ONEFASTBUFFALO } The American Southwest's Leading Strategic Branding Agency, Rooted in Design and Forging Premium Custom Websites.

Dallas, Texas :: Tuesday March 09, 2010 - 11:47pm

OFB Office News, OFB Favorite Places, Mobile Creative Work Life, Flea Market Inspiration, OFB Field Trips, Vintage Treasures, Fast Travel & Outdoor gear, OFB Junkn' } Posted by Ben Jenkins (OFB Founder) | Comments (9)

There was certainly much to forget about in 2009 for many people, myself included. But looking back I have to say it's been one of the best years of my life. First, all of the challenges we, our clients, our friends, etc. experienced just got me re-focused on what was most important to me. And I am happy for that. In 2009, my third son Shaw was born and he is just well....AWESOME. I was honored with a very nice award and I appreciate that. I got to rebrand (more like restore) my favorite childhood restaurant in 2009. And then I realized a long time big dream of mine. So I wanted to introduce everyone to the 1958 Airstream OneFastBuffalo mobile office. The OFB mobile office has been a vision on the giant cork board in my home studio for many years. And in 2009...it got done.

ABOUT THE TRAILER

I've been searching for the right trailer for many years and never found the right opportunity. But a while back I came across a great guy named Eric Stoltz who restores vintage travel trailers and I knew the time had come to get started. The OFB rig is 100% rebuilt on the inside, not just refurbished. The 21 ft 58' aluminum shell was brought back to life, rivet by rivet. The project took about 15 months and I was able to work with Eric to customize his already great floor plan to fit my specific work needs and OFB brand stylings. Eric takes a minimalist approach and every inch of the trailer is thought out for how we live today...not 1958. At the same time it's what he chose to leave out that makes it so great. It's anything but overdone. I love the simplicity of my trailer. The inside consists of real mahogany cabinets built in a classically modern style, off-white vinyl and leather hide seats with black countertops. We also did roll-down shades made from plain burlap. The mobile office is ultra lightweight due to the lighter weight aircraft aluminum used in the 50's as well as the use of real wood. Today trailers mostly consist of particle board and an abundance of gears, gadgets, tons of wiring, pumps, etc. For example a new Airstream of the same length would weigh about 2000lbs more than this one. I'm able to pull this with my small Toyota FJ Cruiser...no problem. It's truly mobile. I also designed an "Airstream" version of the OneFastBuffalo logo and had emblems made for the trailer.

I'll probably set a new record for pics attached to a blog post here.....so please forgive me. The Airstream is my 4th kid so you know how we parents are with the family portraits. There are tons of pics so be sure to use the NEXT button to scroll. Also, my kid sister Katie Norris is a photographer and did a nice photo shoot for me. I wanted to show off some of her work as well.

WHY A TRAILER?

"Working from anywhere" is always something that I have enjoyed exploring. I see more things, and the result is I have more ideas. I'm not a huge fan of product tag lines, preferring more the approach of building a great brand story and executing that story. But Airstream's tagline is one I do like.

Live more. See more. Do more.

I appreciate the Airstream brand in every way, a company started by

PICS (56) | VIDEOS (0) | DOCS (0)
Click Media to enlarge, play or download

New OFB Clients } Posted by OFB Press | Comments (0)

OneFastBuffalo is excited to get 2010 started with a great new client. OFB welcome's Kona Grill. Interestingly, OFBr's are often spotted at the Dallas Kona location for happy hour. These Kona guys are smart. If you're are going to hire someone to build your new corporate website...hire someone who will eventually give all the money back via weekly cocktails on your patio!

Kona Grill, Inc. owns and operates 24 upscale casual dining restaurants in 13 states, in the United States. The Company’s restaurants feature a selection of mainstream American dishes, as well as a variety of appetizers and entrees with an international influence, including a selection of sushi. The menu items also incorporate over 40 signature sauces and dressings that Kona Grill makes from scratch. The menu offerings are complemented by a full service bar offering an assortment of wines, specialty drinks and beers.

OFB Office News, OFB Web Launches, Pics that inspire design, Mobile Creative Work Life } Posted by OFB Press | Comments (1)

There are two things we know for sure about ZZTop front man Billy F Gibbons. One, he is a heck of nice guy and two, he really loves our mobile office. We met Billy a couple weeks ago to discuss plans for his new website. Billy toured the 1958 OFB Airstream trailer and showed us his giant skull diamond rings. Good trade. OFB is working with Billy to develop the Billy F Gibbons brand and online store where he will sell anything from Billy Gibbons custom guitars to tamales. The site will also feature an extensive look at his vintage car and guitar collection. Most embarrassing moment goes to our creative director who was caught humming "la grange" while walking out to the Airstream. "Sorry man, didn't realize I was doing that."

We have attached some initial layouts for the website. Stay tune for the launch!

Also, here's a La Grange video...and our favorite ZZ Top outfit. Have mercy.

PICS (4) | VIDEOS (0) | DOCS (0)
Click Media to enlarge, play or download

OFB Office News, OFB Brand Launches, The Ole OFB Spirit, Indian Country News } Posted by OFB Press | Comments (0)

Introducing INDIG (short for Indigenous), a Native (as in Native American) Owned Advertising agency specializing in print, tv, radio and new media campaigns for Indian Country but available to all industries.

OFB's focus is designing and launching brands. We have two goals with INDIG: 1) Create a Native-Owned creative agency where the work is executed by Natives and all the vendors used by INDIG will be Native-Owned businesses. 2) Create a sister company to OFB whose focus is Advertising not branding. The service INDIG offers is as simple. We study the clients situation using the diagnostic techniques that OFB has developed over an 11 year time period, we develop a new advertising campaign strategy for the client, and then we execute the radio, tv, print and new media for the campaign. Last we offer media buying services and help the client manage the campaign.

"The idea for INDIG formulated for several reasons I think. One, I attribute much of our belief systems, core values, creative energy, and inspiration to my days 11 years ago spent in Indian Country (South Dakota) doing documentary and youth work. That is where I got the idea to start and name OneFastBuffalo and I just simply see it as the starting place for OFB. That start continues to guide my vision today. OFB would not exist without those times. We have been able to become successful business people but remain artists. Those days always remind me about what is important and what is just about money. Two, we have spent 11 years fine tuning OFB and developing the core strategic approach to creative brand building and awareness that has made OFB successful. So there is a real formula to our approach. We do what we do, we do it well, and I see us doing that for a long time. So we are soley commited to that focus. That means traditional advertising is not somthing we mess with at OFB anymore. Three, I have worked over those 11 years to maintain positive relationships and clients in Indian country and have made many good friends who happen to be creative people. We have worked with the Osage Nation for many years as well as a handful of other tribes. One of my favorite accomplishments was helping the Osage Nation to broadcast its first Tribal Council meeting online. Helping tribes utilize communication tools of today is helpful to them and rewarding for us. Good business too." said Ben Jenkins, founder of OneFastBuffalo.

"But one truth kept hitting me in the face...There are no EXCELLENT Native owned creative agencies out there....more>>

PICS (9) | VIDEOS (0) | DOCS (0)
Click Media to enlarge, play or download

OFB Web Launches, OFB lifestyle } Posted by OFB Press | Comments (0)

We having a blast designing a brand update and new web site for Windlip Snowboards based out of Village De La Mouche, France. Check out the new design....attached. Windlip are the guys we worked with on the Custom OFB real wood snowboards.....that we love. Stay tuned for the site launch.

Windlip specializes in custom hand-crafted snowboard design. They build boards for big lines, steep couloirs and fresh powder days. Boards with blistering performance that carve hard on the pack and are equally at home in tight trees.

PICS (3) | VIDEOS (0) | DOCS (0)
Click Media to enlarge, play or download

OFB Office News, OFB Brand Strategy News, OFB Design News, OFB lifestyle, This is Brand Positioning, Brand Evolutions } Posted by OFB Press | Comments (0)

Thanks to Cheryl Hall, long time business columnists at the Dallas Morning News, for the great full-page feature article in the Sunday edition of the business section recently. The article does a fantastic job of describing what OFB does within the context of a real world project. The article also touches upon our 10 years history and how we came to be. Thanks also to our client El Fenix for the kind quotes.

Here is the beginning of the article...

El Fenix project feeds creative spark at Dallas branding firm

09:47 AM CDT on Monday, July 20, 2009
by Cheryl Hall

Ben Jenkins is in the midst of the greatest branding challenge in his 12-year marketing career. That's because the 35-year-old owner of Dallas-based One Fast Buffalo doesn't want to be the guy who screwed up El Fenix.

Mike Karns, the new owner and chief executive of El Fenix, hired Jenkins four months ago to help return Dallas' Tex-Mex icon to its glory days.

Jenkins, a Lake Highlands native and lifelong El Fenix aficionado, sees this as a restoration project, not a rebranding effort. "In the '50s and '60s, El Fenix had style and class – an I Love Lucy and Desi Arnaz feel. But since then, the aesthetics have slipped.

"I'll go there no matter what, because I love the food, the authentic service, and the prices are great. El Fenix cult members get that. The problem is that noncult members have this perception that it's like a Pancho's. There's no reason it can't have more style and class now and still be true to itself."

Clients such as T-Mobile USA, Peterbilt Motors Co., Rockfish Seafood Grill and Haynes and Boone LLP currently get branding expertise from Jenkins and OFB.

----------------------------------------

Read the full article here.

PICS (3) | VIDEOS (0) | DOCS (0)
Click Media to enlarge, play or download

Fast Design School, Logos on things, The Ole OFB Spirit, OFB Sports } Posted by OFB Press | Comments (0)

OFB just executed maybe the "toughest" project in our 11 year history. "When you are designing a logo for a youth soccer team....well all I have to say is soccer moms are tough clients. So the pressure is on." said Ben Jenkins. "The last thing you want is soccer moms talking bad about you."

The OneFastBuffalo sponsored soccer team recently outgrew their old unis and it was time for an upgrade. "The goal really was to take youth soccer way too seriously and make the 5 year olds on the opposing teams feel poor and insignificant. If we shatter the ego of the other team before the game starts we have done our job. That should lead to a crushing defeat and years of therapy." said Jenkins with a wink followed by a thumbs up.

See the video of the new jerseys in action.

PICS (1) | VIDEOS (0) | DOCS (0)
Click Media to enlarge, play or download

OFB Interactive News, OFB Web Launches } Posted by OFB Press | Comments (0)

A good example of how flexible the web sites we design/build are. This week we gave the mockingbirdstation.com website a full color makeover. This is a site that we have designed for nearly 10 years. We were able to re-skin the site graphics and freshen up the look without making any changes to the system we built 3 years ago. The brand colors had changed and they wanted to freshen up the site to match. Check out the before color scheme to see what it looked like before.