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PearTree Canada

INTRODUCTION

Elevating Philanthropy With PearTree Canada

For over 15 years, PearTree Canada has been at the forefront of philanthropic innovation, enabling high-net-worth individuals to give more efficiently and strategically through a unique combination of tax credits. By bridging the gap between charitable giving and resource sector funding, PearTree offers a platform that benefits both philanthropy and resource exploration—a rare and impactful dual value proposition.

Despite their success, PearTree’s digital presence was not reflecting the sophistication and strategic elegance of their offerings. Their website, burdened by complex navigation and limited bilingual access, made it challenging for users to fully grasp their innovative financial solutions. They needed a refined brand identity and a streamlined digital experience that clearly communicated their unique services to both English and French-speaking audiences.

OBJECTIVES

Our collaboration with PearTree centered around four key goals:

  • Clarify Service Offerings: Develop a cohesive brand narrative that clearly defines PearTree’s dual financial and philanthropic services.
  • Create a Sophisticated Brand Identity: Design an identity that exudes West Coast modern elegance—sophisticated yet approachable, with lasting impact.
  • Improve User Experience: Simplify content organization and navigation to make resources easily accessible and intuitive.
  • Ensure Bilingual Accessibility: Provide equal access to all information for both English and French-speaking audiences, ensuring PearTree’s offerings are communicated effectively across Canada.

Crafting the Brand: Visual Identity + Messaging

PearTree needed a brand identity that reflected its innovative approach and established reputation. We worked with their existing color palette but expanded it to enhance web accessibility and visual harmony. Gold tones were used to convey warmth and approachability, while blues anchored the brand with a sense of trust and fiscal responsibility.

The logo, already a symbol of PearTree’s commitment to growth and partnership, was refined with increased line-weight to improve visibility. The circular shape of the logo’s tree became a recurring motif throughout the website, adding visual cohesion and depth. This motif, paired with rounded corners on content cards and CTAs, softened the overall aesthetic, making it feel welcoming yet professional.


User Experience: Simplifying Complexity

With a website rich in resources and documentation, one of our biggest challenges was simplifying the user journey. We began with an extensive research and discovery phase, conducting workshops and user interviews to understand how different audiences interacted with the site. From this, we identified key pain points: information was buried, navigation was convoluted, and there was an imbalance in accessibility between English and French content.

We restructured the website’s information architecture, categorizing content in a way that made it easy for users to find exactly what they were looking for, with minimal clicks. The new navigation was designed to reduce cognitive load, with a clear, logical flow that guided users effortlessly through the site.

To enhance engagement, we integrated contextual prompts and callouts that provided quick access to relevant resources. The scrolling experience was made more enjoyable through alternating colors for the website’s components, providing visual variety and aiding in navigation.


CREATIVE DIRECTION

Creative Direction: Trust + Warmth in Every Detail

The creative direction for PearTree’s website needed to be authentic and inviting while maintaining the professionalism expected in the financial sector. We leveraged the brand’s existing color palette but expanded it to support web accessibility. Golds were introduced to highlight the brand’s warmth and approachability, while blue tones established a foundation of trust and fiscal responsibility.

The refined logo was carried through the site as a recurring motif, adding depth and visual interest. The circle shape of the logo’s tree was used as a background element for text and images, reinforcing brand cohesion. Rounded corners and alternating colors helped create a friendly and engaging experience, making the site feel both dynamic and approachable.


Technology: A Seamless Digital Experience

The website was built on a custom WordPress theme, optimized for speed, SEO, and accessibility. Adhering to WCAG 2.1 AA standards, we ensured that the site was fully accessible to users with disabilities, making PearTree’s services available to a broader audience.

With a focus on performance, the site was designed to handle high volumes of traffic without compromising on speed or user experience. The bilingual functionality was seamlessly integrated, providing a unified experience across both languages.

The new PearTree website successfully elevated the brand’s digital presence, providing a sophisticated, user-friendly platform that effectively communicates their unique value proposition. By simplifying navigation and ensuring bilingual accessibility, we made it easier for users to understand and engage with PearTree’s innovative services.

The revamped brand and website not only enhanced PearTree’s reputation as a leader in philanthropic finance but also positioned them for future growth and innovation.

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