Don Watt (designer)

Don Watt (February 9, 1936 – 23 December 2009) created the Watt group, a retail branding and design consultancy. The company was among the first agencies to envision a system of branding that unified the entire shopping experience. Don Watt and other key players in the Watt Group over the years are credited with introducing premium private label brand design to the North American Market. Some of the more recognized brand designs include Home Depot’s orange logo and store concept, Sam's Choice, No Name and President's Choice. Don Watt was the first designer to use photosymbolism on packaging, for Nestle Instant Coffee.

Don Watt was born in Regina, Saskatchewan. His father worked in the military and his mother would often paint pictures while his father was on duty, this inspired Don early on to pursue a career as an animator. Don graduated from the Ontario College of Art for industrial design.

Don Watt’s first job after graduation was for A.V. Roe, working on the design for the Avro Arrow and the “flying saucer”—a special project for the U.S. Army. Don went on to work for Warner Brothers in California, doing animation for Bugs Bunny, but then soon moved onto package design.

After working as a creative director for Hathaway-Templeton, where he worked on finalizing the design of the Canadian Flag, Watt founded Don Watt and Associates in 1966. Soon after, the firm landed the account to redesign the Nestle brand in Canada. During the early inception of the firm Watt also worked on the design of the Canadian Pavilion at Expo 67.

In 1973, Don Watt was hired by Galen Weston, to help resuscitate the Loblaws brand. Don Watt designed the brand, stores, packaging for “no name” generic products, “President's Choice” premium products, “Too Good to be True” nutritious healthy products and “Green” for environmentally friendly products.

Soon after the product launches, Watt suggested that then-current spokesperson William Shatner be replaced by Loblaws president Dave Nichol, after Shatner’s availability became limited by his involvement in a new television series. The enhanced store flyer featuring Nichol’s product picks, The Insider Report, soon followed.

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