I am a little behind on the news, but apparently Iowa State (my alma matter) unveiled a new logo for the 2008 academic year in September (pictured above). The last time they changed their logo was in the mid 1990s when they merged the marching cardinal and the cyclone into this:
Which everyone hated.I might argue that the I is an improvement. But, much like polishing a turd, no matter how much you polish, it's still a turd.
The great issue here is who the Athletics department consults. Or, rather, who they don't consult, which is the Graphic Design department. If memory serves me correctly, the graphic design department at Iowa State never got a say in the design chosen in the mid 1990s, and I will wager my two BFAs from Iowa State that they did not consult them for the new I-logo, either. My former professors regarded the Cardinaclone with light-hearted scorn, rolling their eyes on how much money Iowa State University wasted to buy that crap.
I have no idea who created the proposed version for 2008 - it looks like some generic computer rendering from the late 1980s that a teenager with moderate sense created in MS Paint - but I know how it was selected: the fans voted! How heart-warming... (groan) And irresponsible! Sweaters, t-shirts, caps, uniforms, folders, stationary, etcetera will be created in the next few months for a logo that will likely be replaced in less than 10 years.
They have a well respected and highly ranked graphic design program, and yet they let corporations design the logos and morons vote on them. Strategery inaction.
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I might also add... what state does the "I" represent? When branding, sometimes it is a good idea to be specific. Is it Illinois State (which also has the cardinal mascot)? When I worked in New York, people were convinced I was from Idaho. Ask a person from the Empire State to draw and label a map of the US. Hillary doesn't count. She's from Chicago.
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