Oxide Design Co. gives insight into Big Omaha 2011 branding

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…

Editor’s Note: Beginning with the planning that led up to the inagural Big Omaha in 2009, we’ve been extremely fortunate to work closely with Oxide Design Co., a three-person (now four-person) team of talented, passionate and hard-working individuals. As our branding and identity partner each year, they’ve consistenly delivered top-notch work that blows us away and, the best part, surprises us (e.g. visit bigomaha.com, scroll halfway down, then scroll back up to the top). In addition to their design expertise, they’re a cool group to work with, too, a characteristic we value.

The following post, orginally published on Oxide’s company blog, is by Oxide designer Joe Sparano.

Danny Schreiber, Managing Editor

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.

The “Zaarly’d cow” at Big Omaha 2011. Photo by Big Omaha/Malone & Co.

Big Omaha 2011 stage sign. Photo by Oxide Design Co.

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

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

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

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

Big Omaha 2011 shirt. Photo by Oxide Design Co.

Big Omaha 2011 shirt. Photo by Oxide Design Co.

Big Omaha 2011 shirt. Photo by Oxide Design Co.

Big Omaha 2011 photo booth. Photo by Malone & Co.

Big Omaha 2011 badges. Photo by Malone & Co.

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

Big Omaha 2011 signage. Photo by Oxide Design Co.

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

Big Omaha 2011 moon boot. Photo by Oxide Design Co.

Team Oxide at Big Omaha 2011, from left to right: Adam Torpin, Joe Sparano and Drew Davis. Photo by Malone & Co.

Big Omaha 2011 poster by Oxide Design Co.

24″ x 36″ posters are still available for $5.00 each ($15 tube shipped). To order, contact the Oxide team at clarify@oxidedesign.com. And be sure to see where the cow boldly went at the Big Omaha 2011 website.

Note: To get an insight into Oxide’s work behind Big Omaha 2010, see: “The process behind Oxide Design’s Big Omaha 2010 identity.”

This story is part of the AIM Archive

This story is part of the AIM Institute Archive on Silicon Prairie News. AIM gifted SPN to the Nebraska Journalism Trust in January 2023. Learn more about SPN’s origin »

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