Mike Kelar, co-founder of design agency Jacknife (and a product of Leaside), has had a creative bone since childhood, but he didn’t know for certain that he wanted to do graphic design.
“I was always drawing and making models and shooting photography, so I always knew I was gonna go to art school. …I didn’t really have a backup plan.”
Kelar credits his introduction to graphic design to his aunt. But it wasn’t until his second year at OCAD, at the time known as the Ontario College of Art, that he finally saw it as a career path.
By the time he finished school, though, the Canadian market hadn’t caught up to his creative, outside-the-box approach. Companies loved his work but didn’t have room (or the imagination) for his innovative designs.
Rather than give up, Kelar saw an opportunity. There was a void in Canadian design that his creations could fill.
“We just made a decision that we’re gonna do that here and we’re gonna see what happens,” said Kelar.
He joined forces with fellow graphic designer Mikey Richardson, and the two founded AmoebaCorp, which in 2013 became Jacknife.
They quickly found success. One of their first jobs was an ad campaign for the children’s TV network, YTV.
They were competing against some of the largest ad designers in Toronto and were told by the network to “keep it weird.” “Keep it weird” they did. Their unique approach to design beat out the competition and they landed the job.
The YTV job is just one example of the “cool stuff” Kelar set out to do when he and Richardson founded their company.
They’ve done so much cool stuff since then that Kelar couldn’t point to one thing as being the coolest. He does have plenty to choose from. He and Richardson have worked with Nike, the Toronto Maple Leafs, Coca-Cola, TFC and plenty of others.
As they’ve matured, though, Kelar says he’s come to realize that what sets Jacknife apart is that they design “with purpose.” While they are creative, push boundaries and still do “cool stuff,” they also design with their client and their client’s target audience in mind.
Kelar credits some of his creative spark with growing up in Leaside. He went to school at Bessborough Drive Elementary and Middle School and attended Leaside High School. He played hockey at Leaside Memorial Arena and played baseball in the area too.
“I loved growing up in Leaside,” said Kelar, who added that living close to the library and so many different parks allowed him to explore his creative side.
Not bad for a Leaside kid who didn’t have a backup plan.
This post was guest contributed by Jake Ross.