Borealis Creative (formerly known as SOS Design)

What Borealis Creative (formerly known as SOS Design) does

Borealis Creative Agency Inc. is a Toronto-based, full-service B2B creative agency (formerly operating as SOS Design) that provides integrated brand strategy, visual identity, advertising, and marketing communications services. Its core offering spans research and analysis, strategic planning, creative services, traditional and digital advertising, brand identity, experiential marketing, production, and social media management, with notable specialization in capital campaign branding and institutional rebranding. The agency serves enterprise clients across education (the primary vertical), financial services, real estate, cultural/non-profit, and corporate sectors through direct client engagements, referrals, and competitive RFP processes. Notable engagements include Ontario Tech University's $250 million capital campaign, Meridian Credit Union's national awareness campaign, Kinross Gold's global 'Safeground' sub-brand, and a five-year strategic partnership with Manulife Centre.

The agency's business model is project-based professional services revenue, with no proprietary technology platform disclosed; it differentiates through strategic methodology, creative execution, and award-winning work (CASE, CMA, CAUCE). It is privately held and founder-controlled, with no external funding or institutional investors identified. The agency is small (a Toronto single-office operation with a handful of named senior leaders) and Ontario-focused, though it has delivered global work for multinational clients such as Kinross and Panasonic. Recent activity indicates selective adoption of generative AI in video production, but AI is not a core capability.

Name

Borealis Creative (formerly known as SOS Design)

Legal name

Borealis Creative Agency Inc.

Website

https://borealiscreative.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Borealis Creative is a Toronto-based, full-service B2B creative agency (formerly SOS Design) delivering brand strategy, advertising, and marketing communications to enterprise clients across education, financial services, real estate, and cultural sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative & Marketing Agency Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Creative & Brand Campaign Development (BPAFAAAB), B2B/ABM Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAI)

Keywords

• Creative agency services
• Brand strategy development
• Marketing communications
• Advertising production
• Visual identity design

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Creative Agency Services: Borealis Creative generates revenue through professional services fees, including brand strategy and positioning, visual identity development, creative campaigns, advertising production, and marketing consultation. Revenue appears to come from project-based engagements and potentially retainer arrangements with key clients. Notable projects include a $250-million university capital campaign and a $24-million school fundraising campaign.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Borealis Creative is a full-service B2B creative agency that crafts brand strategy, visual identity, advertising campaigns, and integrated marketing communications for enterprise clients. The agency delivers research, strategic planning, creative development, traditional and digital advertising, production, social media, and website/e-commerce design on a project or retainer basis. Notable engagements include a $250-million university capital campaign, multi-year property rebrands, and national product launches for brands such as Ontario Tech University, Meridian Credit Union, and Panasonic.

Product overview

Borealis Creative is a full-service creative agency (formerly SOS Design) offering integrated branding, design, and marketing communications services. The agency operates as a single unified service offering rather than a platform with separate modules. Core services include: Research & Analysis, Strategic Planning, Creative Services, Traditional Advertising, Digital Marketing, Brand Identity, Experiential Marketing, Production, and Social Media Services. The agency specializes in brand rebranding, capital campaign branding, and website/e-commerce development. Work is organized around client engagements across sectors including education (universities, colleges, independent schools), mining (Kinross Safeground), financial services (Manulife, Meridian), retail (Manulife Centre), non-profits (National Trust for Canada), and cultural institutions (Manitoba Museum, Soulpepper).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research & Analysis Market and competitive research, consumer behavior and product testing, campaign performance tracking, and ROI analysis to inform strategic brand decisions for enterprise clients.
• Strategic Planning Brand strategy and positioning, media planning, and campaign strategy development to guide client brand communications across channels.
• Brand Identity Naming, logo design, and comprehensive brand guidelines development to define and codify client brand systems.
• Brand Rebranding Complete visual identity redesign, brand repositioning, and sub-brand development for organizations undergoing transformation.
• Creative Services Idea generation, concept development, copywriting, graphics, and multimedia production underpinning campaigns and brand work.
• Traditional Advertising Print campaigns, broadcast TV/radio ads, and out-of-home advertising across various media channels for enterprise clients.
• Digital Marketing Website design, SEO and PPC campaigns, social media strategy and advertising, and email marketing services.
• Social Media Services Social media strategy, content curation, monitoring, and engagement services supporting client brand presence across platforms.
• Capital Campaign Branding End-to-end fundraising campaign concept development, campaign identity, photography art direction, and video production for institutional clients (universities, independent schools).
• Website Design & E-commerce Interactive website design and enhanced e-commerce site development with user experience optimization for cultural and institutional clients.
• Experiential Marketing Events, sponsorships, and experiential activations to engage audiences through immersive brand experiences.
• Production TV, radio, and digital content production as well as print production services for client campaigns.

Quantifiable outcome

• Panasonic Breathe Well campaign achieved 39.1 million impressions with 6.17 point lift in purchase intent
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered supporting.

• Zink StudiossupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partner for Ontario Tech University Capital Fundraising Campaign video. Borealis collaborated with Zink Studios to create a compelling video blending AI, CGI, and live-action footage of students, faculty, and alumni.
• Zero11Zero / Iron Bay MediasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerVideo production partner for Royal St. George's College campaign launch video. Developed the launch video giving voice to what is unique about the school.
• Digital ChaossupportingTechnology or IntegrationDevelopment partner for Manitoba Museum website redesign and e-commerce platform implementation. Hosted workshop sessions with Museum stakeholders to define approach and technical requirements.
• twenty6two InternationalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia agency partner for Meridian Credit Union national awareness campaign. Jointly produced media plan to prioritize maximum GRPs and impressions.
• MarusupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for Meridian Credit Union campaign. Provided tracking and brand awareness measurement using dedicated audience panels.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Sid Lee: Montreal-headquartered creative agency with Toronto presence, offering brand, advertising, and digital services. Comparable in independent positioning, multi-disciplinary creative model, and enterprise client portfolio.
• Zulu Alpha Kilo: Toronto-based independent creative agency recognized for integrated brand, advertising, and design work. Directly comparable to Borealis in market, scale, B2B creative services, and award-winning Canadian portfolio.
• john st. Toronto-based independent creative agency known for integrated advertising and brand work. Comparable in market position, creative reputation, and B2B client mix.
• Juniper Park\TBWA: Toronto-based creative agency within TBWA's global network. Comparable as a Toronto competitor for the same enterprise RFPs in brand strategy, advertising, and design.
• Rethink: Canadian independent creative agency with offices in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. Comparable to Borealis in independent positioning, B2B/enterprise client base, and award-recognized integrated creative work.
• TAXI (now part of The&Partnership): Long-established Toronto creative agency offering brand strategy, advertising, and digital services to enterprise clients. Highly comparable in geography, vertical breadth, and full-service creative offering.

Broad incumbents

• Cossette: One of Canada's largest full-service marketing communications agencies with offices nationwide. Overlaps with Borealis in advertising, brand strategy, and digital services but operates at significantly greater scale with broader service portfolio.
• DDB Canada: Canadian operations of global network DDB, offering advertising and brand services through Toronto, Vancouver, and other offices. Comparable in full-service creative offerings and enterprise client base, with broader network resources.

Regional players

• Lg2: Quebec-based independent creative agency with strong B2B and brand capabilities. Comparable in services and creative reputation, but primarily serves Quebec/Eastern Canada rather than Ontario.

Emerging players

• Rouge Marketing Group: Toronto-based creative and digital marketing agency serving mid-market and enterprise clients. Comparable in regional focus and integrated brand/marketing services, though typically smaller in scale than Borealis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/borealiscreative
• TikToktiktok.com/@borealiscreative
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/borealiscreative

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Borealis Creative (formerly known as SOS Design)