CWI Otters

Athletics Mascot and Type Design

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 a 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 | Creative Director
Jeremy Nelson | Design Lead

Links

AGAINST
CWI Press Release

Discipline / Category

Brand Identity

Mascot Design

Type Design

GO To download

No items found.

AGILE & ATHLETIC

Known for intelligence and dynamic movement, the otter is depicted in a sleek aesthetic – functional for use across scale and medium while also representative of the river otter's unique traits.

No items found.

ANATOMICAL ANALYSIS

‍

Subject matter analysis is always a foundational part of research and critical 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 sleek 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.

‍

No items found.

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.

No items found.

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