SuperWalk is the flagship annual fundraising event for Parkinson Canada, a national organization supporting Canadians living with Parkinson’s disease. The event has been held since 1990 and has raised more than $44 million for research, support tools and advocacy.[1]
Design and History
SuperWalk operates as a sub-brand of Parkinson Canada, and its visual identity has historically drawn on the parent organization’s established symbols. A Canadian trademark filed in 2014 for the “PARKINSON SUPERWALK” word and design mark includes Vienna classification descriptions for a tulip, a silhouette of a man, and letters forming an arc.[2] The tulip is a long-standing symbol associated with Parkinson’s awareness, referencing a tulip cultivar named after Dr. James Parkinson.[3]
In 2017, SuperWalk introduced a new logo system documented in an official graphic and aesthetic standards guide. The guide specifies English (“PARKINSON SUPERWALK”) and bilingual (“LA GRANDE RANDONNÉE PARKINSON”) lockups, with a primary blue color specified as Pantone 2728 with RGB values of 0, 71, 187 and hex code #0047BB.[4]
In March 2023, Parkinson Canada announced a broader brand refresh, describing updated visual elements including a refreshed colour palette, updated typography and a new approach to representing the diversity of the Parkinson’s community. The organization noted the roll-out would take time across its digital properties and print materials.[5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The tulip element in the SuperWalk mark connects the event to the broader Parkinson’s awareness symbol. The tulip variety was developed by Dutch horticulturist J.W.S. Van der Wereld and named after Dr. James Parkinson, who published “An Essay on the Shaking Palsy” in 1817.[3] The inclusion of a human silhouette in the trademark description reflects the event’s focus on walkers and participants.[2]
Typography and Design
The 2017 SuperWalk graphic standards guide specifies typography usage for the event identity, including a bold, 24-point, sentence-case treatment in Pantone 2728 blue for certain applications.[4] The guide also documents primary and secondary colour palettes for the event brand, though the full palette details are contained within the official standards document.[4]
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