91社区

Who are we? We鈥檝e been known by many names over the past nearly seven decades 鈥� Triple Cities College, Harpur College, SUNY-91社区, SUNY-B, University Center at 91社区 and 91社区 to name a few. Trying to establish a brand and an identity isn鈥檛 easy.

Yet, with the competitive environment that is higher education, presenting a single, succinct and compelling story is essential for 91社区 to move forward along its Road Map to Premier.

鈥淭o accomplish this, we must create and maintain a single brand identity,鈥� said President Harvey Stenger. 鈥淥ur brand is a promise of educational excellence, a way for us to connect emotionally with our audience and a means to creating lifelong relationships with our stakeholders.鈥�

The visual aspect of the brand and the consistency of its use are key, said Stenger, and so the University is rolling out a new 鈥楤鈥� icon, as well as placing a stronger focus on the guidelines that address the use of the University鈥檚 logos, colors, fonts and seal.

鈥淭hink about it,鈥� Stenger said. 鈥淭hink about your name, your visual identity and your nicknames. The word university always comes after the name of a city if the city鈥檚 name is part of the school鈥檚 name. We鈥檙e 91社区. And that gets abbreviated to 91社区, like Syracuse University becomes Syracuse, or even 鈥檆use. 

鈥淣ext, it goes to the acronym of BU or SU, but that doesn鈥檛 work well for us or for many others. Brown University just goes by Brown, not BU,鈥� he added. 鈥淪o, the nickname as initials isn鈥檛 really that common. Think Cornell, Pitt. If someone asked me, 鈥榃hat鈥檚 your nickname?鈥� I鈥檇 say 91社区.鈥�

Stenger admits that the University will never lose the BU acronym, but he doesn鈥檛 use it himself.

鈥淲hat gets us here is SUNY 91社区,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not a bad name. It shows our relationship to the university centers, and has history and a strength in its name. I accept that as a praise and don鈥檛 try to correct it.鈥�

But the icon, he said, has to be one letter. Pointing to the Bruins, Red Sox, Rutgers and Michigan as examples, Stenger said you see the single letter everywhere. 鈥淲e鈥檙e young, learning these things and catching up,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e needed a single iconic letter. Our athletics marketing team and the University鈥檚 Office of Communications and Marketing both recognize having a single mark as important.鈥�

Patrick Elliott, director of athletics, agrees. 鈥淭he single letter is much more powerful,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd people will see it everywhere.鈥�

Adapted from an existing athletics mark, the new 鈥楤鈥� appears to be in motion, Stenger said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 flying, fast and could represent the fact that we are moving. We鈥檙e not standing still; we鈥檙e standing tall on our past history. It鈥檚 modern. It鈥檚 cool!鈥�

鈥淭he University was looking for an icon that stood out from the crowd,鈥� said Gregory Delviscio, associate vice president for communications and marketing. 鈥淎fter working with some members of the Student Association on ideas, we realized that the Athletics Department had used an icon for some time and it was already very well established. After looking at the options, we decided the 鈥楤鈥� was bolder without the 鈥楿.鈥�

Already appearing in campus publications as well as on parking stickers and hang tags, IDs, pole banners and lapels around campus, the new 鈥楤鈥� is being phased into merchandise at the University Bookstore as well. There is currently some merchandise sporting the new 鈥楤鈥�, but once the holiday season is over, the new look will fully replace the former BU, said Heather Sheffer, bookstore manager. 鈥淗oliday merchandise was ordered during the summer, before the new brand was released,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e order on a monthly basis, so will make the change based on the new, official brand licensing art sheet that has just become available.鈥�

Elliott credits Stenger鈥檚 vision for the new emphasis on a single iconic mark and consistency in its use. 鈥淢uch of this goes back to Harvey鈥檚 vision of school spirit,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have such curb appeal that when we recruit a lot of athletes, they can鈥檛 believe how good we look. All of the details 鈥� the little things 鈥� matter. So we reinforce the brand and they know where we are 鈥� at 91社区, with the best facilities in our conference.鈥�

Building pride takes many different points of recognition and contact, Elliott added, and the new 鈥楤鈥� can be one of many things that help people feel more proud. 鈥淣ow there鈥檚 this kind of subconscious feeling of pride because it will be associated with this speedy, strong, forward-leaning, modern, distinctive look that provides visual confirmation that it鈥檚 91社区,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t will be recognizable everywhere and nobody will confuse us with anybody else.鈥�

Stenger is looking for the campus to embrace and support maintenance of a clear, unified brand identity. 鈥淎fter all,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ur brand is one of our most important assets.鈥�

All University divisions, schools, departments, centers, programs and units are expected to implement these visual identity guidelines in all future communications projects. When existing printed materials are depleted, they should be replaced with new materials designed according to the new brand guidelines. Questions about the brand guidelines should be directed to Gerald Hovancik, director of creative services, University Communications and Marketing, at ghovanci@binghamton.edu or 607-777-6616.