Why create a new brand identity and institutional logo? What’s a brand identity, anyway?

Why did the logo need to change?

What do the components of the new logo symbolize?

Who was involved in the new brand identity and logo project?

Who provided input?

Who were the consultants?

How much did the consultants cost, and where did the money come from?

How much does OSU spend on external marketing?

What happens next?

When will we start seeing the new logo?

Why do I need to follow brand guidelines?

Can I create my own custom icon, wordmark or logotype for an academic college, unit, department, program, institute, center or office?

Who owns the copyright to OSU logo?

A vendor I work with or have contracted with would like to use the OSU logo on her website. Is this permissible?

 

Why create a new brand identity and institutional logo? What’s a brand identity, anyway?

  • This new brand more profoundly describes the product, promise, people and place we call Oregon State University.
  • This brand communicates the essence of the university and Oregon State Beavers. We explore frontiers; we solve today’s most pressing problems; we innovate; we enrich the lives of others; we transform students into leaders; we are accountable; and the world can count on us.
  • A brand is an enduring platform that articulates Oregon State's unique identity and personality — how it meets the needs of a broad, diverse community.
  • A brand is a promise of what we stand for and what we offer.
  • A brand is the reputation we have earned from the people we serve.
  • The personality traits of Oregon State are gritty, determined, confident, collaborative, visionary, conscientious and welcoming. Oregon State people are out there working throughout Oregon and around the world, solving tough problems and creating a future that is smarter, healthier, more sustainable and more just.
  • Higher education is very competitive for students, research funding and donors. Showcasing the unique strengths, contributions and quality of the university through branding is essential.
  • Greater awareness of Oregon State’s strengths and impacts adds to the value and prestige of an Oregon State degree — attracting more students and increasing alumni pride.
  • A unified message system that highlights Oregon State’s impact on Oregonians and the state’s economy helps support our case for increased state funding with legislators, the governor and other officials.

 

Why did the logo need to change?

  • The previous Oregon State logo dates back to 2003 and was designed primarily for print applications.
  • The new logo is designed to clearly identify Oregon State in digital applications and mobile platforms.
  • With more than 95 universities in North America starting with the letter O — including two other OSUs — a logo based on letterforms is not distinctive.
  • Refreshing our visual identity creates a strong, cohesive look and feel across the entire university. The consistent logo architecture, color palette, fonts and graphic system improve brand recognition and awareness of Oregon State's strengths, which in turn assists in attracting top students and donors.
  • The athletics logo that was introduced in 2013 is not changing.
  •  Many universities choose to have separate athletic and academic logos.

 

What do the components of the new logo symbolize?

  • The logo’s academic crest portrays the quality of Oregon State's academic, research and outreach mission as a 21st century land grant university.
  • The academic crest portrays the diverse geography of the state of Oregon and the university’s land, sea, space and sun grants.
  • The Oregon state flag serves as inspiration.
  • The beaver represents the university’s mascot and acknowledges that the beaver is also Oregon’s state animal.
  • The open book and tree are symbols for knowledge, and the tree is also a symbol for Oregon.
  • The three stars represent campuses in Corvallis, Bend and Newport, and Oregon’s founding as the 33rd state to join the union.
  • 1868 denotes the year of Oregon State’s founding and highlights the university’s nearly 150 years of service as Oregon’s statewide university.

 

Who was involved in the new brand identity and logo project?

  • The new brand identity and logo project was initiated by University Relations and Marketing (URM), which is responsible for managing the Oregon State brand across all communications platforms — from the university’s home page to social media and collateral materials.

 

Who provided input?

  • Throughout the branding and logo design process, URM and its consultants talked to hundreds of faculty, students, prospective students, alumni, donors and other stakeholders about how they view Oregon State and how they believe the university should be represented.

 

Who were the consultants?

  • URM developed the refreshed brand positioning in collaboration with Ologie, a leading branding agency with extensive experience in higher education. Ologie’s past clients include the University of Arizona, Purdue University, the University of Notre Dame, Pratt Institute, the University at Buffalo, West Virginia University and Gonzaga University.
  • URM worked with Pentagram to develop the new logo system. Pentagram is the world’s largest independent design consultancy and has developed identity systems for many higher education clients, including the University of Southern California, Columbia University, Loyola Marymount University and City University of New York.

 

How much did the consultants cost, and where did the money come from?

  • Oregon State’s contract with Ologie for an audit of existing branding and market research was $110,000, and the contract to develop the refreshed brand positioning, a creative campaign and other marketing and communications strategies was $285,000. The contract with Pentagram for the new logo was $85,000. Both companies were chosen through a request-for-proposal process.
  • Both consultant contracts were funded through royalties Oregon State earns from the sale of licensed merchandise and from contributions from the OSU Foundation. No public funds or tuition dollars were spent on this work.

 

How much does OSU spend on external marketing?

  • Oregon State spends about $100,000 on external marketing each year, which makes up less than one-hundredth of 1 percent of the university’s $1.17 billion budget for FY2017.
  • According to research by the Chronicle of Higher Education, doctoral-granting schools spend an average of more than $3.5 million annually on marketing.

 

What happens next?

  • URM will implement comprehensive brand identity guidelines throughout the university.
  • URM will lead ongoing training sessions to help campus communicators effectively represent the Oregon State brand in their work.
  • For the brand guidelines, visit communications.oregonstate.edu/brand-guide.

 

When will we start seeing the new logo?

  • The new logo will appear on new Oregon State marketing pieces, including brochures, posters, advertisements and social media beginning in late April. 
  • Colleges, departments and other units can begin using the new logo and brand identity immediately.
  • University units can continue using existing stocks of printing materials, such as letterhead and business cards while supplies last.
  • URM is working with Facilities Services to replace some signage on campus with the new logo immediately. Other OSU signage — including statewide Extension facilities — will be replaced with the new logo over time.

 

Why do I need to follow brand guidelines?

  • All colleges, departments and units across campus are required to adopt the new brand identity guidelines for consistency and unity in all Oregon State materials. Compliance is vital for achieving the objectives of the updated brand and logo:
    • Elevate the university’s brand awareness, both within the state of Oregon and across the nation and the world.
    • Promote Oregon State’s quality, contributions and unique strengths.
    • Build greater awareness and appreciation of Oregon State’s impact.
    • Establish a sense of place that describes OSU’s unique role as Oregon’s statewide university.

 

Can I create my own custom icon, wordmark or logotype for an academic college, unit, department, program, institute, center or office?

  • As part of its work with Pentagram, the university has created these logos for use by all colleges and divisions within Oregon State.

 

Who owns the copyright to OSU logo?

  • Oregon State University is registering the logo with the state of Oregon and with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

 

A vendor I work with or have contracted with would like to use the OSU logo on her website. Is this permissible?

  • All requests of this type must be submitted to and approved by the university’s Trademark Licensing office.