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Ten with Ken (Video)

Ken Steele is Canada's most trusted higher ed monitor and futurist, and in this webcast he rounds up emerging trends, research data, best practices and innovative new ideas for higher education. (For HD version see YouTube, DailyMotion, Vimeo or Facebook. Audio only podcast version available separately.)
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Now displaying: June, 2017

For more information about Ken Steele's speaking and facilitation services, an archive of articles and white papers, and a database of bright ideas, please visit www.eduvation.ca

This podcast is also available on iTunes or on YouTube. For exclusive early access to future episodes, please subscribe to our free email newsletter, the Eduvation Loop

Jun 29, 2017

Based on our recent global survey of more than 100 higher ed brand identity redesigns over the past 2 years, Ken Steele counts down the 10 best rebrandings – those that are professional, memorable, balanced and well-designed, AND that didn’t spark a backlash from faculty, students or alumni.

In Part 1 last week, we looked at #10-6 - https://youtu.be/bkrxAD0AbbE

Now, the countdown continues:


#5: East Stroudsburg University, Pennsylvania

Plenty of higher ed brand identities feature mountains, but ESU pulled off a slick rebrand that continues to emphasize its location near the Delaware Water Gap in the Pocono mountains. In 2017, ESU replaced a 24-year-old logo with a new one using a ceremonial banner shape. The ESU Warriors finally got a polished new mascot too, a Spartanesque warrior in the same banner shape.

The New ESU - https://youtu.be/kzpNCsaSsYE


#4: Colorado College

Colorado College, ranked the best private college in the state by Forbes magazine, is particularly notable for its setting near the base of Pikes Peak, and its revolutionary "block plan". (Students take a single course at a time, for 3.5 weeks, before moving on to the next "block".) In early 2016, CC unveiled a striking new identity that replaced a 20-year-old calligraphic logo. The new logo integrated circles (for Cs and representing the campus community) and triangles (suggesting mountains), within square blocks (for the unique pedagogical approach).

Colorado College - A New Look, A Unified Voice - https://youtu.be/iXz_Mlj2J6c


There were also a couple of "runners-up" that featured mountains: California's Feather River College, and BC's College of the Rockies. Both were massive improvements, and show creative promise, but somehow came up just a little short.


#3: SAIT Polytechnic, Calgary

After 18 years, SAIT finally jettisoned their swooshy, "Jetsons"-like identity for a bold new brand that is a breath of fresh air! It added 3 new colours to the traditional red and blue, and created a 3D spherical icon, "the Catalyst," as an "activator of change."

SAIT's New Brand Revealed - https://youtu.be/KpV9QBi5JaE

SAIT Unveils Centennial Art Sculpture - https://youtu.be/hJmZi1Ysg34


#2: University of Suffolk, UK

University Campus Suffolk got independent university title in May 2016, adopting the new name "University of Suffolk", and launching a new visual identity by Only. The simple black square represents a shield of sorts, with a yellow triangle in the corner pointing to its location in the southeast of England. 45-degree angles create a sense of momentum throughout marketing materials.

uSuffolk - An Introduction - https://youtu.be/zAGy2eY-3ZU


#1: Capilano University, BC

Since it gained university status in 2008, Capilano has revamped its visual identity twice. First they abandoned a stack of blue books for carved blue letters that evoked indigenous tradition. In 2016, they unveiled a much more dynamic, colourful identity that masterfully combines traditional academic shield and eagle feathers in the Coast Salish indigenous tradition.

Capilano University Brand Refresh - https://youtu.be/4b7hnLBCYiU

Alberta's Northern Lakes College likewise leveraged the traditional symbol of the eagle in their new identity, a runner-up for this episode.

Finally, honourable mention goes to Minneapolis' Augsburg College, for an extremely subtle rebranding unrolling this fall as Augsburg University. Alumnus Samuel Gross showed great attention to detail and significantly improved upon the former wordmark.

Augsburg University logo - https://youtu.be/DlNBv1l0Oa4


Check out Top 10 Identity Trends for a review of overall higher ed branding trends in the past 2 years – https://youtu.be/8lD3PUQLBnw

Jun 23, 2017

Based on our recent global survey of more than 100 higher ed brand identity redesigns over the past 2 years, Ken Steele counts down the 10 best rebrandings – those that are professional, memorable, balanced and well-designed, AND that didn’t spark a backlash from faculty, students or alumni.

 

#10: Saint Louis University, Missouri

Design firm Olson of Minneapolis created a streamlined new logo using a vastly simplified coat of arms and an “ownable” fleur de lis. The branding system includes specs for consistent iconography, a variety of wallpapers, and a wide range of subbrands – including a new logo for Billken Athletics.

This is SLU - https://youtu.be/CYMBLYkEsPQ

About SLU’s New Logos - https://youtu.be/oc1tCyzm0_c

What is a Billiken? - https://youtu.be/xmaxVk8lakY

 

#9: Belmont Abbey College, North Carolina

Another Catholic college redesigned their steeple-focused identity with the help of Rickabaugh Graphics in Ohio. The result is a dynamic shield emblem with fresher typography and a slightly brighter crimson, and a new mark for Crusaders Athletics.

 

#8: Augusta University, Georgia

In 2012, Augusta State University merged with Georgia Health Sciences to create Georgia Regents University – and then, apparently after a lawsuit from Regents University in Virginia, it changed its name again in 2015 to Augusta University. The new identity features a slick illustration of a colonial belltower (which doesn’t actually exist) that is simultaneously clearly a letter “A”.

Augusta University Identity in Depth – https://youtu.be/CIBKWkF9DMY

 

#7: Stanislaus State University, California

It was known by far too many different names: CSU Stanislaus, CSUS, California State Stanislaus, Stanislaus State, Stan State, and even “Turkey Tech.” But with the help of the Jeffrey Scott Agency in Fresno, Stan State unveiled a snazzy new “split shield” logo system in 2015 that standardized its name. Departments and individuals can now choose from “CSU Stanislaus” or “Stanislaus State” logos, and even “Stan State” is officially endorsed for internal audiences.

 

#6: Maricopa Community Colleges, Arizona

The 10 colleges in Maricopa County had startlingly different brand identities, but in 2015 the Maricopa System unveiled “One Maricopa,” a new unifying logo system that would create consistent subbrands for each campus, while retaining their former colours and visuals. It was a masterful effort at compromise… but so far, there’s little sign that the colleges have actually adopted the new branding system.

 

That’s the first half of our round-up of the world’s top ten recent rebrands. Next time, we’ll complete the countdown with the top five!

 

Subscribe so you don’t miss it, or check out Top 10 Identity Trends for a review of overall higher ed branding trends in the past 2 years – https://youtu.be/8lD3PUQLBnw

 

 

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