Too True Crime

Rethink

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Client: Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability

Too True Crime is a podcast series honouring the stories of every woman killed by gender-based violence in Canada since 2020. True crime is one of the top podcast genres in North America, but it often sensationalizes these deaths, desensitizing audiences to real-world statistics. The goal was to target passive listeners to illustrate the sheer volume of cases and the need for laws to change. A total of 614 episodes were released between launch and International Women’s Day.

Deconstructing the traditional true crime aesthetic, the design system stripped away sensationalism in favour of simplicity. 614 episode covers were created, each depicting a face of a victim of femicide represented as a unique audio wave. Partnering with the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability ensured every script was factually and ethically produced, and the podcasts were recorded by 100+ female volunteers, including activists, survivors and political leaders. The series generated 10,000+ minutes of listening across 20+ countries, amplifying broader national advocacy. On December 9, 2025, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-16, proposing historic Criminal Code amendments that explicitly define “femicide” for the first time.

Credits

Global CSO: Sean McDonald

Global COO: Caleb Goodman

ECDs: Leia Rogers, Morgan Tierney

Creative Directors: Eric Seymour, Leia Rogers

Associate Creative Director: Thom Peters

Associate Creative Director, Digital: Alex Fleming

Art Directors: Ashley Visvanathan, Eric Seymour

Copywriter: Thom Peters

ECD, Design: Hans Thiessen RGD

Designer: Justin Kowalczuk

Digital Designer: Dustin Gamble

Senior Motion Graphics: Ignacio Florez Zelaya

Head of Production: Laura Rioux

Director of Broadcast Production: DW Fraser-Winsby

Associate Director of Digital Production: Kyle Hicks

Senior Integrated Producer: Terri Winter

Broadcast Producer: Paula Gill

Integrated Producer: Jessica Yoshimura

Head of Public Relations: Meredith Burns

PR Account Director: Chenda McKissick

PR Manager: Anne Marie Scanlon

PR Specialist: Tara Lush Benson

PR Coordinator: Ricardo Felix

Group Account Director: Kennedy Crawford

Account Director: Tianna Fung

Account Manager: Mika Labreque

Account Management Intern: Dawson Yates

French Adaptation

Directrice de création: Karine Doucet

Directrice de création: Geneviève Jannelle

Traductrice-réviseure: Marie-Hélène Lessard

Concepteur-rédacteur: Nicolas Doyon

Audio Production House: Wave Productions Ltd

Managing Partner: Megan Hughes

Creative Partners: Craig Warrian, Craig Zarazun, David Gaudet

Production Coordinator: Avery Reid

Audio Engineer: Cooper Garnett

Music: Wave Productions Ltd