When it comes to design, LG2 is building brand ecosystems. The agency’s design-forward approach helped it repeat its Silver win in this year’s Design category, recognition of both its creative craft and its philosophy on brand transformation.

“We consider ourselves a brand experience agency… design really is our superpower and part of our DNA,” says Josh Stein, partner and CCO. “We ground everything we do in strategy, but we have these great levers to pull across disciplines to make sure the right solution comes to life.”

This year, the agency’s reputation for world-class craft was on full display. From rebranding heritage Quebec culinary staple Cordon Bleu to reimagining design systems for art nonprofit EXMURO, the work demonstrated how design can be both a commercial driver and a cultural amplifier.

“Design, craft, innovation and ideas that lead to impact… craft remains critical. It’s an anchor for creative excellence,” Stein says. Even as the advertising market has cooled in 2025, LG2 has invested in future-facing capabilities. Earlier this year, the agency hired its first experiential design lead, formalizing a discipline it had dabbled in but never fully committed to.

“We saw a need. Experiential ideas are not new to us, but we knew we needed to go deeper,” Stein says. “We brought in a team that sees the role of tech in experiential too, and how to layer in innovation and AI in a way that feels seamless.”

One recent example is OCS’s Buzzkill, an educational Toronto-based storefront designed to mirror illegal cannabis dispensaries while informing consumers about the risks of unregulated products. The stunt mixed retail branding, interactive design and experiential storytelling, targeting Gen Z consumers in what Stein calls “the beauty of experiential as a form of creative expression.” It garnered 32.2M earned media impressions, lifted awareness of cannabis risks to 59% and drove a 152% increase in Ontarians saying they’d choose the legal cannabis market.

LG2 has also expanded with the launch of REF Digital, a standalone digital agency led by long-time LG2 leaders Julie Pilon (partner and president), Nicolas Baldovini (partner and CCO) and Romain Prache (partner and VP, product). “Clients were asking for big build e-commerce projects and tech-forward solutions,” Stein says. “REF gives us a new brand to put on the door and the ability to get into the room with the right level of expertise.”