Building a path towards reconciliation through Indigenous sport in Canada

Sask Sport has shown a long-standing commitment to supporting reconciliation in collaboration with Indigenous communities, working to promote inclusion and participation in sports.

In partnership with Indigenous leaders and the Rock & Bloom team, Sask Sport created an Indigenous Sport Timeline. This timeline aligns with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action, serving as an educational tool that highlights key moments in Indigenous sport while fostering ongoing engagement in reconciliation efforts.

Our Opportunity

Our relationship with Sask Sport, rooted in collaboration and shared goals, has enabled us to participate in weaving the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action into the fabric of sport in Saskatchewan. Sask Sport’s emphasis on Calls to Action 87 to 91 reflects its dedication to Indigenous participation in sport and the ongoing journey of reconciliation.

Collaboration is key

Our approach was to center Indigenous voices and needs, ensuring the Calls to Action were integrated in ways that are accessible and rooted in the resources and histories of Indigenous peoples. Sask Sport’s dedication to ‘walking the talk’ in this process shows their genuine commitment to action over symbolism. Together, we’ve developed a timeline that is more than just a project—it’s a learning journey for all of us, creating space for reflection and action in daily life through sports.

Our work is never done  

Though progress has been made, there is still much to learn and do. Sask Sport’s timeline is just one step on the long road of reconciliation, providing an ongoing invitation to educate and engage communities. It is a reminder that reconciliation is a shared responsibility that requires continuous effort, listening, and action. We are proud to support Sask Sport in amplifying Indigenous voices and ensuring that this work remains authentic, grounded, and meaningful.

We are grateful for the opportunity to learn through this collaboration with Sask Sport. Their leadership has provided us, and many others, with the tools to integrate the Calls to Action into everyday actions. We invite you to explore Sask Sport’s Indigenous Sport Timeline to celebrate and deepen your understanding of Indigenous sport in Saskatchewan.

Rising to the Challenge: How Strategic Design and Storytelling Fueled a Polytechnic’s $100M Fundraising Goal

Saskatchewan Polytechnic drives the province’s growth by aligning with industry needs, fostering collaboration on applied research, and supporting labour market development.

With its activities and students contributing approximately $2.6 billion to the provincial economy, Saskatchewan Polytechnic supports one in every 19 jobs in the province.

Currently, Saskatchewan Polytechnic is spread across multiple locations, making things challenging for students to get the full campus experience and easy access to services and support.

Enter the Time to Rise campaign.

Challenge Accepted

The Time to Rise campaign aims to empower Saskatchewan Polytechnic graduates and strengthen the provincial economy with a new, 21st century Saskatoon campus.

This new campus will consolidate an existing network of decentralized outdated buildings into a modern, technology-rich learning environment, making it a one-stop shop for learning and community growth.

Our goal was to create a visually compelling campaign that supports Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s drive for fundraising and helps them to achieve their $100M fundraising goal.

Big Goals Lead to Big Gains

The project scope included: 

  • Brand identity
    • Personas
    • Key messaging
  • Marketing Collateral
    • Branded slide deck 
    • Pop up banner design
    • Social media templates
    • Email design template
  • Video Collateral
    • Short format videos for social
    • Digital ads
  • Microsite

Getting Down to Business  

Brand Identity

Our goals with the design were to create something eye-catching, bold and exciting, adding more depth and personality to Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s overall brand. We wanted the campaign design to feel new and fresh, while still staying true to its familiar roots.  

Featuring a strong silhouette, we chose a colour palette that was connected to the main brand, yet allowed for the campaign to stand out on its own. Our font pairings are high-impact, bold and confident, drawing users in immediately.

Microsite

The microsite is an expansion of the brand, telling Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s story and creating meaningful conversations around donations. It serves as a powerful storytelling tool by driving targeted messaging, capturing the attention of potential donors, and inspiring action.

A strong microsite enhances user experience with a clear narrative and easy navigation, making it simpler for visitors to understand the institution’s mission and the value of their contributions. By creating an immersive and engaging online environment, we’ve helped to build trust and encourage deeper involvement.

Celebrating The Wins

Our collaboration with Saskatchewan Polytechnic resulted in a $100,000 donation the day the new site went live. Users commented on how easy the site was to use and how engaging the design was. Through thoughtful collaboration and execution, the end result has set Saskatchewan Polytechnic up for success on their path to $100M! 

“We at Saskatchewan Polytechnic want to thank Rock & Bloom for their amazing work on the Time to Rise Capital Campaign website in support of the new Saskatoon Campus. Their design and marketing skills boosted our outreach and engagement, leading to a generous donation that exceeded our expectations. The website’s user-friendly design, compelling content and intuitive navigation has provided us with positive feedback from our community. Rock & Bloom’s work has been invaluable, and we’re excited to continue to work with them on future collaborations.”

Sarah Fedirko, Director Alumni & Donor Relations

Check out the new Time to Rise microsite and support Saskatchewan Polytechnic as they strive to strengthen Saskatchewan’s economy.

Designing a Winning User Experience For Eight Casino Websites

The Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) operates seven casino properties, each with a distinct identity.

SIGA needed to refresh each website, including their corporate site, to ensure brand cohesion across all of their properties.

Challenge Accepted

Our goals were to improve the overall user experience across all SIGA casino websites. We needed to ensure cohesive branding across different properties, while also allowing each brand to stand out on its own. 

Our team collaborated with SIGA to create a strong design, seamless user experience, and robust content strategy, providing guidance that their team used to complete the development of the websites.

Big Goals Lead to Big Gains

The project scope included: 

  • Strategic organization
    •  Card sorting & tree testing
  • Research & Wireframing
  • Strategic site architecture
  • Website design
  • Content strategy

Getting Down to Business  

Strategic Organization

We conducted card sorting and tree testing exercises to understand how users categorize and navigate information. This process informed the restructuring of site architecture to align with user expectations and behaviors.

Looking at user needs, preferences, and industry best practices we designed a site architecture that organized information logically and intuitively. We wanted to ensure easy access to key information and services, enhancing user satisfaction and engagement.

Website Design

After a thorough strategy phase, we were able to dive into website design. We created visually appealing and brand-consistent designs for all seven casino properties, as well as the corporate site. 

Keeping in mind SIGA’s branding and messaging goals, we developed a robust content strategy to ensure that content was engaging, relevant, and optimized for search engines.

Website Execution

We designed the websites for SIGA’s internal team to build. In order to ensure a smooth and successful handoff, we worked closely with SIGA’s internal team to ensure our design and strategy recommendations were implemented effectively. Providing detailed guidance for development, we enabled their team to build and deploy the new websites successfully.

Celebrating The Wins

Our collaboration with the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority resulted in several website refreshes that met their goals of improving user experience and ensuring cohesive branding across all casino properties, strengthening SIGA’s overall brand identity and setting them up for continued success.

Check out the Bear Claw Casino website, or any of the individual casino websites to see our work in action.