Simpson
Centre.

GMO
chapbook.

Simpson Centre GMO chapbook inside spreads

Designing
scientific
understanding.

Our 'push pins' — a shorthand for our logo, visually demonstrating '&then'

We were asked by the Simpson Centre for Food and Agricultural Policy to develop a scientifically accurate booklet as a contemporary take on the traditional chapbook, in order to help reduce ignorance on the subject of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

The chapbook we conceptualized took advantage of chapbook vernacular such as hand-made, photographed graphics using found items, in-house illustrations and whimsical and amusing design approaches.

The chapbook was well received due to how the information was made engaging, accessible and readily consumed.

Illustration /

Handcrafted typography /

Handcrafted
content /

Photography /

Simpson Centre GMO chapbook cover and back cover
Open book spread featuring black and white tomatoes with large blue text reading 'is it safe?' and smaller text about GMO food controversy.
Open book spread with a timeline of a controversy on the left page showing key dates and social media comments, and on the right page, bold handwritten text describing a 2012 paper linking genetically modified maize to tumors in rats and its viral impact.
Open book spread displaying bananas with handwritten words like ETHICS, FOOD, UNSAFE, SAFE, SCIENCE, and unwanted, alongside text discussing risks and narratives about genetically engineered food and speech bubbles with questions and answers about food safety.
Simpson Centre GMO chapbook inside spread
Simpson Centre GMO chapbook inside spreadTwo-page spread about GMO foods with red-tinted photos of a man harvesting crops, strawberries, cherry tomatoes, celery, and cauliflower, accompanied by blue handwritten illustrations and text discussing GMO policies in the US, Canada, and the EU.Simpson Centre GMO chapbook inside spreadOpen book spread with cartoon illustrations of a corn cob being examined by hands in blue gloves, a banana labeled with 'Super Chemicals,' 'Extra Additives,' and 'Pesticides Added,' and a red tomato with a gold certification badge, next to large text asking 'What Does "Safe" Mean?'