Case Study :: Boston College Mock Logo Re-design
Following is the full text version of a story we
contributed to for Boston Magazine. We were asked, along with 5 other
design firms to re-design a University logo and explain why we did
what we did. Verve was given Boston College.
» View on-line version of article
The design of a logo can often present a daunting challenge. As a designer, how do you approach a logo mark so that it properly represents the essence of an organization - a mark that is an appropriate symbol for a football team to rally around, as well as a mark that appears on a letterhead from the College President to the Holy Father in Rome?
Taking on the re-design of a logo for any existing organization takes guts. Love it or hate it, the existing mark has visual equity. The public recognizes it and has stood behind it. Does the loss of equity outweigh the benefits gained by introducing a new logo that may better represent the current and future state of the organization?
I was asked to take on this task by Boston Magazine for Boston College - (My apologies to my clients who may have received their work a little late this week due to my preoccupation with this task)
The first question posed by Boston Magazine was to critique the existing BC logo. My thoughts - purely from a design standpoint are that the logo feels heavy or "clunky". The Eagle image doesn't integrate well with the underlying lettering "BC", looking as if it was plunked down haphazardly.
In terms of look and feel, this logo has a strong athletic feeling to me. The Eagle is in attack mode, ready to pounce on it's victim and the typography reminds me of a "varsity letter" patch. I could see that this logo may not represent the more scholarly, religious or current vision of a Boston College in 2008.
After reading through the BC website and talking with alumni, I decided that the new logo needed to communicate both traditional values as well as a more modern vision for the future.
I chose to work with the font Adobe Caslon. Caslon is cited to be the first original typeface of English origin and was the original font used in the Declaration of Independence. The font has recently been re-tooled by the US technology company Adobe for an updated look that is more legible on a computer screen.
I also thought that the inclusion of the Eagle was important to include in the new logo, however I chose a "soaring" eagle over the current eagle image in the attack configuration. I thought that this image/ metaphor better represents the entire BC community. - "Soaring to greater heights" vs. "Attack thy enemy."
Overall it's tough to design a logo without collaboration and direction from a client. I think the final version that we are submitting is a solid mark that is versatile, modern and respectful of the BC tradition.
- Mike Ciolino
Artistic Director, Verve Creative