Best of the West Media Awards

An awards program's identity carries a particular responsibility. It needs to communicate the significance of the recognition while generating excitement among prospective entrants, nominees, and honorees.

For the Best of the West Media Awards, that challenge extended across a geographically diverse region and an equally broad range of industry disciplines.

The competition recognized achievements in television, radio, print, digital media, advertising, and community service. Its participants ranged from independent professionals and small-market organizations to larger agencies and established media companies.

The existing branding provided a recognizable name, but there was an opportunity to introduce a more refined visual identity that better reflected the program's stature and the creativity of the industries it celebrated.

The identity also needed to work across multiple applications, including digital promotions, awards announcements, presentations, and event materials.

Unlike a single-year event theme, the refreshed branding needed lasting appeal, providing a recognizable foundation that could evolve with the awards program.

The challenge was to create an identity that felt prestigious without being overly formal, contemporary without becoming trendy, and distinctive enough to represent a major regional industry recognition program.

Ace Studios approached the rebrand with a focus on recognition, visual distinction, and long-term versatility.

We considered what makes an awards program memorable, from the anticipation surrounding nominations to the moment an honoree receives recognition.

Our creative direction focused on elevating the presentation of the Best of the West Media Awards while preserving its established name and connection to AAF Western Region.

Rather than developing a design tied to a particular ceremony location or annual theme, we focused on creating a visual identity that could represent the competition year after year.

We explored how typography, composition, and supporting graphic elements could communicate prestige while maintaining the energy associated with the advertising and media industries.

Versatility was also a priority. The identity needed to remain recognizable across different formats and settings, from promotional graphics viewed on a phone to larger presentations and event applications.

Throughout the creative process, we emphasized a cohesive visual approach that could accommodate changing award categories, event locations, and promotional needs without losing its core identity.

Ace Studios refreshed the Best of the West Media Awards identity through:

Event Rebranding and Creative Direction

We developed a refreshed creative direction for the Best of the West Media Awards, establishing a visual approach that reflected the prestige of the competition while celebrating the creative industries it represented.

Logo and Visual Identity Design

Our team redesigned the awards program's visual identity, creating a distinctive presentation that established a recognizable foundation for future competitions and events.

Typography and Visual Composition

We refined the identity's typographic presentation and supporting design elements to communicate professionalism, recognition, and the energy of the advertising and media industries.

Flexible Event Branding

We developed the identity with versatility in mind, allowing the awards program to maintain a consistent appearance across different years, host cities, and promotional applications.

Digital and Promotional Applications

We considered how the refreshed identity would translate across digital communications and promotional materials, supporting a cohesive presentation for nominations, announcements, and industry recognition.

Brand Consistency and Future Applications

We established a visual foundation that could support the program's continued evolution, helping AAF Western Region maintain a recognizable identity as the competition developed over time.