Three creative firms to hear from at DesignThinkers 2025 in Toronto

DesignThinkers Toronto has long been the gathering spot for Canada’s creative community—a place where designers, brand builders and big thinkers come together to share ideas and get inspired. 

This year’s speaker lineup is no exception. The RGD Committee Members focused on our Culture Shock initiatives have their eyes on three names in particular, each reshaping the design industry in their own ways. Whether you’re interested in playful branding, strategic storytelling or expressive typography, these talks will leave you buzzing with new ideas.

PUPILA: Latin American design with soul (and a sense of humour)

Since 2010, Costa Rica–based studio PUPILA has been making waves well beyond Latin America. With clients in more than 24 countries, they’ve built a reputation for their branding, packaging and editorial design that goes straight to the heart. They describe their work as “brands that stick like bubble gum on a sneaker in the middle of the summer”—a playful spirit that runs through everything they do. From launching a specialty coffee brand with bold packaging to hosting one of the Americas’ largest multidisciplinary creative festivals (complete with karaoke and football matches featuring global design icons), PUPILA shows how designers can build community as much as they build brands.

PUPILA is more than a design studio; they’re cultural connectors. They spotlight under-represented voices—especially women designers across Latin America—and show that powerful ideas can come from anywhere. In particular, we hope they share more about their book and film Mr. Masking, which tells the story of Costa Rican sign painter Gerardo Picado.

Ash Phillips & Miro LaFlaga: Branding with vision at Six Cinquième

Meet the duo Ash Phillips and Miro LaFlaga, co-founders of Montreal’s brand consultancy Six Cinquième. Since 2018, they’ve been helping startups and emerging businesses figure out who they are and how to stand out. Ash, the studio’s CEO, is known for blending strategy and creativity in ways that help brands define their legacies. She’s also a trailblazer: as a woman of colour in leadership, her work has been recognized by Adweek, Digiday and Print. Miro brings a sharp eye for aesthetics and pop culture, exploring how brands can tap into urban trends and tell stories that feel authentic. Together, they’re a powerhouse of strategy and style. They also showed true authenticity on their virtual studio tour for the RGD in 2024.

Ash and Miro are passionate about helping startups—brands that are often full of energy but short on clarity. Their approach combines big-picture thinking with cultural awareness, helping young businesses connect meaningfully with their audiences. They’ll also share insights on inclusivity in design—how thoughtful brand strategy can drive equity and representation while staying competitive.