First Reference — Logo Design on the Grid

Established in 1995, First Reference is the leading solution provider of up-to-date, practical, and authoritative Canadian HR, payroll, internal controls compliance, and policy management platforms. They partnered with us to craft a new logo to coexist with their updated brand system.

From the start, First Reference has used some iteration of these five vertical columns in its logo. They came to us at a crossroads - wanting to become a digital-forward company with a focus on modern software solutions. This was quite a shift for the company so we felt a shift in the logo was necessary. Anytime a company has significant equity in its logo/brand, we want to hold on to what we can. Our solution was to use the same rectangular forms to craft a standalone symbol that stands strong and takes up similar visual real estate.

First Reference is Canada's leader is simple, easy-to-use compliance products. While simple, these HR solutions fall into segmented categories, so we used a simple, square grid approach to craft the foundation of the logo and brand. Building a minimal "FR" into a square shape gives the logo versatility, balance, and instant recognition. The HR industry is overcrowded with outdated and complex logos that do not hold up in today's digital world. The simple, memorable mark we crafted for First Reference is a real differentiator.