The Spring 2023 issue of Food & Drink is truly a celebration of the season. Our goal was to have these pages echo the return of sunshine and new growth and to get readers excited after a long Ontario winter. It features playful art direction, bright colours, earthy textures, and soft florals.
Toronto Metropolitan University magazine has a new website! It keeps alumni informed and engaged while sharing stories about the impact the university and its alumni have locally, nationally and globally. We were tasked with designing a site that's bold, contemporary and compelling, while reflecting the university as relevant, diverse and courageous. We kept the overall design clean and organized, and added fun touches of colour and interactivity to engage users.
The cover story of TMU mag's Winter 2023 issue is about the virtual world: from Twitch streams to virtual classrooms and groundbreaking video game design, tech advancements are changing the way we teach, learn, work, and play. The talented Kate Dockeray captured colourful and energized portraits of our tech-savvy subjects. We brought in grids and gradients to create a slightly futuristic look and reflect the tech-forward focus of VR.
The issue also delves into the unique comic book collection in the TMU Archives, explores ways to uplift and champion children’s rights, and captures portraits of three outstanding alumni, and more.
The summer issue celebrates TMU’s 75th anniversary and is fully digital. We designed custom layouts for the anniversary package and worked with some great photographers to capture students, faculty, and alumni that are making the university proud.
Willamette University wanted a magazine that would bring alumni closer to their alma mater and to each other. They wanted it to be original, smart and witty. "Not your typical alumni magazine."
We created a beautiful, high-quality print and digital publication that hits the mark - generating excitement and pride in the institution.
It exudes swagger, right from the logo which ends in a period. Willamette. It’s confident and definitive, like the university itself.
“If you are seeking partners who are as invested in you, your project, and your team as you are, then look no further than Studio Wyse. From start to finish, the team has guided us, challenged us, and ultimately produced a publication we are incredibly proud of. Their team is composed of professional, high-caliber creatives and industry experts. They started by helping us conceptualize a new alumni magazine, something entirely different: a print periodical as original, modern, and surprising as the University itself. Studio Wyse delivered. Our inboxes have been filled with notes of congratulations, thanks, and true engagement with the content. We are thrilled with the outcome. Studio Wyse receives my highest recommendation and endorsement.”
–Tyler L. Reich, Associate Vice President | Advancement, Executive Director | University Relations
“Hello all — our neighbors in Alaska, natives of Houston, always used to shout ‘Hot Damn!’ when they heard something truly exciting and maybe even slightly alarming or shocking. For native Oregonians, it was always fun but a little disconcerting to hear them carrying on. But when I got my Willamette magazine and gave it a quick read, it was exactly what I said. Content, format, colors and print styles were all… terrific. Thank you all for a fresh, new look at WU! It makes you want to leave it on your coffee table in a sort of proud, modestly boastful way. Well done!”
-Lynne Saxton, past chair of the Board of Trustees
More than just a digital extension of the print publication, the accompanying website provides an interactive, accessible hub where alumni can find bonus content, ongoing updates, and links to the extended Willamette alumni community.
The Holiday 2022 issue is 250 pages of festive inspo! Featuring a fancy potluck with friends and family, indulgent breads, high-brow cocktails, classic holiday favourites, a deep-dive into dumplings, beautiful mocktails, a celebration of ginger, giftable cheese and spirits… Oh, and lots of sparkle.
One of the challenges with this issue was coming up with different creative direction for over 20 holiday-themed departments and features. We took advantage of all types of holiday concepts, from colour-blocking and campy Christmas sweaters to draped velvets and glitter.
The magazine formerly known as Ryerson has a new name to match the university's and its inaugural cover feature delves into the thoughts, reasoning and process behind the renaming. We worked with illustrator Calvin Sprague to create a cover and opener that capture the diversity, vibrancy and innovative spirit of the school – now called Toronto Metropolitan University.
The Winter 2022 issue of Ryerson University Magazine was published as the university underwent the process of renaming itself. The cover feature focused on the work being done to address the legacy of Egerton Ryerson and how the Standing Strong Task Force's recommendations can lead the way to building a more inclusive future.
CB’s Summer issue includes a look at the wildly lucrative metaverse property market, a piece about how natural language processing is being used to make computers better communicators, plus we meet 5 Canadians who ditched their desk jobs to pursue their foodie fantasies.
The Fall 2022 issue includes the “How I Made It” feature — a celebration of Canadian entrepreneurs who are making big moves, a riveting story involving Hydro-Québec, a peek inside Universal Music’s new campus and most importantly, CANDY!
Get cozy with the Autumn 2022 issue, featuring hearty squash, cheese & homemade crackers, spicy wines, welcoming Sunday night suppers, a celebration of sage, and a jaunt into the wine regions of Ontario.
The visual theme of this issue is comfort: soft textures, rich colours, cozy lighting. A mix of outside and in, as we soak up the last days of warm weather and move indoors.
The spring issue of the University of Toronto Magazine features stories about the incredible things that become possible when we ask big inspiring questions like: “What If?” So many talented contributors in this issue!
The Autumn 2022 issue of University of Toronto Magazine features stories about Ilya Sutskerver and the new AI system he’s building that can use language to create art, a new medical school working to fix the racial gap in health care, a look at the staged crime scenes where forensic students learn and lots more.
Patron(Studio) is a content studio in the heart of SJC. We worked with the team to develop a brand identity that leans directly into their editorial roots. A serif-forward approach that is not too trendy but has staying power. Its soft and round edges are a nod to the mostly female leadership of the studio and the lifestyle brands whose stories it tells. Feminine, strong and confident. Brackets were used as a device to represent the duality of collaboration and unlocking smart solutions together - the space that Patron creates for the brands to shine. It says craftsmanship and trust while still getting out of the way.
For this year’s CDL YIR, we wanted to both build upon last year’s microsite and present the content in a more dynamic and engaging way. We introduced scripted animations and micro-interactions to the home page, restructured some of the layouts to better support the content, incorporated bold typographic gestures across the pages, and improved the mobile user experience.
The Summer 2022 issue is a love letter to the season, from colourful thirst-quenching cocktails, to fresh seafood, giftable wedding wines, and supersized party eats. We learn all about the daiquiri, celebrate local Ontario producers, and finish off with a sweet summery treat.
The art direction is sunny, fresh, and fun. We play with long shadows—evoking the seemingly endless days of summer. Patterned tablecloths, colourful tiles, and hints of plants remind us how wonderful it is to eat outside. Our bright, bold cover captures the hot mood of the season with a hero cocktail that makes you want to dive right in.
CB’s Winter 2022 issue features a piece about space tourism, a look at the 50 Canadian companies that made CB's New Innovators list, a profile of Moderna co-founder Derrick Rossi and one of our favourite subjects: PETS!
The Spring 2022 issue includes a piece about Canada’s cannabis crash, CB’s guide to the EV revolution, and a story about cellular agriculture and how lab-grown protein may be the solution to humanity’s hunger problem. Plus a little something for the cleaning-obsessed.
Established in 1927, the Queen’s Alumni Review (QAR) aims to engage its readership by telling the university’s stories: of bold ideas, innovative teaching, cutting-edge research, alumni achievement and more. Our goal was to build a magazine that better represents the diversity of the Queen’s community and speaks both to where the university has come from and where it’s going.
We brought in more visually-led content and a greater variety in story formats and applied a contemporary look with a bold approach intended to be as innovative as the stories the magazine tells. Using textures within its large photography and small detailed type, the design leans heavily on a black-and-white colour palette and some editorial packaging to allow the content to shine through, engaging readers both emotionally and intellectually.
The magazine won an SPD Merit Award for Redesign of an Entire Issue, B2B Silver for Best Art Direction of a Complete Issue and CASE Silver for Circle of Excellence, Magazines / Publishing Improvement.
“Working with Studio Wyse was an exercise in creativity on all levels — every photo, every story, every font was up for discussion and debate. Those conversations were not always easy, but they resulted in a bold, new direction for the magazine that not only celebrates the best of Queen’s today but that also welcomes the alumni of tomorrow.”
–Editorial team, Queen’s Alumni Review
“The whole thing felt smart, sophisticated, and reflective of a unified vision. A remarkable transformation, from a tired design to a fresh and bold one.”
-CASE judges
The Spring 2021 issue of the University of Toronto Magazine covers big topics like accessibility, disinformation and sustainability. We wanted to convey the importance of these issues while offering some optimism and much-needed hope. Saty + Pratha captured the authenticity and poise of two students with disabilities who shared their experiences for the cover feature while Grace J. Kim’s lovely work perfectly complements a piece about overcoming adversity. The issue also includes powerful illustrations by Nate Kitch, a beautiful portrait by Wade Hudson and lots more.
The Autumn 2021 issue is filled with stories of innovation and cutting edge research including the cover feature, which delves into the miracle of insulin on the 100th anniversary of its discovery, illustrated by Andrea Ucini. Photographer Jorian Charlton photographed the students in places around the city where they go when they want a feeling of home. And Cody Punter’s images featuring people in Nunavut hunting, fishing and living off the land, perfectly complimented the story about solutions to hunger in Canada’s north.
The issue won Gold for Best Cover and Silver for Best Issue at the 45th National Magazine Awards.
Food & Drink is dedicated to the art of entertaining, inspiring its audience with tempting recipes and the latest information on wine, spirits and beer. It is published five times a year in both English and French by the LCBO, one of the world’s largest purchasers of alcoholic beverages, with a circulation of over 500,000.
The challenge was to refresh and modernize the look without embarking on a redesign. Working within the existing framework, we established organizational structures to better navigate through the issue, resulting in a magazine that is more engaging and easier to read.
Partnering with a roster of talented photographers, food stylists and prop stylists, we brought a bolder, more contemporary approach to the art direction that both elevates and re-energizes the magazine.
The 2022 Early Summer issue includes a sophisticated vintage cocktail party, tropical, al fresco dining and fun, colourful frozen treats, all of which capture the warmth and anticipation of the season. We also brought in illustrator David Sparshott’s pencil drawings to add a layer of texture to the book.
Founded in 1928, CB is a valued destination for business journalism, profiling and connecting innovators who are changing Canada for the better. We were tasked with rethinking every aspect of the magazine to reflect a more modern approach to business—one that is more diverse, less stuffy and a lot more fun.
The full print and digital redesign includes a fresh new logo, bold typography and engaging photography and illustrations. Colour is used minimally to allow the visuals to stand out. Text columns shift to create dynamic compositions that flow from one page to the next, creating a cohesive yet surprising package.
The website captures the magazine’s exciting new direction in a modern and user-friendly web experience. The homepage features a bold modular grid of interchangeable cards that capture the innovative energy of the mag. The article pages are structured in a flexible way to accommodate both long reads and shorter stories.
“I’m immensely proud of our success in partnering our editors at Canadian Business with the talent at Studio Wyse. The new CB exceeds my expectations in every way. It’s stunning and draws you in immediately. The cover is bold without being overwrought. There’s a great mix of visual storytelling. The illustrations are lively and the photography is beautiful. Together, we’ve produced just about the best magazine that SJC Media has ever published.”
—Ken Hunt, President and Publisher of SJC Media
Congratulations, you made it to the bottom! You deserve a prize so here are some fun outtakes and behind-the-scenes.
CDL’s Year-In-Review is normally presented in the form of a gorgeous book that’s given out at their annual flagship event, Super Session. With the gathering moved to a virtual format, CDL challenged us to present 2021’s YIR in the form of a website without sacrificing the feeling of it being something special. We designed a site that’s bold and innovative - like CDL - and summarizes their extensive work while recognizing members of their community of academics, scientists, entrepreneurs and students.
Heartly is a new business started by a mother-daughter duo who are passionate about discovering Canadian artisans. The store offers a curated collection of quality, slow-made, handmade objects. We created a brand identity for them that’s modern, sophisticated and authentic, using a conversational tone to deliver fun messages. The logo, colour palette, typography and photo style are approachable and authentic with a touch of attitude.
