The Observer, January 26, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 14
Branding Task Group to end logo woes
click to enlarge
Ever since the "fat man carrying the surfboard" logo was launched in 2003, students, faculty, and staff have had much to say about the controversial graphic and the identity of the university.
"I personally do not see the fat man carrying the surfboard image, although I have heard of it. I think that the current logo looks dynamic but it doesn't entirely fit what Case is as a university. However, if we did change our logo or name, it would make us seem very unstable," senior Laura Kohl said.
The logo, which has several layers of meaning, was introduced as part of the drastic facelift that transformed CWRU into Case. Along with the excitement of a new, revamped university came criticism, with alumni from Western Reserve feeling alienated by the brand name change.
Such a seemingly superficial change soon left a deep scar on the university, causing an identity crisis and dissension within the Case community. The name change has even been linked to the recent budget deficit.
With so much speculation and not enough evidence, Interim President Gregory Eastwood has created a Branding Task Group (BTG) consisting of faculty, staff, students, and alumni to explore the impact of the logo and the brand name, Case. According to the Branding Task Group website, Eastwood has charged the BTG with the responsibility of re-examining the benefit of the new mark.
"There were lots of voices that were raised about the value of the brand and that is important enough to evaluate the situation and respond to it based on research," Vice President for University Relations Lara Kalafatis said.
The research will be based on campus-wide surveys and discussion boards. To gather the data, the university has hired a branding and marketing communications firm, Lipman Hearne. The firm, along with the BTG will work to review previous research related to the logo, conduct new research, and evaluate the current wordmark, logo, and graphic identity of the university.
On Feb. 23, the BTG and Lipman Hearne will formally present the results of their research along with recommendations to the Board of Trustees. Though the logo and brand are being re-examined, decisions have not been made as to whether or not a whole new name change will take place.
"We are currently still gathering data so it is premature to say that we are leaning toward one decision or another. At this point, we only want to address the concerns that have been expressed," committee member Richard Baznik said.
Much research has already been devoted to the effects of the logo and brand but BTG committee member and Case undergraduate Adam Rupe hopes to resolve the current problems and move forward in the new year. "I am working to voice what the students want and that is really just to solve the issues at hand. We are here for an education, not to worry about what the logo looks like, so hopefully we can solve this and move on," Rupe said.
