Founded 2012
Toronto & Vancouver

Story.
By design.

We create brands, films and digital experiences that help meaningful ideas connect with people.

What we do

Three disciplines. One studio.

Wasaga Beach fleet livery

Identity

Strategy and identity systems built to last: naming, visual identity, and the guidelines that hold a brand together everywhere it shows up, from a business card to a fleet of vehicles.

Featured: Wasaga Beach Identity
Two Drops of Patience on stage

Film

Documentary and campaign production, shot and produced in the field, from concept through final cut. Screened at the UN, Davos, and the International Assembly, and adapted into 9 languages for 1.2M viewers.

Featured: Two Drops of Patience
Attendees lined up at the Rotary Virtual Reality Zone to try the VR films

Experience

Platforms and digital experiences designed around how people actually engage: websites, applications, and the immersive work that turns an idea into something people move through, not just read.

Featured: Rotary VR
How we work

Idea Studio partners with organizations close to home and around the world, from municipal governments and federal ministries to international NGOs. Long before distributed teams became the norm, the studio was assembling senior specialists around each project’s unique needs. That collaborative model has shaped work spanning brand identity, documentary film, digital experiences and emerging technologies, taking the studio across several continents.

Team

Idea Studio brings together a global network of award-winning creative specialists, built over more than a decade of collaboration. Editors, cinematographers, designers, developers, strategists and producers are assembled around the unique needs of each project, creating teams defined by expertise rather than organizational charts. The result is a team shaped by the work, not a roster you're paying to keep busy.

Idea Studio film crew on location in the Philippines
Wrapping up production on a documentary film shoot in the Philippines.
Bruce Sinclair
Bruce Sinclair
Founder

Every project is led personally by Bruce Sinclair, who remains the single point of creative accountability from strategy through execution. A creative director and digital pioneer since the early days of the web, Bruce has spent more than two decades helping organizations communicate complex ideas with clarity through design, story and experience.

Throughout his career, Bruce has led award-winning work for some of the world’s most recognized brands. His contributions to the industry have also included serving on the Cannes Lions Cyber Jury, the London International Advertising Awards Jury, and as Co-Chair of the Digital Marketing Awards.

LinkedIn ↗
Idea Studio crew preparing the Freefly Alta 8 drone on location in Uganda
Preparing the Freefly Alta 8 drone for takeoff on location in Uganda.
What clients say

“If you are looking for a creative genius to present your mission to the world, look no further. Bruce is not just a supplier of creative, he is a dedicated member of the team. I cannot recommend Idea Studio highly enough.”

Sarah HeynenExecutive Director, Canadian Centre for Food & Ecology

“In Karamoja Rising, Idea Studio presented the lives of children in Karamoja, eastern Uganda, in an utterly captivating way. If one isn’t able to travel and directly interact with the Karamajong, there is no better way to understand their stunning natural environment and distinctive lifestyle, as well as experience their often heartbreaking circumstances.”

Jaya MurthyChief of Communications, UNICEF Uganda

“Idea Studio’s support, passion, and vision has enabled UNICEF to continue to save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization. Their commitment and contributions have made our partnership invaluable!”

Deana ShawVice President, Direct & Integrated Marketing, UNICEF Canada

“Idea Studio is an amazing organization to work with. Their work ethic, creativity, and desire to provide quality customer service is absolutely superb. We have worked with them both on content development and with the creation of our app for viewing our content. They communicate extremely well, listening carefully to our comments and desires and then deliver on target.”

Tom ThorfinnsonChief Strategy Officer, Rotary International

“We had the privilege to work with Idea Studio on a campaign that needed to make an impact in a crowded space, with limited resources. Idea Studio took the time to completely understand our unique space, and they hit a home run with their ideas.”

Glenn YonemitsuChief Executive Officer, Canadian Management Consultants

“Less a vendor, and more a true collaborator, Idea Studio worked closely with my team to understand the breast cancer cause and the health challenges we sought to address. With significant creative chops and expertise, Idea Studio applied creative strategies that stood out in the noisy landscape of health information.”

Beth EastonVice President, Grants & Health Promotion, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation

“Idea Studio creates amazing work with wonderful storytelling. They are a very inspiring partner to work with, and I would not hesitate to recommend them to any organization wishing to create impact with their communications.”

Yvette ThornlySenior Director, Health Promotion & Communications, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation
Recent work
A child tasting a fresh carrot at a CCFE market event
Brand, Film & Digital

Canadian Centre for Food & Ecology

A bilingual brand identity for a national food and ecology non-profit: a leaf-built logotype and a custom open-source typeface.
Wasaga Beach pole banners on a lamppost against a blue sky
Brand & Identity System

Town of Wasaga Beach

A municipal identity built from a single symbolic image, carried through signage, fleet livery, and tourism sub-brands.
The UNICEF360 fold-flat cardboard VR viewer holding a smartphone
Experience & Platform Design

UNICEF360°

An immersive VR storytelling platform built on a custom fold-flat viewer, featuring the two-part documentary Karamoja Rising.
A woman beside her surfboard on a misty beach, from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation campaign
Integrated Campaign & Advertising

Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation

A national prevention campaign that traded fear for optimism, inspiring women to reduce their risk by taking on one new thing.
Rotary delegates watching a VR film together through red cardboard viewers
Experience Design & Virtual Reality

Rotary VR

A global VR storytelling platform delivered across mobile and headsets in nine languages. More than 2,000 people experienced it at once.
Public Health Ontario N95 respirator icon from the infection control signage system
Information Design & Disease Prevention

Public Health Ontario

An infection control signage system of icons, colour coding and die-cut door signs, designed to be recognized at a glance.
A 1:6 scale figure mid-scream from the Respect the Power powerline safety film
Campaign Strategy & Film

Electrical Safety Authority

Respect the Power: a powerline safety film shot entirely in 1:6 scale miniature, plus a consumer campaign built on visual wordplay.
A handcrafted clay character from the Stepping Stones youth development campaign
Public Awareness & Campaign

Ontario Youth Development

Stepping Stones: a handcrafted poster campaign asking adults to see the potential in every young person.
Two Flavour Harvest characters, an eggplant and a radish, strolling with a Flavour Harvest bag
Brand Strategy & Identity

Flavour Harvest

A taste-first brand for the Canadian Centre for Food & Ecology, reconnecting people with food, place and one another.
Contact

Idea Studio is currently accepting new clients.
Let’s shape your ideas into compelling stories and timeless design.

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