Aiming to expand opportunities for organized athletics and strengthen its community connection, the College of Western Idaho (CWI) challenged AGAINST — a creative consultancy I had the opportunity to collaborate with — to design the institution’s first mascot and athletics-inspired visual identity.
Under AGAINST’s creative direction, my role was centered on the design of a cropped and full-body Otter mascot logo and suite of complementary wordmarks. Agile, intelligent, and fiercely loyal, the new system acts as a symbol of connection and an embodiment of the community’s school spirit.
Additional Project Detail
Credits
Jennie Myers | CD/ Project Lead Jeremy Nelson | Design Lead
Subject matter analysis is always a foundational part of research and critial before beginning the design process. And while stylizing or simplifying the subject is often necessary, you first have to understand what makes the subject unique and identifiable for what it is so those key attributes can be preserved.
For the river otter, their sleak and streamlined body combined with incredible flexibilty and speed stood out as the qualities the school resonated with the most and that we aimed to capture.
AGILE & ATHLETIC
Known for intelligence and dynamic movement, the otter is depicted in a sleek aesthetic – functional for it’s intended use and representative of the its unique traits.
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ANATOMICAL ANALYSIS
Subject matter analysis is always a foundational part of research and critial before beginning the design process. And while stylizing or simplifying the subject is often necessary, you first have to understand what makes the subject unique and identifiable for what it is so those key attributes can be preserved.
For the river otter, their sleak and streamlined body combined with incredible flexibilty and speed stood out as the qualities the school resonated with the most and that we aimed to capture.
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MAKING A SPLASH
Affectionately named “River,” the new mascot reflects CWI’s community spirit and reinforces the distinction between river otters and sea otters while emphasizing its connection to the local environment.
Since rolling out in the fall of 2024, River has become a symbol for CWI to rally around and a representation of the community's curious, resilient, dynamic, and collaborative spirit.
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Thank you once again to Jennie and the team at AGAINST for the opportunity to be part of this project – Check out more of their work excellent work over on their site
Aiming to expand opportunities for organized athletics and strengthen its community connection, the College of Western Idaho (CWI) challenged AGAINST — a creative consultancy I had the opportunity to collaborate with — to design the institution’s first mascot and athletics-inspired visual identity.
Under AGAINST’s creative direction, my role was centered on the design of a cropped and full-body Otter mascot logo and suite of complementary wordmarks. Agile, intelligent, and fiercely loyal, the new system acts as a symbol of connection and an embodiment of the community’s school spirit.
Jennie Myers | CD/ Project Lead
Jeremy Nelson | Design Lead
AGAINST
CWI Press Release
Brand Identity
Mascot Design
Type Design