Brands are like bell-bottoms: they go out of style fast. The University of South Dakota has decided its "U" brand is too generic for pitches outside South Dakota. They're dumping this:
...and applying to trademark this:
...which looks like a sketchy red version of this:
...the logo for South Dakota State University, my alma mater.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery... but only when done well.
I would guess that the two institutions contracted with the same ad agency, but with Daugaard's budget cuts, USD could only afford the intern's version of the logo.
The only similarity the 2 logos have are the SD.
{CAH: Seriously? You don't see the same design concept? You must work for USD.}
That's a terrible choice for USD, and just a really bad design, and without a doubt, a huge set-back on this one. Actually, the SDSU logo is just as terrible, so when it comes to copycat, start with a better choice, and then steal from that.
I dug the 'U.' design, it was strong, clean, simple, and felt established. Dakota State actually seems to be winning the design game as it stands for logos, so live that one up for sure.
I agree with Chris on every point. Bad move, USD. Bad move.
I don't like either of those logos.
actually I like the "U." logo with the paw. Why screw things up.
I don't think the designs look very much alike at all. Lots of teams, college and professional, use the overlapping letter design. The octagon-style angled corners of the new USD "S" look more like the style Michigan State uses than the rounded one with serifs that SDSU uses.
That said, I don't like either USD logo all that much (or the wavy, melting SDSU one either), but the new USD logo is better than the ugly, clumsy, way-too-thick, unidentifiable "U." they used to use.
I always thought the paw print logo must have been confusing to anybody not from South Dakota. I mean, really: If you weren't from around here and saw that logo for the first time, wouldn't you think, "Why do they have a dog's paw print on their helmets?"
As with the old, dated "U" symbol, if you weren't from the immediate area, you wouldn't know who they were talking about. Since I assume they need to market the school beyond the tri-state area now, something more distinctive and identifiable was probably necessary.
All you have to do is watch a bit of ESPN to know that on a national scale the "SD" (regardless of color or font) is connected to San Diego State. I really thought that in order to go onto the national scene that our DI programs would have changed nicknames, mascots, and logo's. I don't have a dog in the hunt as I have no allegiance to either school. It is just that jack rabbits and coyotes are things I hunted out the pickup window as a youth. How about getting creative like: South Dakota State BadLanders and University of South Dakota Rushmores. Plus rather than being Trojans, I think DSU should be the Lakers due to Lake County geography.
Happy Sunday to all.
Wayne, good suggestions on place-based branding. I've never minded the critter mascots—they do make for good anthropomorphizable logos and walking mascots. Just what would a Badlander look like? That might be hard to capture in a costume for a perky cheerleader to wear on the sidelines. A Rushmore mascot could be fun: I'm picturing four cheerleaders all stuck into a Chinese-dragon-like costume with four movable President mouths shouting "U-S-D!"
As for our Trojans, I hate to cede ground to a condom company, but there are good market reasons to change our local U. branding. (Oh, and thinking of graphic design plagiarism, someone ought to send a photo of the Trojan Tap sign to the intellectual property department at Trojan Inc., see what reaction they have to the appropriation of their font!)
The u shape logo would still be great but just add the letters, "U", "S", "D" in some fancy way in that 180 degree arc.
I miss the more academic image of Old Main's bell tower. Much better when we were aspiring to be a mini Ivy of the Midwest.
Vacuous branding agents...
I am Jack's bitter resentment. The U. Brand was silly and self-centered. Not something we should be reinforcing. This isn't any better.