Meet Your Neighbor: Boone Oakley

October 08, 2008 Filed Under: Events 0 Comments

An AIGA Charlotte membership definitely had its privileges on the evening of September 25!  A great time was had by all when Boone Oakley opened their doors to host the Fall edition of Meet Your Neighbor.  At this members-only event AIGA-ers braved a gas shortage and bad weather to learn what makes Charlotte’s notorious out-of-of-the-box agency “tick.”

The evening began with a studio tour lead by Boone Oakley’s President Phil Smith.  
Recognized by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Historic Landmark Commission, the workspace was originally built as a warehouse by the Joseph Sykes Brothers Company (a textile company coincidentally originating from the same area of Britain as Phil Smith).  Although the original “bones” of the warehouse are still evident, attendees were delighted by the surprising updates; such as the original business’s safe that now houses the company’s server and the basketball court located in the kitchen.  The stylish workspaces and common areas seemed private while at the same time promoting a sense of community.  “This is a great atmosphere for creativity” was a comment I heard more than once.

Boone Oakley’s philosophy is simple: Do great work for people we like.  Work with brands we are truly passionate about.  Not take ourselves too seriously.  Have Fun.  Sounds like a utopian ideal, but does this actually work in everyday design and advertising practice? The presentation, lead by Co-Founder John Boone, gave the answer as a resounding YES.  The agency’s outstanding work (blended with its quirky sense of humor) was the feature, but the presentation also did a great job of focusing on the creative process and how sticking to its philosophy leads to great work. 

Details concerning excellent delivery were revealed with a story of actually running a proposal all the way to Boston for a personal delivery to Saucony, the running shoe company. 

In terms of execution, Ruby Tuesday was literally blown away when Boone Oakley suggested blowing up a building to promote Ruby Tuesday’s transition from their old ways to their brand new look. 

Results were evident when the agency made national headlines for 123Hire.com, their first client, after posting a billboard with an image of George Bush accompanied by the Gore 2000 logo.  The “need a proofreader” banner was added three days later, tying the gotcha billboard to the client's offerings. 

Just in case the revealing presentation wasn’t enough, AIGA members also had ample time to “pick the brains” of Phil Smith, John Boone, and David Oakley during the lengthy Q & A session that followed.

Thanks to all who attended and as always, watch the AIGA Charlotte events page for upcoming events featuring some great names in design.

Written by: Ashley DeWitt