
pharmaceuticals
Digestive Health
Civic Leadership
Civic Discourse
Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Usage
The icon system became a key visual asset throughout the campaign's development, appearing in presentation decks, printed handouts, and planning materials shared with internal teams and stakeholders. By introducing a recognizable visual language early in the campaign's lifecycle, the icons helped improve clarity, reinforce key themes, and created consistency across communications.