Throw out your GW T-shirts and hats, and rip the sticker off the back of your car window – they soon will be out of style.
A new University logo will replace the current one on everything from Colonials’ basketball uniforms to GW mugs and water bottles, said Director of Auxiliary and Institutional Services Nancy Haaga, who chaired the committee of students and administrators that helped develop the new design.
No final decision has been made about when the new logo will be released to the University community, but Haaga said it will be officially presented some time next fall.
The interest in a new logo was sparked by a presentation by SME Design, a company that has worked with colleges and universities like North Carolina, Temple, Maryland and Purdue to develop a new image.
The company also boasts a list of clients including baseball’s Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the National Basketball Association’s Washington Wizards, the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers and the National Football League’s Jacksonville Jaguars. The company also develops logos for events like the World Series and the NBA’s All-Star game.
“We wanted to update the University’s `Colonials’ logo because it was kind of dated,” Haaga said.
The change is intended to create new excitement about the athletic program, especially the men’s basketball team, she said.
The committee received the go-ahead from senior administrators to begin devising the University’s new identity with little convincing, Haaga said.
After six months of contemplation and discussion, the committee has decided on a new logo and will spend the next few months designing a marketing plan and making final decisions about the changes that will be made on campus.
Michael Jewsbury, Program Board’s advertising chair and a member of the committee, said he feels certain elements will be important to include in the school’s new logo. He said he felt it was especially important to emphasize GW’s geographical location.
“You should be able to tell that it’s D.C., not Alabama,” Jewsbury said.
