Design de Plume

What Design de Plume does

Design de Plume Inc. is an Indigenous and women-owned creative agency headquartered in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, founded in 2009 and operating across North America (Canada and the US). The company delivers strategy, branding, design systems, campaigns, websites, AR/VR consultation, comic book storytelling, and Indigenous stock photo curation for clients in Higher Education, Healthcare, Government (federal, provincial, tribal), Financial Services, NGOs, Cultural Institutions, Indigenous-owned businesses, and emerging sectors like sports/media. All work is anchored by the proprietary IIDEAS framework (Indigeneity, Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Sustainability) and the Creative Compass four-phase methodology (Listening, Ideating, Implementing, Reflecting), ensuring accessibility compliance with WCAG 2.1, ADA, and AODA standards.

The business model combines professional services with a small digital product stream. Revenue is primarily project-based, quote-driven creative agency work for enterprise and institutional clients, with named engagements spanning CBC, RBC, TD Bank, Toronto Maple Leafs, Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health, Université de Sudbury, Queen's University, Indigenous Services Canada, and numerous Indigenous-focused NGOs. Secondary revenue includes the Indigenous Communications Toolkit, a downloadable PDF guide priced at $39.95 CAD for personal license and $149.95 CAD for organizational license, plus keynote speaking fees and custom workshops delivered by Co-CEOs Jennifer Taback and Meggan Van Harten at design and industry conferences.

The firm is founder-owned with no external venture capital, no parent company, and no subsidiaries reported. It holds Certified Aboriginal Business (CCAB), WeConnect International Women-Owned, and Registered Graphic Designer (RGD) certifications, and has accumulated multiple international design awards including DNA Paris Design Awards, MarComm Gold, DotComm Platinum, and WOLDA recognition. The agency is led under a Co-CEO model since inception, with a hybrid workforce of approximately 14 visible team members supplemented by a network of Indigenous consultants and subject matter experts.

Name

Design de Plume

Legal name

Design de Plume Inc.

Website

https://deplume.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Design de Plume is an Indigenous and women-owned creative agency founded in 2009 in Sudbury, Ontario, providing branding, strategy, design systems, websites, and campaigns via its IIDEAS framework for clients across higher education, healthcare, government, financial services, and Indigenous-focused organizations in Canada and the US.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Agency Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (541430), Graphic Design Services (54143), Industrial Design Services (541420)

akta.pro primary industry

Exhibition, Retail & Experiential Design (BPAHAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental & Experiential Brand Design (Retail/Exhibit/Signage) (MPAAAEAG), Creator Content Production & Co-Creation Studios (BPAFAHAD), Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Creative agency services
• Inclusive design solutions
• Branding strategy services
• Accessible web design
• Indigenous communications

Headquarters

HQ city

Sudbury

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Creative Agency Services: Full-service creative agency providing strategy, branding, campaigns, design systems, websites, and AR/VR consultation. Revenue generated through project-based client engagements across multiple sectors including Higher Education, Healthcare, Government, Financial/Tech, NGOs/Nonprofits, and Cultural Institutions.
2. Indigenous Communications Toolkit Sales: Sale of the Indigenous Communications Toolkit digital product. Available in Personal License ($39.95 CAD) and Organizational License ($149.95 CAD) versions. Revenue from product sales with pricing based on license type.
3. Speaking Engagements: Revenue generated through booking Co-CEOs (Jennifer Taback and Meggan Van Harten) for keynotes, conference talks, and custom workshops. Speaking engagements cover inclusive design, accessibility, and Indigenous-informed communication topics.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Design de Plume is a full-service Indigenous and women-owned creative agency delivering strategy, branding, design systems, campaigns, websites, AR/VR consultation, and Indigenous stock photo curation for organizations. All work is guided by their proprietary IIDEAS framework (Indigeneity, Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, Sustainability). They also sell a standalone digital product, the Indigenous Communications Toolkit (a downloadable PDF guide), and offer paid speaking engagements and custom workshops.

Product overview

Design de Plume is an Indigenous and women-owned creative agency offering a portfolio of services anchored by its full-service creative offering (strategy, branding, design systems, campaigns, websites, AR/VR consultation, and Indigenous stock photo libraries). The agency also sells a standalone digital product, the Indigenous Communications Toolkit (a downloadable PDF guide at $39.95–$149.95 CAD), and packages its methodology as the Creative Compass process. Speaking engagements and custom workshops are offered as separate service lines. All work is guided by the IIDEAS framework (Indigeneity, Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Sustainability). The company operates primarily as a services firm with one commercial digital product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Creative Services (Strategy, Branding, Design Systems, Campaigns, Websites, AR/VR Consultation) Full-service creative agency services including strategy, branding, design systems, campaigns, websites, and AR/VR consultation for organizations in higher education, healthcare, government, NGOs, financial services, and cultural institutions. Powered by the proprietary IIDEAS principles.
• Indigenous Communications Toolkit A downloadable PDF digital product (2 MB) offering practical guidance on inclusive language when communicating with Indigenous communities. Includes tips for honouring Indigenous identities, common missteps, alternatives, and cultural context. Available as Personal License ($39.95 CAD) or Organizational License ($149.95 CAD).
• Speaking & Workshop Services Signature talks and custom workshops delivered by Co-CEOs Jennifer Taback and Meggan Van Harten on inclusive design, accessibility, and Indigenous-informed communication. Signature talks include 'The Stewardship of Stories', 'Beyond Compliance: Cultural Perspectives on True Accessibility', and 'Keep Your Doors Open'.
• Comic Book Design & Storytelling Custom comic book design services as a storytelling tool for education and reconciliation, using a proprietary 15-step Comics Design Process involving research, community input, illustration, and iterative collaboration to ensure cultural accuracy.

Quantifiable outcome

• 240,000 Indigenous people reached through Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health branding project
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MastercardminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 January 2026Mastercard supported DDP's 2026 Indigenous Celebration Night design project for the Toronto Maple Leafs. This partnership provided financial support that enabled Co-CEO Jennifer Taback to express herself authentically and represent her community. The collaboration helped push DDP's business to a new level and opened opportunities for other community members.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lg2: Quebec-based independent creative agency offering branding, design, and integrated marketing. Comparable independent Canadian agency with full-service creative capabilities serving enterprise clients, similar in size-class and service mix to DDP.
• Bruce Mau Design: Toronto-based strategic design studio founded by Bruce Mau, focused on brand systems, identity, and design-driven transformation. Highly comparable in design-system, branding, and methodology-led positioning; differs in scale and absence of Indigenous-community specialization.
• Anomaly: Independently-owned global creative agency known for brand strategy, design systems, and integrated campaigns. Comparable independent-agency operating model and offering mix; differs in geographic scale and lack of Indigenous-and-accessibility specialization.
• Sid Lee: Montreal-headquartered independent creative agency offering branding, strategy, design, and campaign work across Canada and globally. Directly comparable in service mix (strategy, branding, design systems, digital) to DDP, but at significantly larger scale and without DDP's Indigenous-and-accessibility specialization.
• Rethink: Canadian independent creative agency providing brand strategy, design, and integrated campaigns. Closely matches DDP's model as a mid-sized independent Canadian shop with multi-vertical reach; differs in lacking DDP's Indigenous-and-accessibility focus.

Emerging players

• Hyperakt: Brooklyn-based design studio purpose-built for mission-driven organizations, with deep expertise in brand strategy, identity, and accessible digital design. Closest analogue in the 'design with purpose + accessibility' positioning, though it does not center Indigenous cultural practice the way DDP does.

Broad incumbents

• Cossette: One of Canada's largest full-service marketing and communications agencies, offering branding, advertising, design, and digital services. Comparable offerings in branding and campaigns, but operates at national-network scale and without DDP's Indigenous-niche specialization.
• Juniper Park\TBWA: Toronto-based TBWA-network creative agency providing brand strategy, campaigns, and design. Overlaps with DDP on creative services for enterprise Canadian clients, but at significantly larger scale and broader vertical focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/designdeplume
• Facebookfacebook.com/DesigndePlume
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/design-de-plume
• Instagraminstagram.com/design_de_plume

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Design de Plume