Wedge celebrate 420 with a charming trio of identities for Canada’s finest cannabis brands

In celebration of the very special global internet occasion that is 420, Montreal-based studio Wedge are sharing a look back at the cannabis brands they’ve helped bring to life over the years; showcasing the sheer variety of their creative prowess in the process. To quote them: “Light it up, here we go!”

Based in Toronto, Carmel Cannabis is an independent grower of small-batch, rare genetic varieties with an uncompromising process – they select, trim, hang dry and tend to everything by hand. As a result, Wedge devised their identity to feel authentically hand-crafted – “it had to be,” their Co-founder and Creative Director Sarah Di Domenico proclaims. From the logomark that depicts a seed-holding hand to the arched serif wordmark and custom ‘Carmel Handdrawn’ typeface, Wedge crafted every element in the identity to be truly unique to the brand without ever feeling like it’s trying too hard. Each of Carmel’s jovially named individual strains, such as ‘Dark Helmet’ and ‘Garlic Breath,’ even possess their own playful typographic lockup. Intricacy and variety in layout results in every application, from packaging to merch, feeling fresh, effortless and most importantly, distinct to Carmel’s commitment to the cannabis cause.

Contrary to the small-batch rarity of Carmel, B!NGO aims to be uncomplicated, reliable and affordable; getting the job done just like a “nice, ice-cold drink on a hot summer’s day.” Created by cannabis colossus and long-time Wedge client Aphria Inc., B!NGO offer cannabis staples such as vape cartridges and whole flower packages. Canada has extremely strict regulations for what can be used in the design of cannabis brands, with restrictions against animals or faces; leaving Wedge with a tough task in creating B!NGO’s identity. Despite this, they rose to the challenge; producing a vibrant solution full of character, quirk and colour. It centres around a memorable stacked logomark inspired by the edges of a prize ribbon – a reference derived from the brand name and ‘value’ language of local dollar stores. The logomark is filled with Lineto’s LL Grey – a choice Wedge’s Founder and Design Director Justin Lortie describes to us as “a strong, characterful font” that’s “bouncy but square and fits in a nice ‘block.’” Bright blue and orange emblazon B!NGO’s packaging and merch alongside the supporting typeface choice of Latinotype’s vintage-inspired serif Recoleta; resulting in an identity that’s unanimously charming and vibrant.

Another product of Aphria, P’TITE POF is a cannabis brand made and designed exclusively for the Quebecois (French Canadian) market. The perfect challenge for Wedge considering their home in Québec’s largest city Montreal, the brief saw them join forces with a team of local friends and cultural connoisseurs to help make their solution feel as authentic as possible. Inspired by the act of taking a hit and passing it on, the brand name essentially means ‘little puff’ while including a subtle reference to the Canadian province’s household cheese brand, P’tit Québec. For the typography, Wedge turned to Latinotype once again; with the rounded vernacular of Mija gracing everything from packaging to apparel. “One of the designers on our team at the time was particularly fond of Latino’s work, being a Latinx designer themselves,” Lortie reveals, “shoutout to Rico!” The colour palette of light blue, white and red also stays true to Québec, authentically referencing a multitude of well-known nostalgia found throughout the province’s convenience stores, poutine chains and roadside shacks.

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