Buffalo Wild Wings - Network Rebrand

We were tasked with crafting new branding and identity that brings the excitement and attitude of Buffalo Wild Wings to their in-bar network, OT.

Buffalo Wild Wings had recently revamped its main branding, refining its messaging, colors, and iconography in the process. We worked with them to develop a network package that fit their recent rebrand, supported new content pillars such as sports betting and esports, and created an immersive and social experience inside their restaurants. Through bold and playful design, OT is loud and in your face, even without being able to rely on sound.

Rebrands are about transformation

Great rebrands both reinforce core values of a brand and introduce space for exciting possibilities. We worked with Buffalo Wild Wings to make sure that the rebranding of their in-bar network boldly succeeded on those two fronts.

This is how B-Dubs TV became the OT Network.

The Gameplan

Buffalo Wild Wings came to us with a very clear vision of what they wanted: a bold, updated identity that would go with the restaurant’s newly refreshed branding and marketing campaign. They needed a network package that extended the look and feel of the main brand onto their most valuable real estate: the many, many, many TVs found inside Buffalo Wild Wings.

Our role was to take that vision and make it a reality. We wanted to translate the primal enthusiasm of watching sports with friends inside BWW into the network’s interstitials, bumpers, and graphics.

The team at Buffalo Wild Wings came up with the name OT, standing for overtime, naturally. The logo had to originate from the BWW circle brand, but also feel distinct. The notch created between the “o” and “t” is a nod to the classic stopwatch button.

Sporting a New Style

Bold. Social. Spontaneous. High energy. Intentionally Playful.

These were core values that Buffalo Wild Wings had honed in on during their recent rebrand. We worked closely with the team at BWW to make sure that everything we created for OT felt like an organic extension of that new branding.

As part of the new Buffalo Wild Wings branding, their restaurants were redesigned to incorporate a mix of textures, from wood plank flooring to sophisticated metallics. It felt like OT’s branding should be an extension of the architecture. So we included some texture to give the brand’s flat colors a little grit to match.

Plus, eating wings is messy work.

The result is visual messaging that’s large and in your face.

Perfect for a network that can’t rely on sound.

Calling an Audible

Lasting for over a year, it’s natural for a project of this scale to transform after it has begun. And transform it did.

Fortunately, each change ended up enhancing the project. We loved working with the team at BWW because they had such a clear idea of their brand and its needs. As we worked together, they streamlined the network’s offerings, expanded the scope of the deliverables, and secured the rights to esports. Through our close collaboration, we were able to stay flexible and develop content that matched the evolving needs of the project.

OT FTW

New content like esports and OT Odds (Buffalo Wild Wings’ sportsbook) are examples of how this rebrand is helping BWW expand their presence. Through OT, they can leverage their in-bar screens to not only promote their menu, but attract new diners and strengthen their relationship with their biggest fans.