Comment

The OECA (Ontario Educational Communication Authority) was created by the provincial government of Ontario in 1970, producing educational and children’s programming as well as printed matter for classroom use and exhibitions. In 1971, OECA launched its own television station of the same name, its corporate identity being designed by Burton Kramer. Nash & Nash maintained a close working relationship with a number of organizations assisted by the Ontario provincial government, including working with OECA.

The cover, designed by Rod Nash, preserves the playful visual language underpinning Kramer’s original vision for the organization. Two large white company symbols sit cropped on either side, representative of the two years spanning the report, with a contrasting, centralized symbol overlaid atop providing a unifying focal point. The inside text pages are set in two distinct styles: the financial reports, which continue a more formal typographic style; and the remainder of the pages, which at the request of OECA, were printed from supplied typewritten sheets. Nash & Nash knowing that the space and printing costs required to do this would exceed that of typeset pages, made the client aware of the poor economy of their request. OECA replied: “Yes, but it will look like it was produced inexpensively. And that is our goal.”

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