Case Study

Liberty Village BIA

Established in 2001, the Liberty Village Business Improvement Association (LVBIA) represents one of Toronto’s most dynamic neighbourhoods — a vibrant, campus-style community where heritage meets modern energy.

With 600+ businesses, 20+ property owners, 11,000 employees, and 25,000+ residents, Liberty Village is alive with opportunity. As Canada’s first “campus-style” commercial BIA and a benchmark among Toronto’s 84 BIAs, the LVBIA turned to Redbox to clarify its role, elevate its brand, and amplify its position as a hub for business, creativity, and culture.

Approaching its 25th anniversary — and with the FIFA World Cup 2026™ on the horizon — it was time to unify its voice and shape a future-facing identity.

  • Toronto, ON

  • Art Direction
    Brand Strategy
    Brand Guide
    Copy Writing
    Creative Direction
    Custom Content
    Design Direction
    Graphic Design
    Logo Design
    Templates
    Visual Identity
    Website

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Deeper

  • The Liberty Village BIA had outgrown its original identity. With no formal brand strategy and multiple informal roles — from economic developer to street-level promoter — the team required a brand system that could reflect its evolving identity, support internal operations, and attract diverse audiences ranging from residents and tourists to entrepreneurs and international visitors. There was a clear need to:

    • Align the brand with its growing economic, creative and community impact.

    • Support a small internal team with brand tools and templates.

    • Differentiate the BIA from traditional “main street” districts.

    • Mitigate the impact of construction development and transit expansion.

    • Prepare for high-visibility opportunities, such as FIFA 2026.

  • We worked closely with the LVBIA over 18 months to build a strategic and creative foundation for the brand, rooted in research, collaboration, and iteration. Our process included:

    • Research + Discovery: Local walks, competitive audits, and member interviews helped ground the project in community needs and perceptions.

    • Brand Audit + Workshops: Co-creation sessions with staff, board, and members revealed a strong desire to formalise what the BIA already did informally: Reflect Members. Connect Community. Amplify Stories.

    • Strategy Development: We defined Liberty Village as a campus-style creative and commercial district, alive with possibility.

    • Visual Exploration: Early designs honoured Liberty’s industrial heritage, while final refinements brought warmth, energy, and clarity to reflect its evolving character.

    • Stakeholder Engagement: Board presentations and Marketing Committee workshops ensured transparency and buy-in.

    • Testing + Iteration: Messaging and visual tools were tested on digital posters, street banners, and email templates long before the official launch.

    "The BIA finally sounds and looks the way Liberty Village feels." — Board Member, LVBIA

    This transparent process revealed defining “aha” moments, such as the power of describing Liberty Village as a campus-style neighbourhood — that sharpened both strategy and design.

  • Redbox worked with LVBIA across five phases to build a comprehensive brand system:

    • Phase 1: Stakeholder discovery and strategic brand development — positioning LVBIA as a dynamic hub alive with possibility.

    • Phase 2: Creative exploration — developing two design directions that merged Liberty’s industrial roots with modern energy.

    • Phase 3: Implementation — creation of core assets for digital and print use.

    • Phase 4: Brand guidelines — a clear, usable document for consistent rollout.

    • Phase 5: Website refresh — including content architecture, new templates, and editorial voice.

    The strategy embraced LVBIA’s informal strengths and formalized them into distinct brand pillars: Reflect Members. Connect Community. Amplify Stories.

  • The new Liberty Village brand brings clarity and cohesion to its diverse audiences. Key outputs include:

    • Visual Identity & Design System: A refreshed red-based palette paired with modern tones; an evolved logo; iconography honouring the original LV mark.

    • Voice & Story: Friendly, smart, and future-focused copywriting that reflects the spirit of Liberty Village.

    • Tools & Templates: Business cards, banners, posters, and social media assets designed for ease-of-use by the small but mighty LVBIA team.

    • Signature Campaigns: Love, Liberty, an award-winning outdoor dining guidebook; and FIFA-inspired strategies to be unveiled in 2026.

    • Website: Launched spring 2025, designed for clarity, community engagement, and member support on a template platform that the team can effortlessly update.

    • Launched a clear and consistent brand system after 1.5 years of development

    • Supported award-winning campaigns (Love, Liberty won at the 2025 OBIAA Awards)

    • Strengthened internal capacity with plug-and-play assets and strategic clarity

    • Positioned the BIA as a key player in city-wide economic and cultural storytelling ahead of FIFA 2026

  • By refining Liberty Village’s brand from the inside out, we’ve helped the BIA express its purpose with greater confidence and clarity — not just as a business advocate, but as a community catalyst. With strategy in hand and a strong visual identity, LVBIA is ready to welcome the world in 2026 and grow into its next chapter as a model for placemaking in Toronto.