A new visual identity system will replace the more than 20-year-old university insignia as well as the dozens of unconnected marks now in use. The goal of the system, a set of professionally designed graphic marks that are approved for use when an institution’s name is displayed in various media and formats, is to sharpen the Rutgers brand; unite the university community under a consistent, coherent identity; and serve as the foundation for an effective and comprehensive communications program.
“The new visual identity system is the next important step in our long-term initiative to strengthen Rutgers’ name and distinctiveness and build support for the university,” said President Richard L. McCormick. “The competition for outstanding students and faculty and the struggle for declining resources grow more intense each year. As the state’s only comprehensive public research university, we occupy a category of one in New Jersey and we must communicate this singular quality to recruit faculty, students and staff; engage alumni; generate revenue; and increase external interest in and support for the university’s many stellar programs.”
Many of Rutgers’ peer institutions – including the University of Florida, Indiana University, and the University of Maryland – have launched similar campaigns in recent years. The visual identity system was unveiled at the December 8 meeting of the Rutgers Board of Governors where board members approved a resolution supporting the change.
“A strong Rutgers identity has far-reaching benefits,” said the Rev. M. William Howard Jr., chair of the Board of Governors’ Committee on University Relations and Honorary Degrees. “The critical need to bring additional resources to the university from various sources – federal, state, foundation, corporate and private – means that we must tell the Rutgers story efficiently, clearly, and persuasively.”
Extensive research, including analysis of peer institutions nationwide, has identified the need for Rutgers to clarify and demonstrate its value to New Jersey and its citizens. In addition, a new visual identity system:
- allows the university to make the best use of its major asset – the name “Rutgers” and its long, distinguished history – while preserving the integrity of the name
- provides effective and efficient communication between the university and its many audiences
- ensures the university is positively reinforced in all communications and reduces confusion and clutter from uncoordinated communications
- helps Rutgers communicate its unique attributes and assets to the people of New Jersey and beyond
- provides the flexibility to meet the needs of all units of the university, and
- provides a graphic foundation for creative marketing of the university.
“This new system is the result of an extraordinary collaboration of the members of the Rutgers community,” said Kim Manning-Lewis, vice president for university relations. “The hard work of the faculty, students, staff and alumni who served on the advisory committees demonstrated their commitment to preserving and enhancing Rutgers’ name and reputation.”
Under the new system, the “Block R” will be retained as the Rutgers spirit mark. As such, it can be used as an athletic mark or, more broadly, to communicate school spirit. For example, it could be used in more informal circumstances by recreational sports teams, student groups, and alumni organizations.
The visual identity system is a part of Rutgers comprehensive program to improve communications. The program includes development of short- and long-term communications strategies, reworking the Rutgers Web sites so they are more dynamic tools for advancing the university, aggressively engaging Rutgers’ constituencies through better promotional practices, and providing ongoing professional development to improve the communications skills of the Rutgers community. The university also will use all of the tools at its disposal to continue pursuing placement of academic and institutional accomplishments in state, regional, and national media.
A report commissioned by Rutgers in 2004, the Constituency Research Project, concluded that, in New Jersey, the value of Rutgers as a research university is not well understood and that the university can do a much better job of communicating its accomplishments and strengths to its many audiences. The report concluded that Rutgers needed to take several actions to achieve its continuous goals of academic excellence and stronger and deeper connections with the state of New Jersey:
- Rutgers needs to better differentiate itself from the other publicly funded schools.
- Rutgers must develop common messages about the University and address the proliferation of logos.
- Rutgers needs to strengthen its messages, especially to key external audiences.
- Rutgers needs to make a strong effort to unite internal constituencies, which are the ambassadors of Rutgers’ message.
The university’s partnership with Lipman Hearne covered six phases of work, including market understanding; organizational analysis; applied research, strategy and planning; and message and visual identity development. Lipman Hearne conducted a comprehensive review of all Rutgers communications, including hundreds of printed and electronic materials produced by the university’s many departments, programs, institutes and centers; the university’s main Web sites; media coverage of Rutgers; an analysis of Rutgers’ market environment; and interviews and focus groups with higher education and state opinion leaders as well as New Jersey citizens, Rutgers alumni, and university faculty, staff and students. The firm’s work on the visual identity system involved development of extensive, detailed and technical guidelines to help the Rutgers community transition to the new system.
The visual identity system will be implemented in phases to allow university units to continue using existing stationery and other printed materials to avoid waste and minimize costs. The university also expects to realize cost savings and greater efficiencies over time as individual units no longer create different logos and marks.
Guidelines and tools for use of the new system will become available to the university community beginning next semester.
For more information on Rutgers’ new visual identity system, click here.