In a prior life, we helped build a company that made a sophisticated piece of software for the Internet, brandable for consumers and businesses, a catalyst for building community.

Our very own Thomas Santoriello, was part of a team of programmers, executives, designers, and others that built a suite of software that combined an Internet Browser, Instant Messenger, Email Client, Internet Guides, and 10 Integrated Search Engines. NeoPlanet offered this consumer product for download to anyone with a PC. And while this technology suite was impressive, NeoPlanet also created a marketing opportunity for businesses, allowing them to offer a branded browser to their community, with built-in-links to their branded or revenue generating content.

NeoPlanet was spun out of its parent company, Bigfoot International, and Tom was one of a handful of people who helped NeoPlanet get up and running, and was in charge of the creative team that worked with and produced branding solutions for Disney, New Line Cinema, MTV, HP, Intel, Sony, CBS, The Discovery Channel, & more. Tom created the NeoPlanet brand, including the NeoPlanet “N”, original typeface, and many of NeoPlanet’s most popular branding solutions for consumers, called “skins”. You can read more about Tom’s contribution to NeoPlanet’s skins in Wired Magazine. Since the article was written, the skins designed by Tom for consumers and business partners were downloaded over Two Million (2,000,000) times.

Although the value proposition to consumers and businesses alike was really kind of ground breaking, the bursting of the Internet bubble in March, 2000 set the stage for an unhappy ending. We still feel the branding and co-branding of the NeoPlanet product highlights the capabilities of Our Studio very well.