Slifer Smith & Frampton

This is one of those clients where the work = joy. Each and every member of the leadership team and broader organization I worked with embodied a kindness and enthusiasm that was infectious. And while their company’s origin story was deeply rooted in Vail’s ski community, a place the three founders had dedicated their lives and careers to, there was an even larger story right below the surface.

This was a sprawling engagement comprised of onsite workshops, content and communication strategies, brand foundation building, a monumental expansion of their identity system, a multichannel campaign and the design and development of a new corporate web presence.

Work completed at 1000watt

You can really get a feel for how a brand strategy is going to come together based on the energy you feel in a series of workshops and exercises. Not only did we find a principled company that liked to have fun while doing great work in their local communities, but also one that had built a culture around a singular dedication to Colorado at the individual level and as a collective.

A collaborative brand workshop held at the Slifer Smith & Frampton office in Vail, CO.

Turning a vibe into a big idea

All of the time spent with the Slifer team revealed a true passion for both their colleagues and their communities. There was a thread here connecting the spirit of the region to the way this company operated, expanded over the years and attracted talented agents. This was all distilled into a potent mantra, Colorado Calling.

A flexible communication device that served as both rally cry and headline, this mantra would serve equal parts inspiration and delivery vehicle for the brand campaign.

A reason to celebrate

This company and culture is fueled by the passionate leaders within their organization across the entire footprint. Lifting these folks into the spotlight would put a face to the brand ethos in a way that was believable and real. I worked with a couple celebrated photographers, Rebecca Stumpf and A.J. Canaria to get the look and feel of this portraiture just right.

Leveraging the name

Another important consideration of the campaign was how we would leverage the company name. A bit of a mouthful, Slifer Smith & Frampton felt like it demanded to have a bit of fun. With this in mind, we applied a scattered, yet gridded, approach to the letterforms to achieve a result of decoration versus the decorum the logo demands.

To further celebrate Colorado, we expanded on the dynamic type system to create typographic maps that playfully showcase the new color palette and demonstrate Slifer Smith and Frampton’s reach and influence while having a bit of fun.

A digital cornerstone

We developed the content strategy, wrote for, designed and developed a website to tell the larger Slifer Smith & Frampton brand story. The site’s purpose is to tell the company’s story, feature its people prominently, and reveal more of its core purpose and strong connection to Colorado to both brokers and consumers in the region serving as a re-introduction to the company before visitors might search for properties or agents in the area.

Bring on the documentation

Along with a sprawling Guideline dedicated to the launch and management of the campaign we developed a communication playbook that would deliver tactical messaging to the entire network ensuring a chorus of consistent talking points.