[Vision2020] UI's Logo and Slogan Debacle

[Tom Hansen]

Exactly, Nick.
 
The money spent on logos (and the like) has become a standing joke at Facilities.  This all goes back to a few years ago when UI paid a consulting firm in Seattle to come to UI (UI paid for transportation and various other accommodations) and evaluate its financial status and potential to the tune of $500,000+.  The result amounted to an in-depth report that simply said that things were screwed up.  This was back when I was maintaining the Facilities website and was privy to cost analysis of various capital projects.  At that time discontinuance of the UI flower" logo was being considered.
 
Since then the UI motto has changed two or three times, each occurrence costing better than $200,000.
 
Concerning the "new" Coca-Cola that eventually returned to "classic" Coca-Cola, I am convinced that the "new" Coca-Cola was a genius marketing ploy designed to return to "classic" Coca-Cola.  As you remember, the new Coca-Cola did not catch on at all during the entire year or so of its existence.  And when classic Coca-Cola returned, sales had increased to a point 25-30% above the time just before the switch to the new Coca-Cola.  Coca-Cola may have lost a little revenue switching to the new Coca-Cola, but they more than made up for that loss by the return to classic Coca-Cola.
 
Jus some thoughts,
 
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho



> Date: Tue, 1 Jan 2008 14:06:46 -0800> From: nickgier at adelphia.net> To: vision2020 at moscow.com> Subject: [Vision2020] UI's Logo and Slogan Debacle> > Greetings:> > I've just finished a response to the Yardley report on UI's graduate education, and I've decided to cut out the first part on wasting money on other consultants. I still wanted to share my frustrations about UI logos and slogans.> > The University of Idaho has spent several million dollars on outside consultants that have given very questionable advice and products. > > The new UI logo is far inferior to the old one, and the new slogans that have already been withdrawn. The old logo was an ingenious design done by the UI's own Leo Ames 35 years ago. I'm so dense that it took me years to see the "Ui"s in the starburst circle.> > The forward slant of the "of" in the new logo made one faculty member to think of bending into a harsh wind, something that a presumably forward looking institution would not want to indicate. > > When the new Coke came out, presumably from equally brilliant PR experts, the company was forced to bring back Classic Coke. For similar reasons I demand that the classic logo of Leo Ames be reinstated.> > The new slogans "No Fences," "Open Spaces," and "Open Minds" have flopped, and instead of a refund for such incompetence, the UI will pay $900,000 each year to advertise the equally problematic "A Legacy of Leading," presumably into a stiff wind.> > I have a notepad that the Oregon State University library sent me as a token for my ungenerous gift to them. The bottom is "Open Minds," "Open Doors." Did they hire the same firm?> > It reminds of the early days of Transcendental Meditation when people were told that they had to keep their mantras secret. It turned out that they all got the same one!> > Nick Gier, OSU Beaver, 1962-66> > =======================================================> List services made available by First Step Internet, > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. > http://www.fsr.net > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com> =======================================================
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