What if you didn’t have to turn on an old John Wayne movie to see cowboys in action? For generations, South Dakota has been home to the legendary Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup, an annual event where over 1,300 buffalo are gathered up by riders on horseback. To celebrate the 60th year of this Western tradition, we produced a five-part short documentary series called “Into the Roundup” that explores its roots and champions the riders who keep this piece of the West alive.
Our five-episode web series offers an immersive look at the cowboys, cowgirls, rangers and conservationists who sustain one of North America’s most iconic animals—the American bison—while showcasing the beauty and heritage of South Dakota. Each episode explores a different facet of the tradition, and the campaign blends cinematic storytelling and tourism promotion to capture the enduring legacy, landscape and culture of the American frontier.
Ultimately, the series was designed to showcase not only the annual Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup, but also Western culture and the preservation efforts protecting one of North America’s most iconic animals—the American bison. The series offers a rare, immersive look at South Dakota’s proud traditions.
While the Buffalo Roundup may be the most epic celebration of the Wild West, chances are you’ve never heard of it. So, to commemorate its 60th year, we created a campaign that brought this overlooked tradition to the masses. Our biggest challenge? How to convey such an epic, nuanced event in a way that would be both digestible to viewers while also providing enough story to hook our audience.
This ultimately led us to create a five-part short documentary series called “Into the Roundup” that explores the event's past, present, and future. The stories were broken out to show what it feels like to chase wild buffalo across the plains, the roundup’s vital role in preserving this iconic animal, the roundup’s generational story, the relationship between horse and rider, and the scenic wonder that it all takes place against. A deeper overview of each is provided below:
“The Ride”
Watching the Buffalo Roundup in the crowd is one thing. Riding through the dust and thunder on horseback is another. See for yourself what it’s like for cowboys, cowgirls, and park rangers to unite and round up approximately 1,300 bison.
“The Purpose”
Custer State Park’s herd began with just 36 bison and today is more than 1,300 strong. For 60 years, the Buffalo Roundup has played a vital role in sustaining this herd in a park that dates back to 1912.
“The Legacy”
Meet some of the riders who carry this living tradition forward. This episode reveals the work required to maintain a healthy and sustainable herd. Step back through time to see how this living tradition continues to ride strong, passing the Old West spirit to future generations.
“The Companion”
There’s a lot more than just reins between a rider and their horse. There’s a relationship of movement, trust and understanding. Learn about the skill, strategy, and heart behind herding the buffalo.
“The Backdrop”
While other roundups exist, none take place against the backdrop of South Dakota’s Custer State Park. Here, the vistas stretch on forever, and the spirit of the West roams free. It’s a view, and a moment, that could only happen here. Home to sweeping grasslands, rugged landscapes, and a thriving herd, this state park is unlike any other.
In addition to the series, we gave the 60th roundup a distinct logo and identity system. For the logotype, our goal was to evoke a buffalo’s momentum and energy without being overly literal. To accomplish this, we used a western-style script that creates a sense of movement through its flowing forms. The distinctive ligature between the two f’s in “buffalo” subtly mimics a buffalo’s hump, while the capital B was stylized with horn-like flourishes.
We also built an informational landing page for all things roundup-related that felt like a natural extension of the campaign. The landing page hosted details that were not featured in the series such as timing and logistics for the event and a day of live-stream to watch the 2025 Buffalo Roundup.
While our primary goals were to assist in preserving the American West culture and protecting the American bison, our campaign goals with this series were reach and awareness. With a lean budget of less than $200k we used a highly effective plan of OLV, Youtube and Paid Social to accomplish:
In addition to the success we saw boosting economic impact for the state and growing awareness of this iconic event, Into The Roundup has won several awards and was featured in AdAge in Editor Tim Nudd’s, “19 creative campaigns to know about today”, extending the success of the campaign to new audiences.
