case study
calgary city council
Brand Identity, UI/UX Design, Campaign Materials
client overview
Dan Olesen, a first-time municipal candidate in Calgary’s Ward 1, needed to build trust quickly with a grassroots team, limited timeline, and a message focused on independence, accountability, and community-first leadership. The goal was to create a full visual identity and digital presence that felt political yet personal, clear yet approachable, and recognizable across every touchpoint.
The Challenge
With no previous political presence, he needed a complete design system that could build credibility quickly. The campaign required a full brand identity, a responsive website, and print materials that worked together across digital and physical spaces. The challenge was creating visuals that felt political, approachable, and easy to recognize while keeping the messaging consistent and aligned with his values.
project objective
brand identity
Create a visual identity that feels political, approachable, memorable, and grounded in trust and reliability.
responsive website
Design a modern, easy to navigate website that helps voters learn about the candidate, priorities, and updates.
print materials
Develop high impact lawn signs, postcards, and campaign handouts that are easy to read at a glance.
brand consistency
Keep visual style and messaging unified across every touchpoint to strengthen recognition.
collaboration focus
Work closely with Dan and the campaign team to support aligned goals and maintain open communication.
value driven
Ensure all designs reflect Dan’s values of independence, accountability, and genuineness.
STRATEGY and approach
The strategy was to combine strong political clarity with a warm visual tone. The brand leaned on approachable typography, modern layouts, and a color palette that felt trustworthy and confident. Every decision was guided by what would help residents understand Dan’s message within seconds with these key strategy points.
Make the brand readable, unique, and instantly recognizable across every platform.
Support the campaign’s storytelling with visuals that feel human, warm, and relatable.
Build a scalable system that works seamlessly across print, web, and social media.
Prioritize clarity and simplicity so the public understands the message within seconds.
Brand System Development
The brand system offered strong readability and approachability. The color palette was chosen to reflect trust, independence, and professionalism. Icons, layout styles, and supporting graphics were kept minimal to support clarity.
ui/ux focused website
The website needed to guide voters quickly. The layout was simple, mobile first, and clear. Calls to action helped residents learn about Dan’s story, platform, and ways to participate in the campaign.
Designed Dan Olesen’s homepage with a people-first UX approach, combining clear visual hierarchy, an integrated Instagram feed, and a timed pop-up banner to encourage social connection, building trust, highlighting key priorities, and driving community engagement.
I placed the Top Priorities section right after the Hero so visitors quickly see who Dan is and what he stands for. This clear hierarchy reduces friction, improves flow, and helps voters connect with his key issues immediately.
A donation page that integrates Helcim (a local Calgary-based processor), paired with a custom explanation of why this platform reflects Dan’s values over more familiar tools like PayPal.
To encourage interaction at every stage, CTAs like Donate, Learn More, and Volunteer were placed across all pages to make it easy for visitors to take action the moment they feel ready.
I included a ‘Moments with Dan’ section to humanize the campaign, highlighting real community interactions that show action behind his promises. The site is user-centered, easy to navigate, consistent in branding, and designed to inform, connect, and engage while looking great and working effectively.
The footer was designed to feel organized, clear, and easy to navigate while supporting the overall identity of the campaign. It brings key information together in a simple layout that helps residents find what they need without scrolling back through the page, including sign up for newsletter.
Print and Campaign Materials
The visual identity extended into real environments across Ward 1. All materials were designed to stand out, remain consistent, and be easy to read from a distance.
the result
After launching Dan Olesen’s campaign website, traffic grew quickly within a short campaign period. The site reached 9,000+ page views and 4,500+ unique visitors, with an average session time of over three minutes and a bounce rate under 65 percent, showing strong engagement and a clear, user friendly experience.
the outcome
The project moved at a fast pace through close collaboration with the campaign team. Regular check ins and feedback ensured the website’s design and messaging aligned with the candidate’s goals while staying flexible to meet tight campaign timelines.
the impact
The final website combined branding, UX, and storytelling to build credibility for a new political presence. Organic traffic from search and social platforms confirmed the site’s visibility, while mobile usage showed the design performed well in real world campaign conditions.
