Category: Collateral
Design Awards 2020
Awards season is here and we’re pleased to announce a few new accolades. We strive for excellence in all that we do, and recognition of our hard work is always appreciated. This year our efforts were recognized for both print and digital creations.
“THE NATURE OF ADVENTURE” CAMPAIGN
The brand campaign we created for Cruise America took home distinctions from multiple competitions. It was selected in the print advertising category at this year’s International Design Awards. In addition, the campaign also took home an award from the Indigo Awards, another distinguished international design competition. The panels of judges look to recognize the iconoclasm of design worldwide, and celebrate work that showcases a fresh new take on design-inspired composition.
The work hinges on custom photography and meaningful copywriting, and helped take the Cruise America brand to a new level. The campaign communicates not only an eagerness for new experiences, but also the peace and clarity those moments bring to our lives. See more of our work for Cruise America here.
DROP DEAD GORGEOUS
The Indigo Awards continued to be gracious with their distinctions this year by giving our project with Phoenix Fashion Week an honorable mention in the Magazine & Newspaper design category.
Inspired by the local Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations, we created a high fashion portrayal of a storied tradition. Día de los Muertos looks at death as a part of life, creating a beautiful celebration of the spirit. Similarly, as captured through photography, the models’ glamorous depiction of death turns the typically grim idea on its head and makes it something beautiful you can’t look away from. View the full project here.
THE KACHINA CONFERENCE ROOM
The accolades keep coming from Indigo as our design for the Arizona Coyote’s conference room was honored with an award in the Mixed Media category.
For the Coyotes, the design of the conference room celebrated the original look they wore when they were introduced to the desert back in 1996. We re-energized the room with a 6’5″ custom-built, three-dimensional Kachina; a new team member we are sure they won’t be trading any time soon, The walls were coated with skated ice, adding accents of actual hockey gear to the room that allowed this environment to come to life. View the full project here.
BONUS FEATHER FOR OUR CAPS
Last, but certainly not least, top honors and recognition for the Splinter brand itself – for this very website. Our site won multiple awards this year including a Gold Addy (the highest form of Addy) from the American Advertising Federation.
We measure our success by the success of our clients and our ability to help them achieve their goals. While our website does say a little bit about us, our primary focus was to showcase the stunning design work that we’ve made on our clients’ behalf. In a sense, this award would not be possible without your success. So to all of our clients who have given us their trust and allowed us to make these beautiful projects – thank you.
CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE
It’s not in our nature to look back and pat ourselves on the back. We stay busy and are focused on the future, looking ahead. However, from time to time, it’s essential to take note and recognize the designers and team here at Splinter. Their hard work and savvy does not go unnoticed. Not here in-studio, not from our clients and not from the international design community.
They are gifted problem solvers, talented artists, great communicators and amazing people. They deserve this moment.
Phoenix Jewish Film Festival Design
This month, Phoenix will play host to the 24th Annual Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival (GPJFF). The exceptional film festival spans two weeks at three Harkins Theatres across the valley. Their aim is to present films of Jewish themes from around the world. Moved by their passion for presenting the richness of Jewish culture through the lens of film, we signed on to be their official film festival design partner.
Stemming from a collective effort, bringing together their team’s knowledge with our research and a strong collaboration of ideas, the partnership developed. Working as one receptive unit, we uncovered their vision and goals for this year’s film festival design.
We kept our focus on capturing the excitement of attending a film festival with a hint of Jewish symbolism. The concept that got the nod, dubbed the film tallit, best resonated with the stakeholders and audience for this event. In a move away from the normal glitz and glamour of typical film events, this concept set the tone. The design utilizes the traditional prayer tallit and weaves a cinematic film strip into the fabric.
To bring this concept to the big screen, we needed a great photograph of an authentic tallit. With a camera, lights and some action, we began the search for the right tallit. With careful attention to detail (and white gloves) we folded and manipulated the fabric in order to get the perfect shot. One that would showcase tradition in a new light. Once the perfect shot was captured, we began building out the rest of the visual identity. A strong display font with clarity and legibility was key. The decision to use the all-caps, san-serif Phosphate brought everything together. This textural font has a dynamic power that shines in display formats. It’s exactly the attention-grabbing type we were seeking.
From movie posters at your local Harkins and supporting ad campaigns to the ticket design and the official program, the film festival design theme carried the look of the event. If you are in the Phoenix area between February 9th – 23rd, check out one of the many incredible films. For more information about the Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival or for films and showtimes, visit their website: www.gpjff.org.
A big thank you to Mazel Tov Gifts is in order, as they granted us access to their store and beautiful collection of tallits for an in-store photoshoot.
Mazel Tov.
A Brand Finds Their Stride
In 2018, the groundbreaking event, America’s Run for the Fallen, hit the pavement in Fort Irwin, CA. It continued cross-country through 19 states over the course of four months. Names of fallen service members were read at every mile marker through the 6,000-mile journey. Gold star families and supporters gathered to hear their hero’s name read. Each fallen hero since the bombing of the USS Cole in October of 2000 was honored in this way.
The event was led by the parent organization Honor & Remember and had the support of the Department of Defense. It became one of the most comprehensive and successful tributes to our fallen military members this country has ever seen. We were moved by the remarkable message, the energy, and the amazing team of organizers. Spend any time with their founder, George Lutz, and you will be too.
We started the partnership by designing a key piece for the event – a 30ft motorhome that provided a place to gather and rest. Over 20,000 names of fallen soldiers wove across the surface of the RV like the threads of a tapestry. Throughout the country, family and friends found solace in finding the names of their loved ones.
After America’s Run for the Fallen concluded, the organization approached us to help evolve their brand design. The run across America was a one-time event, but the program races on. Honor & Remember has held individual state runs for several years. The national event gained the attention of more states looking to hold their own runs. As the cause continued to grow, the need for brand consistency became necessary.
Our approach was sympathetic and methodical. The sentiment and power of this event live in photographs. As a result, the branding system needed to support the visuals without pulling focus. Most of the imagery from the runs contain American flags and other patriotic symbols. We developed a color palette with deep military green, shades of tan, and steel grey. These neutral tones complement the red, white, and blue imagery without overpowering it.
The new logo symbolizes stability, strength, and endurance. It is a tribute to both the fallen soldiers and the loved ones they left behind. We chose a square gothic style font for its clear legibility and bold geometric shape. The line at the bottom of the logo represents the road that participants run. As a foundational element, it supports the weight of the logo, just as Run for the Fallen supports the military community. To honor their existing logo, we refined the battlefield cross illustration with color and line work. The battlefield cross is a recognizable symbol of respect to honor fallen soldiers. Its distinct meaning adds context to designs and creates recognition of the event within the community.
Next, we implemented the new brand design system into their marketing materials and a new website. With such a large – and growing community – it was important to create a clear structure for the website. We streamlined the user experience by consolidating information and reworking the site navigation. New participants can easily find times and locations for local runs, look up where a hero’s name will be read, or offer donations. The new website is a place where the community can come together to celebrate and honor our fallen heroes.
We can’t emphasize enough the value and integrity of their team, and are very proud to be part of this incredible undertaking. Over the last two years we have enjoyed our partnership with Run for the Fallen and cannot wait for Arizona’s run on October 18th – 20th.
Cruz Tequila Branding
Cruz Tequila
Affordable Luxury
A small, promising tequila label sought to share their craft with kindred spirits. By re-telling their story we gave new customers a chance to discover the Cruz Tequila experience.
Read more 
Photography, compelling writing and narrative-centric design create a genuine experience for connoisseurs. Our designs featured the history, passion and expert care taken at every step of the production process. A taste of Cruz Tequila is not only a sip of alcohol. It is a drink from bottles hand-blown by local artisans. A visit to a nostalgic plot of land, nestled in the highlands of Jalisco. Relaxing in a century old farmhouse turned tasting room. The spirit of Cruz lives beyond the confines of a bottle.
SERVICES
Brand Development, Strategy, Positioning, Web design, Campaign Development, Photography
Carefully Crafted
The imagery on the website celebrates the time-honored tradition of distilling tequila. Our shoots resulted in warm, rich photography capturing the smooth and flavorful essence of the product.
From the
Ground Up
Tradition and patience are the two main ingredients that create a legendary spirit. Above all, the design is timeless, honoring the dedication to the product from start to finish.
Constructing A Brand That Builds Our Community
Constructing a community is equal parts demanding and ambitious. Meet Desert Rose, the talented visionaries building our neighborhoods. By hand. Brick by brick.
They came to us looking for a way to gain recognition in a new market. The parent company, Rose Development Corporation, is a full service construction firm based in Chicago. Desert Rose is the new Southwest branch for commercial and residential building and remodeling. Upon entering the new market, we were responsible for constructing a brand for their new environment and audience in Arizona.
Debuting the newly-minted Desert Rose Group posed a familiar design challenge common with subsidiaries. The brief made clear the need to develop a mark distinct to Desert Rose while honoring the existing identity of the parent company. This called for both visual alignment and careful differentiation between the two entities.
Trust in contractors is paramount, so we wanted to design a grounded, transparent representation of the company. Taking inspiration from our surroundings, we began by shaping a positive customer perception. We leveraged the solid foundation the two companies had already built. The mark pays tribute to the planning and forethought required to create amazing spaces.
The same building blocks used in their daily work became a metaphor used as the foundation in constructing a brand for their future. It was this approach that would create a meaningful connection with their audience.
Utilizing an amiable typeface with classic roots is central to the logo design. Balancing type with a color palette that represents trust and vitality drove the finishing nail. The result is an identity that is capable and potent.
One that pays homage to the nature of building a secure and successful tomorrow.
Robert Rivera Fine Art Book Design
Robert Rivera
The Art of the Book
Art and storytelling are inseparable. The need to share values and ideas through various mediums has been a primal characteristic of humankind throughout history. This need drew us to the opportunity to work with the Torres Gallery and Robert Rivera. Through the lens of Rivera’s limitless work, we aimed to honor traditional tribal art with fine art book design.
Finding inspiration in gourds, Rivera stitches, cuts, breaks, scorches and wraps them to reveal new forms: medicine men, Navajo warriors, and Hopi butterfly maidens. Rivera takes otherwise mundane objects and transforms them into objects of beauty and power.
To capture the majesty of Rivera’s work, we drew out the details through decisively lit photography, a complementary color palette, and layouts that focused on pieces as well as the whole of the work. All of these elements combined created a celebratory artist book.
SERVICES
Collateral, Photography, Print
The complexity. The detail. The color. The dramatic elements. All the pieces of Rivera's work come together within this fine art book design.
Splinter & Corkcicle. Of Course We Wood.
It’s no secret brands delight in seeing their name on things, so when we found some wood-grain-inspired tumblers from one of our favorite brands we couldn’t resist. Projects like this keep our creative edges sharp. Working with new materials and different printing constraints adds to the bucket of knowledge that we share with our clients. Plus it never hurts to have a little fun.
Our design was heavily influenced by printing techniques and limitations. We wrestled with all options for imprinting. From pad printed, to silk screen, and from router inlays to laser engraved. All techniques had benefits and their own restrictions. Our initial sketches explored printing a large logo that would cover an entire side of the tumbler and bleed off the top and bottom. We wanted a finished product that was bold and impactful, but it was the constraints of production methods that informed the final design, and what would be possible. We reverted back to the sketch pads to rethink on how to create the most impact with the wood product and smaller imprint area.
A simple knocked out logo celebrates the wood-grain texture and gives our brand center stage. While visually it is not as forceful as the original design, it does impart a secondary message that the first concept was lacking – design reveals meaning. The knockout visual enhances the relationship between the word “Splinter” and the wood-grain texture. Which in turns strengthens the connotations of our name with you, our audience. This is always the intention of design though it’s usually less literal.
You have to admit, it’s a cool cup. We enjoy taking inspiration from our work lives to make something that communicates a little bit about what we do. From solving puzzles to taking notes, we’ve made a few
Bike Tree – New Product Brand Development
Bike-tree
TAKE BACK YOUR GARAGE
Riders unite for the appreciation of a safer and better way to store their bikes. When this simple but brilliant bike storage system debuted, the manufacturer needed a brand identity to accelerate their product launch into retail and e-commerce stores.
Read more Our goal was to pave the way into all types of cyclists’ homes, focusing on the simplicity of the product compared to other bike storage options. The positioning and distribution strategy called for the development of a full suite of collateral and brand assets.
The brand experience leverages a simplified color system, upbeat lifestyle imagery and compelling product photography, creating a relatable brand experience that showcases Bike Tree’s versatility and functionality. Whether you’re cruising the beach, racing or just learning, the message is clear. However you ride, store smart.
SERVICES
Advertising, Brand Development, Brand Management, Copywriting, Packaging, Photography, Print, Website Design
Jump into the Saddle
A big idea for small spaces from a team of inventors, engineers and cyclists. Transform any room with a useful storage system and get organized.
A strong challenge for our team was not only to show how the product solves a tricky storage problem, but also declutters their life through a clear design message. In a competitive market for home improvement and storage solutions, the clean visual identity aligns nicely with folks looking to bring order to their garage.
Framing the Bike Tree Story
Just as Bike Tree is a clever, compact storage system, our design solution called for something just as efficient and equally smart. Portraying various lifestyles, demographics and environments was crucial to the story of this product. A brand narrative tells the story of unity. No matter how you ride - in the city, on the trails, or around the block - you can store smarter.
As Bike Tree grows its market share, we will continue delivering their message to the market – a system that is built for helping people organize their lives.
Thinking outside of the box. Literally.
The excitement of unboxing that perfect new addition to your life. The appreciation for easy-to-understand assembly instructions. Achieved through packaging with the modern aesthetic of Scandinavian design coupled with the industrial touch of cardboard and attentive type.
Bold, clean design all waiting for you at your front door.
Collaboration Solutions – Creative Technology
Collaboration Solutions
Technology You Can Touch
A nationwide audio visual company, Collaboration Solutions specializes in designing and building creative technology-driven collaborative spaces. They partnered with us with a clear goal – to help establish their brand as a sharp, vibrant company. Technology is a top of mind industry, requiring the brand assets to reflect the same idea.
Read more Working with each of their clients to choose the best state-of-the-art devices for their specific needs, CSi makes information sharing a unique and effective experience. To help attain this goal, we built a brand that focused on unifying through design. The collaboration crystal was the foundation of the brand development – a unifying piece of artwork leveraged across media.
The visually simple representation of complex technology helps people understand the narrative that everyone can learn from technology. From corporate execs to primary school students, the tone of the brand helps drive the vision to make tech more approachable so people can focus on what they can do with it.
SERVICES
Brand Development, Brand Management, Concept, Print, Website Design & Development
Natural, Refractive Symmetry
The introduction of a geometric design element is a technique that brings power and elegance to the brand. The delicate shading of colors merging together is representative of collaboration, while the sharpness of the crystals is crisp and modern – just like the company.
