An evening of distinction, where every pour has a purpose.
One Place Onslow works to prevent child abuse and support families in Onslow County, North Carolina. When they set out to launch Oak & Smoke, a new annual bourbon and cigar fundraiser for guests with good taste and generous hearts, they asked Two Dots Studio to help make it a night people would remember and give to accordingly.
That meant two jobs: an identity polished enough to carry a premium evening, and video that made people want to be in the room.
Simple but intentional.
We never treated Oak & Smoke as just a fundraiser. We built it as a curated evening for connection and conversation, where every guest feels seen and celebrated.
When people feel something, they remember it. When they feel like guests rather than prospects, they give. Every decision after that answered one question: does this make the night worth showing up for?
Above and beyond.
Alongside a series of cinematic trailers, we recommended treating the event like a private label release: a custom logo, wax-sealed invitations, and a thank-you gift box delivered to registered guests.
Together, those pieces give the night an invite-only feel and build anticipation before anyone walks through the door. We scoped each one so One Place Onslow could scale it to their budget.
Only what you need.
While our video team prepared for the shoot, our creative team worked with One Place Onslow on an identity inspired by bourbon labels. Velvet green and navy nod to the military families many of the event’s donors come from, leather and wood tones warm the palette, and a gold foil accent adds the finish.
Through rounds of feedback and shared design files, we delivered a full logo system and a brand asset library their team could use on their own, along with a hype trailer and an interview film to open the campaign.
Making an impact.
The trailers ran on YouTube to build intrigue ahead of the night, and the identity carried through table cards, printed invitations, custom matchbooks and digital ads.
The clearest sign it worked: One Place Onslow brought Oak & Smoke back. For the second year, “The Second Pour” on March 6, 2027, we updated the trailer, and they premiered it to supporters at their Diamonds & Denim event. Because the identity was built to be reused, year two started with the brand already in hand.
Oak & Smoke brought together our creative development and video production work for nonprofits.
