Buzz Worthy
Posts tagged MSU Spartans
Brand Identity: No thanks Nike, the MSU Spartans will keep their current Logo
51228 days
by Jenn
in Promotional Items
Earlier this month I blogged about the importance of brand identification and put the spotlight on the Michigan State University Spartans in my Fans Identify with Sports Logos: The MSU Spartans entry. The new logo, designed by both MSU members and Nike, was leaked after being found on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Web site. The school was hoping to unite their 25 teams with one logo to strengthen their brand identification. Unfortunately, the 500 sports students that would be wearing these, and their fellow classmates were not impressed.
The current Michigan State University Logo will remain.
Athletics director, Mark Hollis said, “After careful consideration, we will use the current Spartan logo design. Using sound branding principles, the university will continue to register some variations of our Spartan logo in order to ensure that this symbol is well protected and firmly associated with Michigan State University.”
Students at MSU are excited about the decision to stick with their current logo and believe that their efforts on Facebook and other social media sites helped to preserve their logo. Junior student, Meghan Conners said, “I definitely saw that there was a lot of support, especially online with students showing that they wanted the old logo, and that’s what they wanted to see and that’s what they wanted to wear around.”
A MSU Spartan Fan proudly wears a promotional Spartan helmet- consistent with their current Spartan logo.
This is an awesome example of the importance of brand identification. The students of MSU were happy with their current logo. They identified with it and because of their allegiance to it, they were able to preserve it…at least for now.
Fans Identify with Sports Logos: The MSU Spartans
01240 days
by Jenn
in Promotional Items
A sports team’s logo is the number one way to identify fans. It’s the symbol of your state’s pride and the easiest way to strike up a conversation while waiting on line. A team’s logo ignites the players and unites the fans, as it’s worn by millions packed in stadiums across the United States.
Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association each have 30 of them. But blitzing by the batters, skaters and basket ball dunkers with its 32, is the National Football League. That’s 122 logo’s that run through the veins of fanatics and powers their support. Keep in mind that’s 122, without even considering college and university teams.
Imprinted logo sports apparel has become a permanent fashion trend, it’s brought husbands and wives together, and it even sparks fights in rivalry games such as New York Yankees versus the Boston Red Sox’s. When you wear your favorite player’s name on logo apparel, you show your unwavering dedication to your team.
Jason Varitek and Alex Rodriguez cause a dugout clearing fight. Similarly, fights between rivaling fans are not uncommon in the sports world.
The power that a well designed logo can have on any given team can be measured by the sale of apparel and tickets. In the past week, the fans over at Michigan State University have shown their own dedication to their basketball’s traditional logo through a out lashing against the new logo to be introduced in April. Since 1987, the university has abandoned its “gruff Sparty” mascot and adopted the helmet. In the last twenty years it’s changed colors and had redesigns, but never before has there been such a out roar.
Coach Tom Izzo supports the newly revamped MSU Spartan Logo. MUS joined with Nike to create this logo to be officially introduced in April.
Some students complain that allocating money to new branding is senseless considering that other budget cuts are being made. Others complain that it’s hard to keep “re-connecting” with new logos. Head coach, Tom Izzo however, thinks neigh-sayers have got to change their attitudes. He had to take time out of his weekly news conference today to address the strong alumni and student dislike of the new logo calling it the, “dumbest time to talk about it…”.
He said, “It’s a lot bigger than the team; it’s a lot bigger than the program. It’s about our athletic department and our university, which is way bigger than one game or one season.” He reassured fans that this logo change is being made to unite the entire MSU athletic department and voiced his opinion of the previous logo’s saying, “I think we didn’t have an identity.”
The MSU Spartan Mascot pumps it up at the NCAA Final Four.
MSU graciously got the help from Nike as they traced the school’s identity back to Greece because of the historical name, the Spartans. While students and alumni may not be feeling the new design just yet, I’m sure come April, everyone will be wearing the new logo all over campus and across the United States.