Broadcasting not from deep space this time, but from a dock on Lake Nipissing. Welcome to the summer edition of The Dispatch—Orbit’s ongoing transmission of studio updates, recent creative work, and behind-the-scenes signals.
After a sprint through Q1 and Q2, the studio is closed this week for a much-needed recharge. There’s something poetic about sending this update from a spot carved into the Canadian Shield—water lapping at the rocks, sunset doing its thing, and the Orbit systems in full reboot mode.
Here’s what’s been in flight since the last transmission:
Canada Dry joins the Orbit Brand Universe
The major push this quarter has been summer 2026 in-store campaign development for a new client brand: Canada Dry. Working alongside an agency partner, I’ve been supporting their creative team through the holiday season—jumping in to concept and execute key visuals, flavour-specific assets, and a wide range of point-of-sale display mockups. Think: pallets, bookshelves, cooler clings, tent card headers… basically, if it holds a can or bottle, I’ve rendered it.
Cartoony commissions with heart
These one-off illustration projects continue to be a rewarding creative counterweight to brand work. The two most recent commissions—a wedding-day scene and a first anniversary portrait—featured couples in my signature cartoon style, with their pets offering commentary or comic relief. These are the personal touches you don’t always get from big agencies—and it’s a privilege to be trusted with them.
Planet Joey: final touches, big plans
Behind the scenes, I’ve been polishing two additional final comics for a formal submission to the syndicates—Andrews McMeel (GoComics.com) and King Features (ComicsKingdom.com). No announcements yet, but Planet Joey continues to evolve beyond social media, with stronger narrative threads and a growing archive of panels.
Stay tuned.
Designing the Multiverse (and more from Trajectory)
The Orbit Substack has become a steady creative outlet, with new series continuing to drop:
• DesignNova dives into the secrets behind the world’s most recognizable brands
• Orbit30 reflects on pivotal moments from three decades in the design industry
• Designing the Multiverse imagines brand systems through alternate timelines. The first edition asks: what if Google existed in 1955? Picture it as a leather-bound encyclopedia set next to the World Book on your parents’ bookshelf. It’s a design history thought experiment, and more are coming. Read the piece here.
That’s all from the lake. Transmission complete.
We elevate brands.
Orbit Studios helps companies and organizations show up stronger—through concept-driven campaigns, brand identity systems, and strategic content that connects.
Whether you’re building something new or refining what’s already out there, Orbit can help you lift off with clarity and creative edge. If that sounds like someone you know, feel free to pass us along.
—Dave
