UH Logo - New or Improved?

After almost a year after the first upsetting design was submitted by a Maryland-based design firm (who got a very sweet $73K severance pay after the contract was cancelled), UH is at it again, determined to finish what it started. Read the press release here.

This time, they've selected three of Hawaii's best to take on the daunting challenge of a state-wide brand facelift. The three firms that were chosen are Graphic House of Honolulu, Clarence Lee Design & Associates, Inc. of Honolulu, and Sae Design of Maui.

Each firm was paid $5K to submit two prototypes, which would then be displayed for public critique. The design that ranks the highest will then be awarded the rest of the contract of $5K to finalize the brand.

The final six submissions may be viewed online until August 5th at the UH website.

I encourage everyone and their grandmothers to review the submissions and to also send their feedback. This is a testament to the power of design and how it can impact our society and especially our emotions.

Design is powerful.

Comments

I'll basically repeat what I just posted on this same topic at HawaiiThreads.com: Yawn.

I can recall several publicly submitted logos collected by the Star-Bulletin last year that I liked more than these, and they didn't cost a cent. Further, as the Advertiser reported, this new "systemwide" logo will not replace the UH seal, the Manoa athletics logo, nor the "V" logo used at UH-Hilo. So how is this "systemwide" again?

I agree, design is important, and I'm thrilled that they got local talent on board this time at a fraction of the cost. I also know that "good" is relative, and striking a balance between "abstract and distinctive" and "appropriate and informative" is not easy. Still, I think we can do better. I hate to think these six are our last chance.

If I had to vote on one, though? I'll take number three.

Like Ryan, I am posting part of my post from HawaiiThreads here. My take on the logos:

#1 with the shield in the middle of the Pacific could be slightly better if it had a stylized UH in the middle of the pacific instead of the shield. Or maybe just put the academic logo into the pacific...ha! Also it is too busy with all of the lines.

#2 someone mentioned it looked like an ice cream cone inside a shield

#3 to me looks too much like it belongs in the background of an "Austin Powers" poster. Also kind of looks like the psychedelic Honda "H" logo.

#4 While it doesn't say Hawaii, to me is the better of the 6 evils.

#5 someone mentioned it looked like a lady bending over. 2 legs, a skirt and I'll leave the flame to someone else.

#6 Kind of reminds me of Blue Cross/Blue Sheild medical insurance logo with a flame on top of it

Bottom line: UH should just forget about this costly exercise and just adopt the current academic logo (the one that appears on the diplomas) as the systemwide logo.

Holy cow, what a bunch of amateurish designs. I hate all of 'em. I agree with the first poster that the newspaper contest designs were much better than these. It would be a crying shame to put any money at all to converting any of these into a systemwide UH logo.

All junk.

I posted a special entry in my blog a few days ago, and then submitted the link to UH...and to Lee Cataluna. haha

Click me for some UH logo goodness!

Let it be, let it be... What a strange place here.

Post a Comment