News
10 September 2010
Bruce Mau Design to rebrand OCAD University
TORONTO—OCAD University launched the new school year and its official status as a university yesterday with the help of the Minister of Training Colleges and Universities John Milloy. At its annual Welcome Back Corn Roast, OCADU announced that Toronto design firm Bruce Mau Design has been selected to develop its new brand identity.
The redesign follows the Ontario government’s decision to change the institution’s name from Ontario College of Art & Design to OCAD University this past June.
“We are elated that Bruce Mau Design will design our new brand identity. They are a prescient firm with a proven track record and a potent aesthetic sensibility,” said OCAD University president Dr. Sara Diamond, in a released statement. “They understand OCADU’s values and teaching philosophies, institutional evolution, and the revolutionizing power of imagination. They place value on the design process itself, as does OCAD University, ensuring that students, staff, faculty, alumni and community stakeholders will be participants in a branding project that is crucial for OCADU, Toronto, Ontario and beyond."
After receiving numerous submissions following its public RFP in July, OCADU's selection committee chose Bruce Mau Design unanimously.
“Bruce Mau Design are expert collaborators. They demonstrated a strong commitment to work with our community to design the process that will drive the outcome of our partnership, and this is of utmost importance to our stakeholders,” said marketing and communications director Steve Virtue, in the press release. “They implicitly understand OCADU’s rich history, and how our community’s many stories inform the creation of innovating new ideas.” Contact: www.ocad.ca
The redesign follows the Ontario government’s decision to change the institution’s name from Ontario College of Art & Design to OCAD University this past June.
“We are elated that Bruce Mau Design will design our new brand identity. They are a prescient firm with a proven track record and a potent aesthetic sensibility,” said OCAD University president Dr. Sara Diamond, in a released statement. “They understand OCADU’s values and teaching philosophies, institutional evolution, and the revolutionizing power of imagination. They place value on the design process itself, as does OCAD University, ensuring that students, staff, faculty, alumni and community stakeholders will be participants in a branding project that is crucial for OCADU, Toronto, Ontario and beyond."
After receiving numerous submissions following its public RFP in July, OCADU's selection committee chose Bruce Mau Design unanimously.
“Bruce Mau Design are expert collaborators. They demonstrated a strong commitment to work with our community to design the process that will drive the outcome of our partnership, and this is of utmost importance to our stakeholders,” said marketing and communications director Steve Virtue, in the press release. “They implicitly understand OCADU’s rich history, and how our community’s many stories inform the creation of innovating new ideas.” Contact: www.ocad.ca
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Their name, "fartanddesign" was inspired by the release of Hambly & Woolley INC's identity for OCAD back in 2005. At the time they were students and disappointed by the new design, and felt it did not represent the school very well (not to mention the fact that when you look at the current logo, the effect of having the letter O on "of" cut off, it gives the illusion of "Fart & Design".)
Bruce Mau design will no doubt re brand the School in a thoughtful and effective way that will surely please everyone.
I just wish they'd stop adding letters. Is my AOCA now an AOCADU? If they want to continue the trend, I suggest adding another "D".
So what does OCAD stand for now? Because it wouldn't make sense to call a school both a College and University at the same time. But also using the OCADU moniker suggests that the OCAD letters still stand for something since the U stands for University.
Now, if only they can do something about the tissue box on stilts.
The name is awkward and needs to be addressed, but it won't and we will have another branding mess on our hands before long.
Thank god I am long graduated -- I continue to add AOCA to my email signature to distance myself from the current mess that is OCADU.
Theory = good. I don't think so.
The students should design it, they would bring more life to it.
Poor choice Sara!
why waste their time with firms who can't even draw a letter!!!!!
the "OCAD" was a free font!!!!!!!
F.A.
Kind regards,
Sarah Mulholland
Marketing & Communications office of OCAD University
smulholland@ocad.ca
OCAD's next re-design won't be far...
Give us a break!
If I look objectively at their brand identity solutions, I have not seen evidence of the ability to distill the essence of an organization into a differentiated mark. I believe this is the reason for all the dialogue.
OCAD is an institution that deserves a unique, credible and compelling identity and I am hoping the outcome will be as interesting as the process.
Please stop the ACRONYM insanity and work on better communication practices which recommend simpler is better. At it's best, it was OCA — we need to bring it back home.
....am I being too harsh?
Be sure to RSVP in the link provided in the relevant workshop of your choice.
If you can't make any of the sessions, share your thoughts by participating in our discussion at our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ocaduid
You can also follow the process and get updates by following @ocadu_id_design on Twitter.
Cheers,
Sarah Mulholland
OCADU's Marketing & Communications Team
OCADU alumna
Why the "mIckey mouse" posturing? You've hired a design firm (good or bad) why the circle jerk, have some professional confidence and let them do their job? Forget about our comments (good or bad) -- even though I personally don't feel Bruce Mau is a corporate identity designer, that's beside-the-point, you've made your choice -- show some professional integrity!
In the over 40 years since I graduated it's amazing how "mickey mouse" the art school still is with or without the "university" branding.