Blok Design has an established relationship with 48North since its inception, from participating in the strategy of developing the company’s entire brand system, to the concept and naming of LAT Magazine and to the creation of their product division, F8. Their deep roots within 48North have allowed them to understand the company’s value proposition and their needs as they have evolved over the years. LAT was a natural extension of this holistic approach.

They were tasked with creating a new magazine, ”LAT," with the goal of expanding its audience and creating a brand new content platform. When working on a project in the cannabis space, it is always challenging to ensure that the subject is treated with both the necessary thoughtfulness and an openness to new ideas. It was also important to ensure the writers and photographers they brought onto the project felt comfortable in their creative expressions and the subject matter.

One of the biggest unexpected challenges was the uncertainty that arose mid-project with the COVID-19 pandemic. As in-person work ceased, they found that the trust and respect they built with their client allowed them to continue to navigate the project seamlessly.

They strategically decided to start by re-imagining and re-defining the editorial vision for LAT Magazine. The brand identity was re-designed and the name shortened to LAT. These bold decisions would allow them to explore a new visual language and voice for the brand, while creating a space for new conversations.

LAT is the means by which to connect viewpoints, perspectives, cultures, stigmas and non-stigmas in a discourse that emanates from cannabis and extends to our everyday life. The magazine provides the space to converse about the issues that are relevant to us at this time: art, personal journeys and exploration, amnesty, equality, sex, self-love and perseverance.

They were cognizant that the audience in this particular case was not a specific target group but instead a mindset. While creating a space for women was an important consideration, they don't see gender as the only guiding force behind this publication, but rather the mindframe of vast openness to the subject and the content. It invites and includes all those who share in that expansiveness. With a multitude of thought provoking entry points, LAT offers many opportunities for any reader to connect.

Given the unexpected shift of the pandemic, they had to adapt to the circumstances and also created a custom digital experience for LAT.

With the intent of re-framing LAT, a key aspect of the execution was being involved in content development. They not only designed the magazine but were active collaborators in shaping and driving the editorial development, from proposing feature ideas, to supplying article feedback to art directing all shoots, they were always thinking about how they could push LAT further.

They choose a new format for the magazine, exploring papers and sizes from all over the world. They wanted the experience of reading LAT to be memorable and something people would keep in their homes for years to come. They titled the issue, “The Freedom Issue” and printed three different covers, making them somewhat of a collector’s item. The new identity also provided a contemporary language and boldness that was unique in the oversaturated cannabis space.

For the digital experience, they created an entirely custom website as it had to match the level of quality achieved with the magazine. As they designed, they were immensely aware of the digital burnout people were experiencing spending more time on their screens due to the pandemic. They saw the website as an opportunity to engage, surprise and delight while further extending their reach due to its highly accessible format.

The design and design thinking around this project really drove its impact and success. LAT is about relevance in society, reshaping of narratives and occupying a place in our immediate present and imminent future. This meant prioritizing and pushing for narratives like the paradox of legalization. LAT interviewed Akwasi Owusu-Bempah, assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s School of Sociology and director of research for Cannabis Amnesty, who spoke to the inequality surrounding cannabis criminalization pre-legalization. This is a difficult but important conversation to have and LAT is a space to raise questions that have yet to be resolved societally or brought to larger conversations, be it amnesty, health or personal exploration. They carefully selected a photographer and gave him the space to visualize what this meant to him. The overall design, while bold, is also gracefully rooted to hold space for stories and issues such as this one.

They have always believed in being a studio that is connected to what is actually happening, not only within design, but also in the larger cultural and political spheres of society. In this context, the key was how fast they could adapt and embrace all the constraints and possibilities presented to them in this moment.

Their fluidity of adaptation asked for so much more than just working virtually. It meant they needed to find new rhythms and connections within their own team and with their collaborators. When it came to printing, they did press checks in a parking lot, where the gravel kept perforating the proof and continuously catching the paper as it flew away in the wind.

Social distancing became the norm and at one point, they were unsure if their printers would even be able to print. All of these uncertainties pushed them to alternative solutions. This entire experience has led them to launch a magazine in physical and digital space—in record time—against all odds.