By Jay Holley
May 16, 2005
By Jonathan HolleyAs part of the University of Kansas' continuing effort to look Classy and Respectable, last year they hired Oregon firm LandreyMorrow to develop an "integrated marketing campaign". For a fee of $88,900, LandreyMorrow was charged with establishing new logos and standards that would [help K.U. spruce up its image][1].This February we saw some of the early results of the Brand Research & Development initiative when the university announced that it had [settled on the perfect shade of blue][2]. Royal blue was crowned the color of the 'Hawks, and and the city breathed a collective sigh of relief as "the blue issue" was settled. When students and staff attempted to visualize the metaphorical dildo the K.U. Parking department wields, they now knew precisely what shade of plastic jelly to imagine. This early bit of LandreyMorrow and K.U. Marketing's handiwork showed that the university has really put together a great team; you could feel the excitement in the air as the community anticipated what logos this team might produce.Now they've unveiled four finalists for the new official university logo, and let me tell you, they are all quite brilliant.With the 'Trajan', 'Hill', and 'Volta' designs, the K.U. Logo Team has expertly adjusted letter spacing to that the 'K' and 'U' meet in a sublime and graceful juncture, but in addition to this common move, each design has its own unique features._Goudy design_
Frederic W. Goudy created a typeface called 'Goudy' in 1916. It is a common an inexpensive typeface. A bookkeeper turned publisher turned typeface foundry founder turned teacher, F. W. Goudy's industry and creativity are embodied by the K.U. logo design which bears his name and uses his font. Notice how the 'U' is lower than the 'K'. Witness that the 'U' is nudged slightly to the left, so the lower ascender of the 'K' seams to be playfully pinching the 'U'. This is brilliant._Trajan design_
The 'Trajan' font family was designed by Carol Twombly in 1989. This font is a especially well-suited for print and recalls the chiseled writings of the Romans. Like 'Goudy' and 'Volta', 'Trajan' is available for $22 from the Linotype Library. But the 'Trajan' design is no mere stock typeface! The lower descender of the 'K' has been slightly elongated and suggests the image that it is lifting 'U' up. The 'K' can be read as a pair of open arms, enabling 'U' (the student) to ascend in society through the enlightening power of education. It warms the heart that KU is so boldly Utopian. This design is brilliant._The Hill design_
The bold descender of 'The Hill' design suggests an aroused dolphin embracing his mate. Dolphins are affectionate and savvy creatures who like many K.U. students love sport (go Hawks!). Like much art, 'The Hill' design requires some intellectual deconstruction on the part of the audience in order for it to be fully appreciated. This design is daring in its pro-Vegan stance and unabashed use of metaphor. It is the second-most brilliant of the four.The purpose of any logo is to create a unique image in the marketplace to avoid confusion with other brands. A good logo also conveys the image its company wishes to project.Common techniques of logo designers include using unusual colors or distinctive typefaces. The Kellogg's logo is remarkably effective:
Imagine the Kellogg's typeface spelling "University of Kansas"; the wholesome image of the cereal giant would still come to mind because of its incredibly strong branding power. Now, try to picture the Gilligan's Island font. Because of its distinctive lettering, you'll find you can summon a vivid image of the opening credits if you're familiar with the show.Pfizer creates an equally effective logo through a memorable composition of type and shape:
K.U.'s 'Volta' design joins Kellogg's, Kraft Food, Apple and IBM as among the best logos ever penned by man, though it takes a different and more brilliant tack._Volta design:_
'Volta' is the ultimate subversive logo. The purposeful use of one of the most common colors in the print world, the daring selection of a generic and uninspired font, the almost complete lack of anything, anything at all that might form a uniquely recognizable combination of color, text, or position all I can say is, brilliant. The rigor that went into the development of the 'Volta' variation is immediately apparent. While the Nike Corporation will forever be ridiculed for the $35 it threw away hiring student Caroline Davidson to design their famous swoosh, Our University's wise realization that none of its numerous students or faculty was up to the challenge of creating the ultimate Logo Sublime will go down in the annuls of logo design. Whichever logo is chosen, the city, university, and state should be rightly proud. Let other schools commit funds to scholarships; K.U. has High Design.[More from JohnnyAmerica.net][3] [1]:
http://www.ljworld.com/section/citynews/story/182474 [2]:
http://www.ljworld.com/section/citynews/story/195641 [3]:
http://www.johnnyamerica.net/
Comments
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darkangel (anonymous) says…
Oh, that's good!!!!
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davidryan (David Ryan) says…
My logo would be thusly:
Arms: Gules and Azure, three bisons erect sable.
Crest: A dexter arm erect, habited sanguine, cuffed sable, holding in the hand a branch of sunflowers all proper.
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gamer (Matt Cox) says…
K
U
...wow. I am sweating from the brain power that design just required. Regardless...there is MY submission!
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ladylaw (Terry Bush) says…
I'm sarcasm and irony impaired....so all I can say is that I HOPE this all some horrible joke...... If not, I hope the KU budget folks understand when state Legislators refuse to give them more $$ next time they come asking....
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gamer (Matt Cox) says…
We paid $90K for font surfing. Yay.
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murderama (Rob Gillaspie) says…
I wish MY idea for a logo would have reached the finals: A large breasted warrior woman, holding aloft a blade of pure lightning (or flames, whichever you prefer), sits astride a mighty winged stallion as it hurdles the defeated remains of a giant monster truck. The letters "KU" would be emblazoned in Royal Blue across each of her majestic nipples.
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emclain (anonymous) says…
This is the funniest thing I've read in awhile. I think I actually pissed myself when I read the line about the parking dept. Very good.
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ladysilk (anonymous) says…
I can not quit laughing! I was trying to describe the entire logo cluster to my husband and did not do it justice. This piece, however, is true art!
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pinkeyedsage (anonymous) says…
johnny america for chancellor.
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Jester (Nick Spacek) says…
Wow. So, this means I can start charging $100 / hour when I'm designing flyers for bands? 'Cause it takes an awfully long while to find the fonts...
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tomking (Tom King) says…
Great timing! LJW feature today. Holley, you are like young wine.
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DavidRose (anonymous) says…
Can I submit a Baushaus "KU"? That'd look tight on all those crooked lids up on campus. Now where's my damned money!!
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jay_holley (Jay Holley) says…
DavidRose: You can only submit a Bauhaus 'KU' if you adjust the spacing slightly and masterfully.
Rob: I would buy a shirt with your logo.
Jester: You underestimate your value; based on the rates of LandreyMorrow, I'd wager anyone with a copy of Photoshop Elements and a brilliant sense of design is worth 400, 500 dollars an hour.
TK: You are too kind with your words, but I thank you.
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jpowell (justin powell) says…
i understand the basics of large "branding" projects. they are usually highly political and involve a lot of strategy. i'd love to hear the justification for the relatively default typefaces. goudy has the most history if you asked me, but why cut off the "K"? the colors are very much de stijl and bauhaus... why not use a typeface that associates with those time periods? who knows.
i'm in agreement overall though - these logo options are disappointing. i don't understand why students and/or faculty weren't allowed to participate in the process. i'm sure they could have produced a more aesthetically pleasing and original creation. ku design is solid, have some faith in your curriculum and faculty. wow.
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alicel (anonymous) says…
I think we need an "intelligent design." How about the letters KU shaped by playful monkeys?
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blackbob (anonymous) says…
Everyone -
email the chancellor directly at rhemenway@ku.edu to voice your concerns regarding these poor logos, or access the University Relations web page at http://www.ur.ku.edu/marketing/visual... and provide direct feedback on each logo.
Let KU know they need to utilize their award winning design department better and be wiser with their spending.
-blackbob
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crazyleaflady (anonymous) says…
Ah. The salaries of two starting humanities professors for what would have taken just about anyone with a computer 20 minutes to come up with. Inspiring. But it's just a small proportion of what KU spends on public relations. Compare those salaries to those of, say, the top-rated teachers & researchers in the College. *SIGH*.
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sjwilson (anonymous) says…
funny. and sad. cuz this is all about power - it's structure and how it maintains and reinforces itself. spend enough money and no one notices the emperor's wardrobe deficiencies. people paid upwards of 150g's annually are sitting in strong hall right now, responding to focus groups, pondering the input of students, alummi, and of course and especially corporate "partners." that we pay such folks such absurd money to perform such absurd tasks is rarely questioned. after all, they got educations at the right schools...they wear the appropriate ties...drive sensible, yet stylish automobiles. haven't they earned the privilege of squandering capital, real and intellectual?
despite their massive and institutional arrogance, these sorts are finally and massively insecure. that' s why they hire design firms from portland to do what any vaguely skilled design student could do. why?
because they did it before - for notre dame. for u. of oregon. they have a track record. couldn't just hire some local and trust your instincts.
sacrilege.
it's all about the unholy fulcrum of arrogance and fear. pride of place in the heirarchy. and fear of disappearing from it.
nice that we all get to pay for it.
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RubyVroom (Chala Roberts-Fife) says…
blackbob:
Thank you for the links. I used them to give my opinion and if nothing else, I feel better at the thought that MAYBE someone will at least read it.
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futuretheory (anonymous) says…
Unbelievable. Yeah, the design sucks. Yeah, the colors suck (hello, you have no dark anchor color now, just bright primaries. There goes half your sweatshirt sales). But what really sucks is how much they spent going outside of kansas. I mean how many design studios here (yes there are very good ones) would appreciate that project and work their butt off for half the cost? Look at the "integrated marketing plan" on the KU page, the audience is specifically current and prospective students, alumni, business leaders, and the KS legislature (who seem to want intelligent design anyway...). No one in Portland should be designing for this audience, period. Students would be a place to start, but certainly that money could have been spent here, not Oregon. Idiots.
Here KU, a free jump start on another round of design from me to you: http://www.myfonts.com/browse/categor...
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