Brand Exploration

Mikey's Fishing Gear

Mikey's Fishing Gear is a self-initiated branding concept inspired by my late father and the memories we shared on the water. Rather than creating another performance-driven fishing brand, the project explores how storytelling and personal history can shape an authentic outdoor lifestyle brand. Every design decision—from the visual identity to the supporting graphics, photography, and brand voice—draws from his personality, traditions, and the experiences that made fishing meaningful.


The Challenge
Create a fishing brand that celebrates the experience of being on the water rather than the pursuit of the biggest catch, while building a cohesive identity that feels authentic, nostalgic, and distinctly Canadian.


The Strategy

Develop a brand rooted in family, friendship, and tradition. Drawing inspiration from my dad's love of fishing, his signature plaid shirts, and the cedar strip boat that carried countless conversations, the brand embraces the idea that the best days on the water are measured by the memories made—not the fish caught. The primary badge logo takes the shape of a humble sunfish, an affectionate nod to the species he seemed to catch more often than anything else. Even the marketing campaign reflects his personality, using the kind of wonderfully groan-worthy dad jokes he was known for to create a brand voice that feels warm, approachable, and unmistakably "Mikey."


The Solution
Design a complete brand ecosystem including the visual identity, packaging, apparel, merchandise, photography, environmental graphics, and marketing materials. Humour is woven throughout the campaign with intentionally cheesy dad jokes that reinforce the brand's personality while celebrating the joy of spending time together outdoors. The result is a cohesive outdoor brand that values human connection, shared experiences, and the stories that are remembered long after the fishing trip is over.

Mikey's branding elements
Mikey's branding elements - typography
Mikey's brand design by Active Reason Design
Mikey's branding, creative exploration sketches
Mike's branding - embroidered badge logo
Mikey's branding
Mike's branding - embroidered badge logo
Mikey's branding
Mike's branding - embroidered badge logo
Mikey's branding
Mike's branding - embroidered badge logo
Mikey's branding
Mikey's branding - primary logo on hat
Mikey's branding - primary logo on hat
Mikey's branding - primary logo on hat
Mikey's branding - primary logo on hat
Mikey's branding - primary logo on hat
Mikey's branding - primary logo on hat
Mikey's branding - primary logo on hat
Mikey's branding - primary logo on hat
Mikey's branding - primary logo on hat
Mikey's branding - primary logo on hat
Mikey's branding - primary logo on hat