Nov 21

Shannon Costello Düster started Say Less Productions after experiencing firsthand how the typical Hollywood production company can be exclusionary towards women and marginalized groups. Based in Boulder, Say Less Productions focuses on restorative justice, giving voices to those who would be ignored by the mainstream production community. Her production company focuses on telling the real stories of women in male dominated spaces, especially those in athletics.

Oblique Design is a women-owned Boulder design agency, so our values and experiences aligned with Shannon’s and we were excited to partner with her to create a brand identity that represents her vision and Say Less Production’s purpose in the film industry. We started the process by having an in-depth review of Shannon’s strategy, core values and mission. Then our Boulder design team created logo design options that stayed true to Shannon’s vision while also letting Say Less Productions stand out among competition. 

The final logo focuses on the brand identity, bringing forth attributes like being simultaneously minimalist and having subtle sophistication. Shannon wanted to express how you can say more…by saying less. This is the core nature of the marginalized women that Say Less Productions focuses on. Our logo design incorporates large quotation marks positioned next to a lower case wordmark reading “say less”. The quotation mark meets the letterforms at their x-height creating emphasis, denoting that the “say less” is not something that is simply read or written, it’s read with conviction. The typographic treatment is in all lowercase to further emphasize an approachable feeling of understanding and compassion. Finally the word “less” is a light grey which allows the “stay” in black to stand out. 

We are currently in the process of designing a website, along with other marketing materials to provide her company the awareness it deserves. The entire team at our Boulder design agency was excited to get behind this client and help the organization grow and succeed.

Jun 16

The importance of giving back to the community is not something lost on Joyce Walker. Her ReJoyce Academy is a Seattle based non-profit organization dedicated to supporting local youth in more ways than just basketball. For Joyce, the organization is a way to instill her life lessons and hard-earned wisdom into the next generation of young girls in Seattle’s racially and ethnic diverse Central District and beyond.


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Feb 27

For over 70 years, Dutch Clark Stadium has been a staple of the community in Pueblo, Colorado. Named for Earl “Dutch” Clark, professional football legend, pioneer and Colorado native, the stadium has served as a vital community space for generations of Puebloans. Since opening in 1950, Dutch Clark Stadium has served the Pueblo School District (D60), hosting football, soccer and track and field. According to StadiumTalk.com, the stadium ranks as the 14th largest high school football stadium in the country.


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Jan 16

Nestled in the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Area lies the Honey Rock Landing orchard. Cultivated by owners Colby and Leslie Barrett, the location along the Gunnison River provides the fertile soil in growing some of the sweetest fruits in the entire state of Colorado. In using regenerative growing techniques, the Barrett family places sustainability at the forefront. It’s these values that resonated with the Oblique team and we’re proud to have been able to create a visual identity that reflects these standards.

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Apr 28

We sat down with Oblique’s founder, Janice Ferrante, as she reflected on the challenges, accomplishments, inspiration and everything else that comes with running an agency for 20 years.

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Feb 14

Creating or revamping a brand goes well beyond logo design. Before elements like color, shape or typography are even considered there is a lot of strategy and discovery that’s involved. It’s a “get ta know ya” kind of process, but in the process you get to know yourself a little better too. 

Clarity in your brand’s mission, values, personality, competition and–perhaps most importantly–differentiation are key to your success. It’s important to know who you are, what you do, who you do it for and how you do it differently from your competitors. A clear and powerful positioning should serve as much as a rudder for your brand, as it should for your business. It’s the voice and soul of your company—resonating across audiences, raising awareness, defining your customer, and galvanizing stakeholders and the broader public. This is where brand strategy comes in.

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Aug 9

Giving back is a great way to show you’re more than talk and it can serve to reinforce your brand’s identity while you serve your community. We aim to talk the talk AND walk the walk. After all, a successful company is only as strong as the communities and people it cares about. Some brands, like TOMS shoes, are building charity right into their business model. A lot of brands are giving back in other ways, whether it’s part of the way they do business or not. Using their powers for good has become a trend that we can definitely get on board with.

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Jul 26

To say Loui Pacheco is passionate would be an understatement. From the moment we had our first meeting, it was obvious the amount of work, emotion and passion Loui has put into his company and career. His success is a testament to this as he has become one of the most sought after Los Angeles based personal trainers and an ambassador for Lululemon. His energy and passion are contagious, to say the least. Team Oblique was beyond excited to partner with him on his branding efforts that are so close and dear to his heart.

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Apr 22

Every agency should have a roadmap for clients to refer back to in order to ensure that the agency will deliver the right end product. These methodologies are developed over time and experientially based so that the agency can recognize clear progress markers as they work with an array of clients. 

At Oblique, the SLNT (slant) Method™ is our roadmap to lead brands down an actionable, strategic path so you can get the clarity and results you want. Our approach is purposefully linear and methodical as we fully immerse ourselves in your brand’s objectives, giving your values the proper context to shine. Each step along our path builds on the previous in order to create and sustain momentum for your brand for years to come. 

 

Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty.

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Nov 5

If 2020 has taught the world anything, it is that change is constant and innovation is continuous. You have to keep your brand fresh and current.

About four years ago or so, we launched our current site and since then, Oblique has changed quite a bit. If you really think about all that’s happened in the brand world, 2015 was a long time ago. Since then, we’ve transferred to a remote-friendly working model, our team has transformed, we offer slightly different services, and we have collected a bunch of amazing new clients. Our website needed a slight update to reflect our changes.

 

With that in mind, we did what we do best for our clients and applied it to ourselves. We put our SLNT Method into action and did a complete website overhaul. SLNT stands for Strategize, Leverage, Narrate, and Target.

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