There were five topics we could select from: opportunity, democracy, equality, justice and community (our selection). It was my responsibility to concept the idea, research other posters, and present my findings to the rest of the team. I made several thumbnails, many of which failed to capture our vision of community — a vitally important and personal issue that’s often seen as everyone else’s responsibility.

But there was one concept that was simple but still carried that complex message. After some brilliant art direction from the guys, we stripped away the clutter and found our solution.

Build a Stronger Nebraska poster for Nebraska Appleseed

This was our thought: Community wouldn’t exist without you. It’s as simple as that. We want to motivate those who are a part of community to keep doing what they’re doing, and we want to encourage those who aren’t in a community to join or create one. It’s inspiring to see people become a part of something bigger than themselves.

The poster was printed on French paper with Pantone black and metallic silver ink. When it made it’s way to the Oxide office, it didn’t look like I had envisioned. It was better. The guys thought so too. They had faith in the poster. They had faith in me. I’m proud of the solution we found and proud to have contributed to a cause that means so much to me.

“Community” is sold out, but you can purchase other posters from the Stronger Nebraska show here.

Passionate Buffalo logo concept for Nebraska AIDS Project

Their reasoning was sound: the old logo was boring and uninspiring. It didn’t say anything interesting about what they did or who they were. Plus people colloquially refer to the organization as “NAP”, and the logo had a similarity to the logo used by GAP. Last but not least, they were approaching their 20th anniversary and felt it would be a great time to refresh their image. We jumped at the chance to partner with them on a new logo.

Nebraska AIDS Project logo, 1984–2010

We set to work, focusing in on the ideas of passion, compassion, service, care, and midwest. A wide range of our concepts and sketches contained flame in some form, as a symbol of passion and motivation. The concept of hands kept bubbling to the surface as well, as a way to show personal care, compassion, and protection. One of our final concepts even used a firewheel flower – the symbol of Hestia, Greek goddess of hospitality and health. (Also called “Indian Blanket”, the flower is found throughout the Midwestern region.)

Various concept sketches presented to client for Nebraska AIDS Project logo

In the end, our best solution (and the one selected by NAP) was what came to be called the “Passionate Buffalo” logo. It’s styled after early Native American drawings, and utilizes the buffalo as the quintessential symbol of the American plains. The buffalo is also strong, steadfast, determined, and yet gentle. In the logo, it’s literally got fire in its belly, to capture the dedication and passion of the people of Nebraska AIDS Project.

Unfortunately, this story does not end well for our buffalo. The NAP committee we were working with selected the concept, we’d refined it into a finished logo and had completed the process of developing versions that contained the organization’s name. Then some transition took place in the management of the organization and things got placed on hold. Then after a couple of months, the Board of Directors decided they’d vote on the matter. The Executive Director sent us this note: “The board’s vote on the design was fairly evenly split. While there was a majority in favor of the design, it was so close that the Board President felt it best to table further action until the next quarterly meeting.” He also brought up the fact that one person at NAP mentioned that occasionally HIV/AIDS patients taking anti-retrovirals for treatment develop a condition known as “buffalo hump,” and they wondered if we were making a negative correlation.

I made strong arguments that if a logo change was to happen at all, unveiling it at the 20th anniversary celebration would be the most valuable way to go. I also sent this response to the “buffalo hump” issue:

“…the most vigorous defense I can make of sticking with the Buffalo logo is precisely that it took this long for anyone to even make an association between the two. Our cursory research suggests that the terminology is not terribly wide-spread, that various other uses of the term “buffalo hump” are used more often than the reference to the medical condition, and that it’s most certainly not exclusively a condition related to HIV treatment.

Additionally, I would argue that, even being a negative condition, the association of “buffalo hump” in those rare circumstances where someone pairs the two, is not a deal-breaker. Whether the buffalo in the logo symbolizes a strong and empowered volunteer helping to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, or symbolizes a strong and empowered NAP client (who might have any number of medical difficulties) who is raging against HIV/AIDS, the symbol is still just as important.

Also, a final, even broader issue is this: the intention of changing the logo was to get away from a meaningless square, and develop something with some symbolism and depth. I guarantee that anything we would design for you that is more than a geometric form of some sort, will be open to negative interpretation by some parties, no matter what form it takes. This is a risk inherent in the leaving behind of the square for something with symbology and passion. The fact that the Buffalo logo is so unexpected and open to interpretation is exactly what would make it so effective for NAP.”

Drew Davies, Email to NAP (2005)

When all was said and done, the Board and the organization were simply not ready to take a leap of faith. We checked in regularly over the next couple of months, but never made any progress. In the ensuing months, the Executive Director, the Director of Marketing, and the Director of Education all left the organization for various reasons. The Board of Directors never even brought the matter back up for a vote.

New logo for Nebraska AIDS Project by Chris Kelly and Daryl Anderson, 2010

The silver lining of the story is that five years later, Nebraska AIDS Project was finally ready to update their identity. They worked with Chris Kelly and Daryl Anderson of Clark Creative Group on a new logo that brings a much-needed modernization to the organization. Obviously, their goals and direction were different than they had been in 2004, but the result is still a good step forward for NAP.

But some days I still miss that passionate, persistent buffalo.

Farnam Festival 2011 poster

We’d love to see Oxide’s home become the next Dundee or Benson and believe that the festival is a great start. This year’s musical acts include: Kyle Harvey, So So Sailors, Blue Bird, All Young Girls Are Machine Guns, and Little Brazil. The festival also offers food, beer gardens (21 and over), a silent art auction, vendors, and raffles. Admission to the event is only $5.

This year’s poster becomes more interesting the closer you look at it. The first thing you may notice is that the banner doubles as a street, complete with vehicles and a center line, which lists important festival information. Incorporating the street into the poster was also a nod to the future goal of turning Farnam to two-way traffic from Midtown Crossing to 42nd Street (or roughly UNMC). The letters that form the words “FARNAM” and “FESTIVAL” represent the buildings of the neighborhood with a subtle brick texture.

Three years in, it can officially be called an annual tradition: design an entirely new identity for an entrepreneurial conference utilizing a giant cow. The premise is so ridiculous that it should have only worked once — if at all. And yet, three years in, we’re still discovering solutions that make sense. And three years in, we’re still having a lot of fun.

Big Omaha 2011 takes that ridiculous premise and pushes it into the final frontier. The cow continues to be a metaphor for life’s big challenges. Last year the cow represented the challenge, but this time the cow is charting his own path.

For three years now, the great team at Silicon Prairie News has trusted us to take the Big Omaha brand as far as we can. That trust has allowed us to do work that we’re really proud of and — not coincidently — has facilitated a brand that the attendees really respond to. It’s a trust that we don’t take lightly, and it pays dividends in a record-breaking sell-out and a passionate fanbase.

Design is essential to the Big Omaha experience. It simply wouldn’t be the same without a cohesive, appropriate, thoughtful brand — and it’s a path we (and the giant cow) are already charting for 2012.

Big Omaha 2011 cow. Photo by Big Omaha/Malone & Company.

Big Omaha 2011 stage sign

Senator Ben Nelson at Big Omaha 2011. Photo by Big Omaha/Malone & Company.

U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra at Big Omaha 2011. Photo by Big Omaha/Malone & Company.

Big Omaha 2011 program. Photo by Big Omaha/Malone & Company.

Big Omaha 2011 store. Photo by Big Omaha/Malone & Company.

Big Omaha 2011 shirt

Big Omaha 2011 shirt

Big Omaha 2011 shirt

Big Omaha 2011 photo booth

Big Omaha 2011 badges

Big Omaha 2011 lanyard. Photo by Big Omaha/Malone & Company.

Big Omaha 2011 signage

Big Omaha 2011 signage. Photo by Big Omaha/Malone & Company.

Big Omaha 2011 moon boot

Team Oxide at Big Omaha 2011

Big Omaha 2011 poster

24″ x 36″ posters are still available for $5.00 each ($15 tube shipped). And be sure to see where the cow boldly went at the Big Omaha 2011 website.

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OCF holds an important place in our city, uniting individual donors with nonprofits — both of whom are looking to do good in the community.

Since 1982, the non-profit organization has enabled donors to generously contribute to the good of the community through its 501(c)(3) status. And in doing so, granted more than $650 million in its history – $58 million in 2010 alone. In the process, the Omaha Community Foundation has also grown to include more than 1000 donors, serving the needs of over 3000 nonprofits, initiatives and funds throughout greater Omaha and southwest Iowa.

They offer a variety of important services for a couple of very different audiences. We worked alongside copywriter Monica McFarland to interview the staff at OCF — coordinating all of the content necessary for the new site and getting a better understanding of exactly who would be using it. Our task was to organize all of that information clearly, balancing the complexity of their services with their ultimate goal — to be a simple, consolidated source for building a stronger Omaha.

The eccentricities of the web meant that translating OCF’s brand from print was going to create some unique problems on its own. But, by leveraging the illustrations, using the color palette to accentuate different areas of site, employing type as a basis for differentiating content within the page, and utilizing a couple of lookalikes from the Google Font Directory, all of those problems worked themselves out. And thanks to our development partners, Brightmix, we were able to carry the design forward in a way that feels like a natural extension of the print pieces.

See the full site at omahafoundation.org

Bunnies Unite website

For those unfamiliar with the background on our Benson Bunnies identity, you can read the whole story here. The shortened version is that Oxide saw an opportunity to help a local high school with no cohesive identity — but a very unique mascot — bring its students, staff, faculty, and alumni under a single unifying banner. We’ve offered a new identity to the high school free of charge, and we’ve even offered to help them implement it consistently — donating all of our time.

As the website states, “Bunnies Unite is a group of citizens passionate about Omaha’s Benson High School, committed to seeing all of the school’s athletic and academic programs — past, present, and future — united under a single inspiring banner.” The site contains multiple versions and file formats of the new logo, available to use for free under a Creative Commons license. It’s our hope that people will use the logo whenever and wherever they like, to create a groundswell of support for the new identity.

If you’re interested, you can help the Bunnies Unite cause in a number of ways:

1. Visit bunniesunite.com, download the logos, and use them as you wish to get the new identity out into the world.
2. Visit tshirts.oxidedesign.com and purchase a Benson Bunnies tshirt, which Oxide is selling at no profit, to proudly display the new logo.
3. Email benson@bunniesunite.com with your mailing address to request a free Benson Bunnies sticker pack.
4. Email any Benson alumni, staff, and faculty that you know, encouraging their support for the new identity.

Together, we can make this gift a valuable reality for Omaha’s Benson High School!

A sampling of other Denver-area political candidates' logos

We approached the identity project like we would any other. We conducted a thorough amount of background research, interviewed Josh about what would make his campaign distinctly different, and reviewed the visual identities of other candidates. For better or worse, graphic design is typically an afterthought in political campaigns (as evidenced by most of the Denver-area campaign logos we found). While Barack Obama‘s campaign shined a light on the power of great visual design, that thinking hasn’t yet really trickled down to local city elections.

Early concept sketching on the Davies For Denver logo

As it says on his Facebook page, ”Josh Davies is passionate about making Denver the best place to live, work, and play. He has been working to make that happen over the ten years he has lived here through volunteer service, neighborhood leadership, and professional engagement.” In early logo sketching, we keyed in on the core concepts of “passionate” and “energetic”, while looking to capture the “place” of Denver.

More initial thumbnail sketches for the Davies For Denver logo

As you can imagine, there are literally thousands of logos that have attempted to capture the essence of Denver in some fashion, most often focusing on the physical geography of the mountains. In that context, it was particularly difficult to represent Denver in a logo without the overall effect feeling cliched or overused. That said, we felt very strongly that Josh’s passion about the city of Denver was important enough that the identity should strive to represent the physical place in some fashion.

The three initial concepts presented to the Davies For Denver campaign

All of our initial concepts looked to capture the spirit of Denver (as well as the campaign) through the majesty of the area’s mountains. We also attempted to convey the bold energy and solid professionalism of Josh Davies in various ways. Through an ongoing collaboration with Josh, we found the right combination of elements to make the perfect logo. The final identity shows the mountains of Denver, combined with the electricity of lightning and the amplifying power of a megaphone.

The campaign’s in full swing now, with the election coming up soon: 03 May 2011. I invite you to learn more about the campaign, and support Josh’s efforts in any way that you are so compelled. And if you live in Denver: VOTE. (The deadline to register to vote in the May election is Monday 04 April 4 2011.)

The initial launch of the logo; candidate Josh Davies is pictured in the center

Sari Bari website

With a great mission and business plan, Sari Bari came to Oxide in need of a website that would help lift their business to the next level, which will in turn allow them to help more women. To achieve this, they knew they simply had to have an upscale look to be taken seriously by consumers world-wide. In addition to hiring a professional design firm, Sari Bari hired the very talented photographer Jen Altman to better show off their products. Her photos have given the site the extra touch it needed to achieve Sari Bari’s desired level of quality.

Each Sari Bari product is marked with the name of the woman who made it.

Oxide used various hand-made elements throughout the site including textures, patterns, and photographic overlaying pieces that all help show the hand-made quality of their products. The elements were applied to a streamlined sitemap that allowed for a very functional, yet visually interesting site. Each one of Sari Bari’s products truly is one-of-a-kind, which called for a very specific type of store. Since Sari Bari only has one of each item, it is critical that the consumer is able to see photos of the exact item they are purchasing. Beyond the store section, the site has a lot to offer, including great resources, a blog, and just about anything else you’d like to know about Sari Bari.

See the full site at saribari.com

While most of the book is under the control of Rockport (LL12‘s publisher), this list only includes the things that were solely our responsibility. I could dodge these bullets with an excuse about how quickly all of this came together — but after looking at this list, that’s a pretty lame excuse.

1. We should have added form fields directly to the PDF

This one is pretty embarrassing. We’ve entered enough design contests ourselves to know exactly how tedious the form can be. Through our work on the New York State voter registration form, we even have some very specific experience in creating PDF forms. Even more embarrassing, fewer entrants filled out the form by hand than ripped it into a design program and filled it out digitally.

2. We should have explicitly asked entrants to protect their letterhead submissions

We assumed that this was understood, and we actually were very clear that the samples provided would be photographed for the book. Nonetheless, we received plenty of letterhead sheets that USPS had some fun with. And in a few cases, entrants folded their submissions into a #10 envelope. Yow.

3. We should have asked for business cards and envelopes with every letterhead

I don’t really know why this one slipped through the cracks. Given the title of the book, it’s logical to assume that the book will only feature letterhead sheets. But this series has always featured full sets of business papers. And truth be told, the people who took some initiative and sent everything were much more likely to get selected.

Several letterhead sheets were strong enough to get selected on their own, and in most of those cases, we asked for (and received) business cards and envelopes after the fact. But really, we’ll never know if we missed some opportunities here.

4. We should have worked even harder to contact design firms we wanted in the book

Here’s the long and short of it: although we’re really happy with the number and quality of work in the book, we really wish we had more of the big names. It didn’t occur to us that all of the great design firms would not enter LL12. That’s kind of naïve, but (and I say this with pride) Oxide enters most of these competitions. We like seeing our work in print, but it’s clear now that our idols don’t have the time for (or just aren’t interested in) our little book. We actually did send emails to many of these firms, but that didn’t get us as far as we thought it would.

As suggested, this is just the first part of this ongoing story. We’re well into the design of the cover and some interior pages, but all of the layout is still on the horizon. Every state of this process is a first for us, so there will certainly be many more lessons to learn.

Some years ago, we developed the name and designed the logo for Springbok Instruments, a company that designs, manufactures and markets innovative electronic test equipment for the low voltage power industry. At the time, we engaged in a process of name development and logo design simultaneously. These days, we understand that’s not a very effective way to create the best solution — it’s best to lay each layer of the foundation in order. We also showed way more initial sketches than we do anymore. Now we have the confidence to understand that part of our job as professional designers is to exercise a critical eye before heaping too many options on the client.

Shown below are various original concepts, each presented to the client with a name suggestion along with some rationale for each choice.

PowerSine was the original name brought to us by the client. "PowerSine — This name does a good job of conveying the right impressions. If I have one concern about this name, it’s just in terms of the name’s “spellability”; will it be confusing to customers?"

"Voltaic — A different thought on an electrical-sounding name. Could be paired with any number of descriptor words or used simply as Voltaic, Inc."

"Ampere, Inc. — This name might be a good jumping off point for a different train of thought. The logo is intended to convey the electrical aspect of the product and the concept of “positive”, while barely implying the ‘fixing’ or ‘healing’ nature of marks like the Red Cross (although this mark would never be used in red)."

"Impala Instruments — This is a different and evocative approach to the name and logo. The idea of Impala symbolizes speed, strength and agility (accuracy). In a field mostly filled with “techy” names that contain parts like Tech, Power, Wave and the like, this approach could help set you apart. And the strong style of mark still implies power and stability."

Various other sketches that were presented, for the names "PowerSine", "Lightning Bug", and "PowerLine", respectively.

I’m happy to report that — despite being inundated with way too many options — the client made the best choice in this scenario. They were intrigued by the idea of “zigging” with their name and identity when everyone else in the industry was “zagging”. We also made a serendipitous discovery when pursuing the “Impala” name. The concept of naming the company after a South African gazelle works conceptually because of the animal’s speed and agility. But when doing more research, we found a type of gazelle that’s exponentially more appropriate. When excited, Springbok leap into the air with their back arched and their legs stiff, in a practice known as “pronking”. (Fascinated? See it in action here and here.) The logo captures this unique activity in freeze frame, with the tips of the Springbok’s hooves implying the pinpoint precision of the company’s fault location technologies. Other elements of the logo aim to convey the literal electrical current tested by Springbok, as well as the charged spirit of the company.