A New Logo... the inside story and FAQ
Why
do we
have a
new
logo?
In
recent
years,
the
Bozeman
campus
of
Montana
State
University
underwent
a
marketing
study
and
came
to
the
conclusion
that
the
original
campus
needed
its
own
unique
identity.
MSU
hired
a
design
firm
to
develop
a
new
logo
and
graphic
identity
specifically
for
Bozeman.
As a
result,
the
system-wide
logo,
which
had
been
in
use
since
1994,
was
no
longer
supported.
This
allowed
the
other
three
campuses
to
develop
their
own
identities.
MSU-Northern
and
MSU-Great
Falls
College
of
Technology
began
using
new
logos
during
the
past
two
years.
MSU
Billings
began
developing
a
new
logo
in
2005.
The
Office
of
University
Relations
spent
more
than
a
year
conducting
focus
groups
on
campus
and
in
the
community.
Hundreds
of
design
variations
were
considered,
among
them
stylistic
images
of
McMullen
Hall
and
the
Rimrocks.
A
more
abstract
approach
was
favored,
in
part
because
it
was
less
limiting
and
had
more
universal
appeal.
How
much did
the new
logo
cost?
The
logo
was
designed
by
staff
in
the
Office
of
University
Relations.
No
funds,
other
than
salary,
were
spent
on
the
design
or
creation
of
the
graphic
identity
system.
What
does the
new logo
represent?
The
symbol
in
the
new
logo
is
an
abstract
letter
“B”—for
Billings—that
is
derived
from
local
features.
The
design
evokes
the
free-flowing
Yellowstone
River
and
the
wind
in
the
prairie
grasses.
The
forward
motion
of
the
“B”
represents
the
university’s
progressive
spirit.
For
reference
purposes,
the
symbol
can
be
referred
to
as
the
“Flying
B”
(not
the
flying
or
floating
“bee”).
Did
the
colors
change?
The
colors
have
been
updated
to
be
more
contemporary
and
to
be
easier
to
reproduce
in
print.
The
blue
has
been
brightened
to
represent
Montana’s
Big
Sky,
and
the
gold
has
been
deepened
to
represent
the
hues
of
the
Rimrocks.
Color
formulations
have
been
developed
for
both
print
and
electronic
uses.
Has
the
official
university
seal
been
changed?
No,
the
university
seal
remains
the
same.
When
will the
new logo
be fully
implemented?
In
order
to
be
fiscally
responsible,
the
university
is
implementing
the
new
logo
whenever
new
uses
are
funded.
New
signs
or
decals
on
newly
acquired
campus
vehicles,
for
example,
feature
the
new
logo.
Existing
signs
will
be
changed
when
funds
become
available.
Letterhead,
envelopes
and
business
cards
in
the
new
design
can
be
ordered
through
printing
services.
Offices
and
departments
may
use
up
existing
stocks
before
replacing
stationery
with
the
new
design.
Do we
still
use the
hyphen?
In
keeping
with
national
trends
in
naming
conventions,
the
university
has
dropped
the
use
of
the
hyphen
in
its
name.
Most
university
systems
with
multiple
campuses
have
gone
to
the
new
style
because
the
hyphen
confers
secondary
status
on
affiliate
campuses.
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