SURREY — Chris Thornley’s logos can be seen across this large city.
“You know, I actually can’t drive through Surrey without seeing something I did – you know, a little triangle sticker from the BC Wildlife Federation with a goat on it,” he said with a laugh. “And things like De Dutch, we did their logo, Bard on the Beach, all that.”
Thornley runs Thornley Creative Communications, a Fleetwood-based graphic design and web-development firm responsible for many Surrey-related logos and brands.
Since 1989, the company has created designs for the City of Surrey (including its “the future lives here” tag line), Surrey Food Bank, Surrey Libraries, Surrey Schools, Tourism Surrey and Sources Community Resources Centres, among other organizations.
A couple of decades ago, the firm also branded the Cloverdale Rodeo & Country Fair.
“It was one of the first pieces we did, and it’s still visible today,” Thornley said.
(CLICK HERE to view the company’s portfolio)
On Thursday (April 7), Thornley added to the list when Surrey Board of Trade revealed its new logo during an event held at Surrey Arts Centre – a facility that also features a Thornley-designed “A&H” logo for its Arts & Heritage services.
The new “SBOT” logo “reflects the growth and progress of our organization,” its CEO, Anita Huberman, told the crowd, gathered in the arts centre’s studio theatre.
“The colours really represent our diversity as an organization and as a city, (and) the globe indicates that we are living in a global economic environment – no longer can we work in silos – and it represents our innovation and opportunity for entrepreneurship, for youth and for existing businesses.”
The logo is tagged with the words “inclusive, innovative, independent.”
Thornley said his firm started some preliminary work on the new SBOT logo about a year ago.
“It’s not just a new look, it’s all the pieces that go with it, including their new website,” he told the Now. “We redesigned all the titles of their many special events and also their business newspaper, so it was a top-to-bottom (job). We have new logos for all of those.
“I’m so proud of my team, and I also have to give a special compliment to Surrey Board of Trade,” Thornley added. “We mostly worked with Heather Booth (SBOT’s events and communications co-ordinator), but all of them were great to work with along the way.”
Also at the April 7 event, SBOT announced a new Newcomer Entrepreneur Program, which will aim to bridge Surrey companies with immigrants and refugees.
“They are part of our community, for our workforce and for creating jobs,” Huberman said.
tom.zillich@thenownewspaper.com
