News > April 24, 2008

By Elliot Engstrom | News editor

UPDATE 11:14 p.m.: New WFU logo leaked.

For over a year, the university’s Visual Identity Committee has been searching for a new logo to represent Wake Forest University.

After much toil, the process has finally ended, and the logo is soon to be released to university students, faculty and staff.

Three important members of the committee are Mike Fox, adjunct professor at the Babcock Graduate School of Management, Cherin Poovey, director of creative services, and Lauren Hubbard, the committee’s student member.

The committee search to revamp the university’s visual image aims to make the university more appealing to high school students, who are exposed to more and more upbeat, youthful imagery.

The members of the committee unanimously agreed on the new logo, which was designed by RBMM, a firm from Dallas that specializes in strategic brand consultants and creative services. The first has done work for other universities, as well as companies like ExxonMobil, Atmos Energy and Nortel. “We had a year and a half of committee meetings and research,” Poovey said of the process. RBMM then took what they had learned about the university back to Dallas, where they attempted to express the university’s ideals visually in a logo. According to Fox, the logo captures the fact that there are many sides to the university.

“It captures the idea that there is a lot of duality at Wake Forest. I think it is a more accurate representation of what you get when you come here,” he said of the new logo.

Poovey agreed. “We’ve had an excellent committee,” she said. “We’ve really had great input from everyone.” The trustees gave their approval for the new logo April 8. The new design will be unveiled to students and staff 4 p.m. April 30 in Pugh Auditorium. It will then be unveiled to faculty 4 p.m. May 1 in Benson 401b. The event held for faculty will feature a wine and cheese reception afterwards and a chance to speak with several members of the Visual Identity Committee. While the university’s academic and professional logo is changing, the athletic logo is not. The traditional “WF” known by any Demon Deacon enthusiasts will remain on football helmets, basketball jerseys, athletic fields and the like.

Along with the new logo, the Visual Identity Committee will soon be publishing guidelines on how, when and by whom the logo can be used. The process is an attempt to standardize the representation of the university. Poovey explained that while the logo is officially being unveiled at the end of April, students probably will continue to see the old logo for a while.

“The first year will be a transitional phase,” she said. “We don’t expect people to just up and get rid of anything with the old Wake Forest logo on it.” The committee hopes that the logo will be met warmly by the university community. The committee members emphasized that this is a time of change at the university, and that the logo hopefully will aid in entering this new era of university history.