iOne Digital
Our Stories. In Color.
Our Role
Brand Strategy, Brand Identity, Brand Writing, Concept Development, Motion Graphics, Art Direction
Collaborators
iOne Digital
iOne Digital represents Black Truth
iOne Digital approached Athletics to collaborate on a new strategic positioning, voice, and visual identity system to clearly communicate their value proposition as the premier Black media company that represents the diversity of Black voices while providing quality content that buyers want.
Covering lifestyle, sports, entertainment, and more, iOne Digital properties serve real perspectives by real people. The complexity of the Black experience can’t be captured in a single story. As mainstream media outlets work to diversify their creators and consumers, iOne Digital stands apart by representing authentic Black storytelling like no one else.
Turning the conversation into a block party.
iOne Digital’s brand voice is designed to invite many voices into the mix and turn the conversation into a block party. Key narrative prompts are to make space for untold stories, to push beyond what people think Black culture is and to pass the mic to the many.
iOne Digital amplifies Black voices through innovative storytelling and experiences
The iOne Digital logo mark is a bold evolution within the Urban One family of brands. The new mark draws inspiration from iOne Digital’s previous system, and the stencil motif appearing throughout the iOne Digital architecture The result is a confident mark that stays true, and stands tall, with a strong brand recall, while taking a step forward to address new audiences.
Leveraging cultural moments.
For the iOne Digital primary typeface, Athletics turned to Vocal Type, a black owned and operated type foundry founded by Tré Seals. Seals’ typeface VTC Martin is inspired by signage associated with the Memphis Sanitation Strike of 1968, an iconic moment in civil rights history when workers demanded representation for their union, better wages, and safe working conditions. To complement the more expressive and nuanced VTC Martin, Maison Neue serves as an easy-to-read sans serif typeface for body copy and longer editorial.
iOne represents Black truth, in all its colors.
iOne Digital’s color palette celebrates their powerful legacy in radio and tv, while connecting buyers with the complexity of the present media landscape to grab the attention of new audiences. To represent iOne Digital’s vibrant future, its color system is young, fresh, and bold, expressing courage and unapologetic optimism.
Amplifying Black voices through motion.
Motion is central to the iOne Digital brand system to spotlight information, images, voices, quotes, and key elements of the new brand. The iOne Digital “O” transforms into a expressive framing device that is used to create a sense of amplification to turn up the volume on an individual story or idea making communications resonate far and wide.
“Our identity and brand voice is as authentic and unapologetic as our content, giving our team and partners vibrant and flexible tools to amplify black voices.”