I will NOT tell you about whether gators can fly – you’ll have to go next year to find out.

openbox9 Mascot Carlee leads the pack of hikers into the wild

Mascot Kathleen pets Swampy the aligator

Our logo (designed to look like a patch) made into a real patch - cool.

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To see some of our other work for NWF, we all invite you to click here.

This Independence day, I ask that you not only enjoy the pageantry of men in grilling aprons, the whiff of a sizzling grill or a heartedly chorus of yankee doodle — I ask you to soak in all the graphics. Our flag in all of is glory, is a really nice strong brand. The colors alone evoke such heavy polarized emotions. Can you name any company, rockstar or athletic team brand that is more recognizable than the USA’s stars and stripes — red, white and blue?

I’m not trying to be a patriotic zealot, bent on displaying egocentric bombastically charged nationalism, I’m just talking about recognizable visual brands. I am partial though… I do heart the USA. I am also aware there are living people in the states that could tell me what the golden arches represent but might not be able to tell me what the stars and stripes represent. By no ignorance on their part mind you, there are just that many companies, federal agencies, clothing lines, auto dealers and so on that are riding the powerful USA brand’s coat tails. Since forever, our national graphical elements have been used to sell so much and convey so many messages — ponder how so many brands borrow from the USA — does it hurt the image of the USA? Or for a designer are these elements trite and to be avoided?

It’s no secret that designers (especially in the DC area) are constantly trying to freshen up the graphical symbols of America but in the end we succumb to the proven graphical elements – stars, stripes, eagles, blue fields… and that’s okay because as you will see this fourth of july, its a strong brand.

The herald Ceagle

Here at openbox we did a mash-up of our beloved majestic eagle and our secondary American love — the cow. We refer to is as the “ceagle.” Will this new image become the seal of a new federal agency… we hope so. Secretaries of agencies, we await your phone call… we await your call too dairy farmer associations.

Can addressing gender issues in the marketplace improve the programs that USAID is implementing overseas? Can these countries gain economic growth and lasting poverty reduction through understanding these gender inequalities as obstacles? I do not want to spoil the reading of thousands of hard worked research but… yes is the answer to both.

December saw the end to years of research for the folks working on the “Greater Access to Trade Expansion (GATE)” project under the Women in Development IQC funded by USAID’s Office of Women in Development. openbox9 was brought in the autumn of 08 to assist in the design of reports, interactive CDs, posters, folders, a major website and the crown jewel — a 150 page handbook filled with charts, examples and diagrams.

Throughout all the pieces, openbox9 maintained a consistent brand for the GATE project while also staying within the brand of USAID. Developing this “sub-brand” for GATE illustrated that within USAID there was wiggle room to express a unique subject. We at openbox9, personally appreciated the challenge of connecting all these pieces into one cohesive study.

Our hope is that these reports and websites have a meaningful impact — one that can shape the future of USAID’s programs and ensure that trade-related efforts encompass the poor and women of those nations.

The challenge was simple – no images of Easter lilies. Harder to avoid than one would think — people love those flowers. We thought the bunny could help out in a new way by helping play with the our concept of “hop(e) – What are you hunting for“. Fun, meaningful and … well cute. This maybe the first and last pastel colors used in a design by openbox9.

A full communication campaign was deployed as openbox9 produced mailers, invites, webpages, newspaper ads, outdoor banners, and a church bulletin design.

Do you have your Flag Day marketing campaign yet? Contact us today!