Brand Strategy | Voicebox West

Stio

Brand Manifesto & Identity Playbook

Brand Strategy
Creative Direction
Brand Storytelling
Project Management

It’s an honor when your shop is asked to capture, codify and translate the essence of both a brand and your shop’s own defining creative work in a Brand Bible. At first being asked for the creative recipe from rapidly expanding client Stio gave us pause. But as we dropped into creating a manifesto, writing their origin story, translating the voice we’d shaped and collaborating with their longtime art director to capture their photographic perspective in words, examples and pillars—we were energized by how essential this project was to keep the brand on track amidst a firehose of customer, employee, executive and outside agency growth.

Incorporating impressive value and vision work through a key interface with Stio’s talented marketing director, we put words, images and designs to their inspirational brand identity in a truly powerful way. We guided the project through multiple review rounds, engaging key stakeholders, from the CEO and new VP to the founder himself, who simply responded to our work with a one sentence summary—“This is sick.” It was an exhaustive effort for all involved, but looking back, we feel creative pride in the ability to deliver such foundational work for a brand that’s not only doubled in size since our work with them began, but also for an effort for which we have incredible respect and affection.

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- MOUNTAINS HOLD POWER.
  
  They draw us in, lift us up and make us feel their presence.
  
  With drama and scale, they inspire us to explore beyond and to immerse ourselves in the natural world. They backdrop our days and stand as a constant on our horizon. They share perspective and fuel our souls. And, to us, they will always feel like home.
  
  Stio was founded from a mountain perspective, one that understood the importance of natural inspiration in every day. From where we stood, we saw an ethic resonating in our communities that focused on access, action and deep connection to the wilderness that surrounded us. We defined this emergence as The Mountain Life—an interconnected rethinking that encompasses culture and connection, conservation and community, natural inspiration and active balance.
  
  We make gear that embodies this entire ecosystem—with the functional range to transition from the epic to the everyday. We remain rooted in a vision and a viewpoint that encompasses all the elements of the mountain life. We’re fueled by this ethic as we embrace and advocate for connection to our natural world through elevated design, cultural immersion, greater stewardship and daily connection to our trails, rivers, and, above all, mountains.
- Mountain Life
  
  At Stio, we create gear that embodies the true essence of mountain life from our hometown of Jackson, Wyoming. Our elevated, responsibly designed styles range from the epic to the everyday and are inspired by an ecosystem that blends natural connection and active balance. We are rooted at the base of the Tetons so we can see mountains, access trailheads and hear spring creeks daily to feed our souls and keep us grounded. This shared mindset of nature, access and balance resonates far beyond our peaks and valley, directly to your mountain life community across distance, geography and topography.
- Origin Lede
  
  Stio was founded in 2011 in Jackson, Wyoming by mountain souls immersed in the Tetons and the spectacular wilderness that surrounds them. Our hometown was already an epicenter of action with an entire range of skiers, climbers, anglers, bikers, paddlers and trail runners calling the valley home—from pro athletes and working guides to just passionate advocates for all things outdoor. Yet something greater was brewing in our valley and likeminded mountain towns—a common thread that connected across mountain communities and outdoor cultures. The vision was expressed by a greater appreciation for the role our environments played in shaping our communities, our cultures and our lives.
- Brand Pillar- Intentional Design
  
  We approach design through a lens of beautiful, natural simplicity. Merging technical materials, functional versatility and characteristic mountain style intentionally sets us apart in the outdoor landscape. At the same time we take pride in building all our gear with an ecosystemic view, creating uncomplicated styles that work together seamlessly for a diversity of activities and situations while also building them with lasting durability and the smallest possible footprint.
- Inspired by Nature’s Perfect Design
  
  The Whitebark pine cone became our logo because it stands for two principles we believe in — naturally inspired design and a strong conservation ethic. This one species reflects our values, resonates with meaning from our own backyard and is the true north for how we built the brand.
  
  As a keystone species of the Northern Rockies, the Whitebark pine is not just a longtime local. It’s more than just a symbol or a cause. It’s an expression of thinking in terms of greater ecosystems, a mindset that is emblematic of how we strive to design our gear and build our community. It represents what we stand for and where we stand.
- Campaign Intro Example
  
  For decades, the Tetons have been a proving ground for skiers and riders. From the first descent of the Grand and the very first tram to the sidecountry revolution, our range has been home to visionaries at the forefront. In Jackson, our local heroes sparked change in the sport by the style they forged and the lines they left behind. The rugged terrain and bold vertical that inspired them is what drew all of us — including our founder — to these legendary mountains, famous for powerful storms, aesthetic lines and wild ski culture.
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