Oppegaard Equipment

The Challenge

When Chad started buying and selling used trailers and vehicles out of Colorado, his dad and brother were doing the same thing in Minnesota. Informal, word-of-mouth, and working, but not a business anyone could see from the outside. The brief was simple: make us look real. No references, no existing identity.

The Solution

I started with concepts that leaned into small-town rural character (they’re all from a town in Minnesota with one stoplight) and didn’t try to sand that down. The logo that landed featured a skid steer lifting the “O” in Oppegaard onto a trailer — a literal mark that earns it when the business is that physical and that specific.

The work expanded over several years: vehicle stickers, license plate display cards, wheel covers, door vinyl and banners for a compliance address, and a custom WordPress site separating Colorado and Minnesota inventory, tracking availability, and letting family members manage listings from the backend. A photo watermarking tool got cut when it proved too much for daily use. Everything else held.

The Results

Chad was weighing going full time when we last talked. The family also commissioned a one-off hunting-themed logo for holiday hats, completely off-brand by design and a natural end to a years-long relationship.