The Graphis Poster Annual 2012 winners have been announced, and TOKY’s poster for “Staging Old Masters: Former Prisoners Perform at the Pulitzer” (above right) — the innovative theatre/community program at the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts — has been given the Gold. This is a tough, international competition, and we’re thrilled with the recognition — especially since TOKY was responsible not just for the design but for the original photography on this project as well.

Here’s a bit about the book:

Graphis Poster Annual 2012 features some of the most visually compelling posters from the past year chosen from thousands of international entries, including Platinum award-winning entries from Thomas Wedell and Nancy Skolos, Paul Garbett, Hei Yiyang, Carlo Fiore, Kasai Noriyuki, Andrea Castelletti, Guy Mastrion, Fritz Klaetke and Mike Barker. The 185 posters selected for this volume clearly demonstrate the potency of this medium. This year’s edition also includes a revealing interview with Stephan Bundi, an accomplished professional art director and designer who is internationally renowned for his poster work.

You can pick up the new book at the Graphis Store. Congrats to all the winners!

Here’s a look at the TOKY work that’s being recognized this year:

1. “Texts in the City” Invitation, St. Louis Public Library Foundation (related blog post)

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2. Contemporary Fund Mailer, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis

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3. “Share the Season” Packaging, Panera Bread (related blog post)

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4. stylus box/catalogue, The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts

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5. Grab grassy this moment your I’s catalogue, Laumeier Sculpture Park (related blog post)

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6. 2011 Season Poster, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

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7. Dreamscapes website, The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts

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Click here to view the embedded video.

8. “Design Legends of St. Louis“ Video Series, AIGA St. Louis (one of five videos is shown above)

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9. “Return to Summer” In-Store, Panera Bread (related gallery at Facebook)

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10. “Share the Season” In-Store, Panera Bread (related blog post)

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11. “A Tasteful Affair” Invitation, Food Outreach

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Our thanks to the ADDY judges who have recognized this work! We’re looking forward to celebrating St. Louis creativity with our colleagues at the February ceremony.

We wrote recently about the highly regarded photography collection of TOKY Director of New Business John Foster — it’s been covered in Art & Antiques and Newsweek, among other publications. Today, the fine folks at Phaidon — they make gorgeous books about subjects we love — wrote about John’s collection in their Agenda publication. Click through for the interview and 15-image slideshow of photographs. Congrats, John!

For the second year in a row, TOKY has been named one of just 25 “Best in Quality” companies by St. Louis Small Business Monthly magazine. More than 200 companies were nominated, with readers then voting on the final winners. The awards are presented in the magazine’s January 2012 issue (shown above), on newsstands now. Our thanks to those who voted!

Under Consideration’s Art of the Menu design blog, which catalogues “the underrated creativity of menus from around the world,” has turned its spotlight on TOKY’s identity and design work for Baileys’ Range. We first announced this project in this November blog post, if you’d like some background on how it came together. But be sure to click through to the Art of the Menu piece, published yesterday. We love the site — whether it’s our work being featured or work from our international peers. Thanks to the site’s editors for the nod!

Today’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch carries an article titled “Niche firms thrive in the city,” with reporter Steve Giegerich starting his Midtown-focused piece through Eric and Mary‘s eyes:

Mary and Eric Thoelke were first to land on the stretch of Locust Street where he now runs a thriving marketing outfit. The area had fallen into disrepair since its heyday in the early 20th century as a mecca for domestic car dealers.

“There was nothing here,” says Eric Thoelke, recalling a neighborhood populated with social service agencies, a handful of light industries and little else. “It was tumbleweeds. Seven minutes from downtown, and nobody knew about this place.”

Undaunted, the Thoelkes in 2002 put out the sign for their boutique marketing firm, TOKY Branding + Design, and got down to business. Not long later, an independent photographer and designer that did business with TOKY rehabbed and moved into a nearby loft.

Another boutique firm followed. Then another.

Yep, the momentum has been remarkable. Be sure to check out the whole article, which has quotes from many of our fantastic Midtown neighbors about the creative family we’re all building here together.

The Type Directors Club, the world’s leading organization supporting excellence in typography, is out this month with its brand new anthology of “the most innovate, contemporary achievements in typography” created during 2010 (Amazon). TOKY is proud and excited to have two projects honored with inclusion.

First up is our end-of-year card for the St. Louis Public Library Foundation (above left), chosen for the competition’s “Greeting Card” category.

And second is TOKY’s identity for Mysterios de Mayo, a month-long series of fundraisers for the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis. This piece was honored in the “Logotype” category.

Cheers to everyone involved with these fantastic projects, including the clients who commissioned them! We’re thrilled to be included in some incredible international design company.

In November, we were thrilled to announce that for the second year in a row, TOKY would be included in Communication Arts’ Typography Annual, the magazine’s juried review of the best typographic design around the world. There were 1,723 projects submitted, and just 150 winners.

This year’s judges — Richard Kegler, Erik Spiekermann, and Tiffany Wardle de Sousa — selected TOKY’s identity for Core of Discovery, which colorfully integrates downtown St. Louis’ historic attractions into a single brand system. TOKY, working with our strategic partners at The Standing Partnership, developed the concept, the name for the district, the brand strategy, media plan, all collateral, and advertising.

Communication Arts’ January/February Typography Annual has now hit TOKY HQ, so we’re pleased to share this look at a few of our favorite pages!

Thanks for the kind words, designworklife!