More Than a Logo: Indigenizing Design
Behind every logo is a story communicating who you are, what you stand for, and the values that guide you. For organizations seeking to reflect or connect with First Nations, Métis or Inuit culture or connect meaningfully with our communities, the logo has to carry a much deeper weight. Beyond the surface level aesthetics, every line, colour, and layer in Indigenous design is infused with symbolism, history, and multiple layers of cultural significance. Having a logo done without understanding these layers risks flattening these complexities into stereotypes or worse, culturally appropriated visuals (think feathers, infinity symbols and inukshuks).
Working with First Nations, Métis and Inuit designers isn’t only about avoiding missteps, however. It’s an opportunity to truly embrace and understand reIndigenizing design. Indigenous creatives bring a perspective that is shaped by millennia of storytelling, where design is not merely surface-level but rather, deeply rooted in the land, the language, and the identity of the community. From intricate symbolism to very intentional colour palettes, First Nations, Métis and Inuit designers weave layers upon layers of meaning into their work, creating designs that are not only authentic but powerful and respectful.
Indigenous art and design are never “just visuals.” Each element carries deep meaning.
Symbolism: Shapes and motifs often reflect our relationships with the land, with animals, with our ancestors, and with Community. For example, circles represent interconnectedness and unity, while certain animal symbols carry teachings about leadership, protection, or guidance and are reflected in the community they represent.
Colours: Colour is more than aesthetic—colour tells an extremely significant piece of the story. In many First Nations, Métis and Inuit cultures, red might symbolize strength, life, or sacredness, while black or blue can represent the sky, water, or resilience. But these are not universally Indigenous.These meanings are specific to communities, cultures, and artists. First Nations, Métis and Inuit designers can help you learn about these.
Layers: Indigenous design is often rich with layers—both visual and narrative. What might appear simple at first glance is built upon generations of knowledge, cultural teachings, and storytelling traditions that have been passed down over time.
By working with Indigenous designers, you can allow space for these layers to unfold, truly keeping your logo rooted in meaning, and not merely in trend.
For the Spark Agency Group logo, it was important for us to work with an Indigenous designer who understood the kind of company we were building. For us, this meant working with none other than Métis designer, Cameron Bunney. Cameron’s design projects are as varied as the communities and organizations he’s worked with, but one thing rings true, his awareness and understanding of what his clients are looking for is unparalleled. Residing in a Prairie province and descending from Cree bloodlines, Cameron’s design style combines modern, clean aesthetics with powerful imagery and stunning colour selections.
For the Spark logo, Cameron opted for a sleek and trendy Sans-serif font paired with a bursting icon that pays a nod to Indigenous culture ever so subtly. Can you see the beads? The icon itself symbolizes that all important spark you’d see when lighting a fire but from a top-down perspective. The icon was designed in a beaded style to create cultural connection but also simplicity, and if you notice, the beads themselves are breaking out of the box. This was intentional, as Cameron felt like the Spark team, in joining their companies together, have ideas and projects that break out of the box. Spark’s projects make an impact and stand out in today’s industry. We needed a logo that would express that when clients are interacting with our brand.
The colour palette for this logo takes some inspiration from Jelly Marketing and Symmetry PR’s logo colours while honouring the teal in Elizabeth Bunney Communications’ logo to help unify the company's colour palette. It’s a way for all of us to connect and be recognized when working together. He also felt having bright reds, oranges and teal keeps this visual identity from blending in with the crowd and helps the brand stand out from others in the industry.
As Cameron shares, “The colours chosen for this logo are bright and attention-getting but I’ve gone and balanced them with an off-white and off-black to help keep contrast where it needs to be. This colour palette is intentionally loud and is meant to keep Spark from getting lost when their audience interacts with it in the real world.” He goes on to add, “This helps create a modern look for the visual identity while staying relatively simple as the bright colours are used only sparingly to draw attention where it’s needed instead of being obnoxious about it.”
Any way you slice it, reIndigenizing design is so much more than aesthetics; it’s a shift in process, power, and purpose. Often, mainstream design practices have excluded Indigenous voices, frequently appropriating cultural symbols without consultation or understanding. ReIndigizing this approach means:
Centering Indigenous Creatives: Ensuring First Nations, Métis and Inuit artists are leaders in telling their own stories.
Respecting Cultural Protocols: Engaging in collaboration that seeks permission, values reciprocity, and prioritizes relationships.
Challenging Norms: Moving away from minimalist, corporate-centric ideas of design to embrace storytelling, complexity, and cultural nuances.
When organizations partner with First Nations, Métis and Inuit designers, they are contributing to an incredible creative shift—supporting Indigenous sovereignty over their art, stories, and their identities while creating designs and logos that stand apart in integrity and depth.
We know that logos have the power to tell stories, build connections, and inspire trust. By working with First Nations, Métis and Inuit designers, you honour the cultural expertise behind every line, every colour, and every layer—creating pieces that are not only visually striking but also authentic and deeply respectful of our culture. We recognize that design, like all art, carries responsibility—and the best stories are always told by those who know them best.
About the Designer:
Cameron is the creative mind behind Blackdiamond Bunney, where bold design meets storytelling to build brands that don’t just stand out—they stand for something. As a graphic designer and front-end web designer, Cameron helps businesses craft strong visual identities that exude confidence, credibility, and a touch of personality. His goal? To make brands feel as refined as a perfectly poured latte and as memorable as a great story.
With a knack for translating ideas into eye-catching designs, Cameron works with startups, established businesses, and Indigenous-owned enterprises looking to celebrate their heritage through meaningful branding. Every project is approached with a mix of strategy, creativity, and the belief that a strong brand is more than just a logo—it’s an experience.
Outside the world of design, Cameron nurtures creativity (and a jungle’s worth of houseplants), experiments with vegan and gluten-free recipes, and pursues the fine art of espresso-making. Whether it’s brewing coffee or building brands, he believes the best results come from a balance of precision, passion, and a little bit of magic.
