270x215mm Softback Books
4pp Cover onto 300gsm Silk FSC Certified
Matt Lamination to outer
78pp Text onto 130gsm Silk FSC Certified (5mm Spine)
Four colour print throughout
Trimmed, collated and perfect bound
The "Worldie 23/24 Yearbook," produced by Worldie FC, is a striking softback publication with bold visuals and dynamic content that celebrates football culture with an innovative collage style. The vibrant, full-colour design reflects the energy and diversity of the sport, capturing a mix of street football scenes, nostalgic moments, and iconic football personalities.
The magazine-sized format (270x215mm) and perfect binding give the publication a polished yet accessible feel, matching the urban, grassroots ethos of Worldie FC. The cover immediately catches attention with its bold, hand-drawn style title, "WORLDIE," reminiscent of graffiti, positioning it as a publication that connects street culture and football. This dynamic design, with its collage of players, iconic moments, and everyday scenes, gives the book an immersive, almost scrapbook-like aesthetic. The title and graphics evoke nostalgia while celebrating contemporary football subcultures, a nod to both retro and modern aesthetics.
The typography is one of the most distinctive elements of the design. The large, playful type used for the title "WORLDIE" stands out, with its imperfect hand-drawn feel, bringing an air of authenticity. Throughout the book, the fonts used range from bold sans-serif headings that command attention, to clean, readable body text that enhances the accessibility of the content. This balance of bold typography for headlines and clear body text creates a seamless flow for the reader.
Colour plays a pivotal role in the magazine’s layout. The muted tones used for background elements allow the vivid, full-colour images and collages to stand out, capturing the vibrancy of the football scenes and street culture. For example, the mix of earthy tones with pops of bright colours on clothing and football kits reflects the real-life environments in which football is often played—urban streets, beaches, and local pitches—drawing the reader into those worlds.
The internal layout is highly dynamic, making use of full-bleed images, multi-image collages, and smaller inset photos. This combination of layouts creates an immersive reading experience, breaking the monotony of a traditional grid layout. The collage spreads, such as the player and fan images on torn backgrounds, reflect the energy and community-driven spirit of football. They juxtapose moments of play with candid shots of footballers and supporters, giving a comprehensive view of the sport’s emotional and cultural spectrum.
The table of contents is presented over a calming beach football scene, which not only provides a peaceful pause in the visual energy but also subtly reminds the reader of the global and grassroots reach of the game. Each section of the magazine is introduced with clear, bold headings, ensuring easy navigation through the variety of features and stories.
Printed on FSC-certified silk paper (130gsm for internal pages, 300gsm for the cover), the magazine balances quality with sustainability. The choice of matt lamination on the cover adds a soft, premium touch while protecting the vibrant artwork. The perfect binding provides a sturdy structure that complements the high-quality print throughout, ensuring that the magazine maintains its shape even after multiple reads. The spine of the book (5mm) allows for a sleek, easy-to-hold feel, making it a functional piece despite its vibrant and energetic content.
Conveying the Story and Message
The design and layout of the "Worldie 23/24 Yearbook" effectively portray its narrative: football as more than just a sport, but a cultural movement that transcends boundaries. From the rough and ready feel of the collage style to the emotive photography, every element works in harmony to communicate a love for football that is rooted in community, passion, and creativity.
The designer has successfully translated this ethos into the physical product. The mix of high-energy spreads with quieter, reflective pages gives the magazine a rhythm, much like the game of football itself. It reflects both the individual moments of brilliance and the collective experience of the game.
These insights are directly aligned with Ex Why Zed’s commitment to innovation, quality, and sustainability in print, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of the industry.
The journey of creating the Worldie 23/24 Yearbook was an exciting and collaborative process between Worldie FC and Ex Why Zed. From the initial conversations about printing specifications to the final approval of proofs, this project is a testament to teamwork, creativity, and our commitment to delivering top-tier print quality.
The project kicked off with an introduction email from Worldie FC, expressing their enthusiasm for producing a magazine-sized football yearbook. Their initial inquiry was about specific design elements, particularly how the layout would interact with the binding process. The question about the gutter margin highlighted their attention to detail, and we were quick to provide advice on how to avoid losing any crucial parts of the design in the middle spine. Our response provided the technical specifications and additional creative solutions, such as allowing a 2-3mm gutter margin for the spine to ensure the best possible presentation for their double-page spreads.
This early-stage guidance was crucial for Worldie FC, as they wanted to make sure that their creative vision wouldn’t be compromised by technical print issues. We provided them with our step-by-step "Print Journey" guide, ensuring they felt supported throughout the process. We pride ourselves on this customer-centric approach, making sure each step is intuitive and easy to follow.
As the project moved forward, Worldie FC debated between a softback magazine and a hardback book format. Given their desire for the yearbook to have a premium, collectible feel, they considered a hardback option. In response, we presented detailed pricing for both options. This transparent approach enabled the client to make an informed decision based on their budget and aesthetic goals.
Ultimately, they opted for the softback version, which perfectly aligned with their vision of creating something that blended magazine accessibility with yearbook prestige. The softback format was also well-suited for their target audience, who valued a product that was both high-quality and portable. We recalculated the pricing based on the increased page count (now 82 pages) and adjusted the spine thickness to 5mm, ensuring that the design and print specification matched their needs.
As the project progressed, Worldie FC encountered some technical challenges while preparing their files. They reached out to us with concerns about the bleed settings and certain image resolution issues. For instance, there were pages where bleed had not been set correctly, leading to overlapping content. We provided additional guidance and video tutorials to explain how to adjust bleed settings within Adobe InDesign. This hands-on support is a core part of our process, especially for clients who might not be familiar with the technicalities of print production.
Moreover, some images in the yearbook were identified as low resolution due to the film photography style used, which resulted in a grainy appearance. Rather than suggesting a full redesign, we engaged in a dialogue about whether this style could still work for the publication’s aesthetic. After considering their feedback, we agreed that the graininess was intentional and aligned with the overall retro, grassroots football theme. This flexibility and understanding of the client’s creative direction are central to how we collaborate with clients.
After several rounds of revisions, including updates to the cover file to adjust the bleed settings, Worldie FC submitted their final artwork for approval. The excitement was palpable as the client approved the proof, and we prepared the project for production. However, after receiving the first batch of printed yearbooks, Worldie FC noticed a minor printing error: a green/pink dot appeared on each page. Upon inspection, we determined that this was due to a scratch on the blanket during printing, which had affected the ink transfer.
We took full responsibility for the error and offered a discounted rate for a second batch of yearbooks. This quick and transparent response was appreciated by the client, who placed another order for 50 more copies. Ensuring client satisfaction is at the heart of what we do, and by offering this resolution, we reinforced our commitment to delivering high-quality work, even in the face of production challenges.
Despite the minor production hiccup, the overall reception of the Worldie 23/24 Yearbook was overwhelmingly positive. The client was thrilled with the final product, as reflected in their follow-up emails expressing gratitude for our efforts and craftsmanship. The yearbook was launched in Los Angeles, and it was met with enthusiastic feedback from the football community.
Our role in bringing this creative vision to life went beyond just printing—it was about understanding the essence of the project and working closely with Worldie FC to ensure that the final product matched their high standards. This project exemplifies how our expertise and customer-first approach can transform a creative idea into a beautifully printed reality.
The collaboration with Worldie FC to produce their 23/24 Yearbook was a resounding success, culminating in a visually striking, culturally relevant publication that both the client and their audience love. The yearbook’s bold, graffiti-style design and dynamic layouts captured the vibrant spirit of grassroots football, while our meticulous attention to print quality ensured that the final product was flawless.
This project highlights Ex Why Zed’s ability to support clients from concept to completion, offering technical expertise, creative input, and problem-solving every step of the way. The feedback from Worldie FC speaks for itself, with plans for future collaborations already in motion.
We couldn’t be more proud of this project, and we look forward to seeing what Worldie FC creates next!
