Stratford–Fox Run
Corporate Brand Strategy, Branded House System, Identity Development, Web Design
The Challenge
Stratford–Fox Run (SFR) began with the acquisition of a financially struggling equestrian centre in the Ottawa region, but the vision extended far beyond saving a single business. The new owner envisioned a multi-entity group built around excellence, experience, and long-term growth.
The challenge was to determine the right brand architecture, House of Brands or Branded House, and to develop a scalable identity system capable of supporting multiple business units, including SFR Equestrian, SFR Distillery, and future ventures such as SFR Manor & Spa. The solution needed to unify diverse offerings under one strategic umbrella while allowing each entity to retain its own voice and market presence.
The Solution
After strategic exploration and presentation of both brand architecture models, we aligned on a Branded House system, anchoring every business unit under the Stratford–Fox Run master brand (SFR) to build equity, recognition, and long-term cohesion.
I developed a complete corporate identity and visual framework for SFR, including master and sub-brand logos in long and stacked configurations, single and multi-colour applications, and positive and reverse executions. A modified version of the original equestrian centre logo was preserved as a legacy mark, used sparingly as a nod to the property’s history.
To ensure clarity and consistency across all divisions, we created a comprehensive brand guide detailing the mission, vision, tone of voice, logo usage rules, colour systems, typography, file naming conventions, email signature standards, photography direction, and corporate stationery templates and digital applications.
Stratford–Fox Run was born from a moment of clarity.
While sitting in his car waiting for his daughter to finish a riding lesson, the future owner watched as a fox emerged from the woods, climbed onto a rock, and locked eyes with him, calm, steady, unafraid. Just as suddenly, it disappeared back into the trees.
Minutes later, his daughter returned, upset. The riding centre was in financial trouble and might not survive the season. In that moment, the meaning was clear. The failing equestrian centre would not close. It would become the foundation for something greater. That vision became Stratford–Fox Run.
The system was extended to a full website strategy, design, development, and launch for the corporate brands SFR Equestrian and SFR Distillery, establishing a unified digital presence across the Ottawa and Capital Region markets. The result is a cohesive, scalable brand ecosystem, built not just to support multiple businesses, but to grow with them.
