UAB logo
The UAB logo is a monogram used to represent the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB} in green block letters. From its origins in the 1970s until 2024 the logo was identifiable by its wide, thick letters and slanting "A".
1970s monogram
Until the mid-1970s UAB had an in-house graphics department headed by Jack Wills which operated under the Media and University Relations office, but many specific publications and other graphic materials were produced by outside vendors. In 1975 the advertising firm of Basinger & Sankey was commissioned to create a university-wide "graphics identity program". They completed a preliminary report, but withdrew from the contract during the process of making revisions.
It is unknown if UAB adopted any or all of their recommendations, and no copy of the preliminary report is held at UAB Archives. It is not known who designed the logo that emerged afterwards. It appeared in some university stationery as early as 1975, but its use was inconsistent until the mid-1980s. By 1988 it had become nearly ubiquitous on all publications and signage.
2010s brand toolkit
In 2010 UAB developed its first "online brand toolkit", clarifying the the school's official colors are green and white, with gold used only as an accent color. It also directed that athletic logos should not be used alongside the "university signature", nor outside the context of athletic events.
Though usage sometimes varied, the official typefaces for use with the UAB monogram were Linotype's "Avenir" in print, and Mark Simonson's "Proxima Nova" online, both in all-caps.
By 2016 all use of the UAB logo was subject to the guidelines and practices adopted by the UAB Office of Public Relations and Marketing. It was generally rendered in Forest Green and normally accompanied by a wordmark (The University of Alabama at Birmingham) and tagline ("Knowledge that will change your world").
In 2018 UAB revised its "watermark", a two-color circular emblem which appeared mainly embroidered on lab coats. The older version depicted the UAB logo on an obelisk. Its replacement depicted the UAB logo as it appeared on the "fin" atop the new Hill Student Center.
2024 logo
In early 2019 UAB contracted with Lipman Hearne of Chicago, Illinois to conduct brand research with focus groups, online surveys, and a town hall. In August of that year, UAB's senior communications director Katie McDowell convened a Brand Research Committee made up of executives representing operating units of the university and medical center, with staff support from her UAB Office of Marketing and Communications. They met regularly to hear the results of the brand research activities and to recommend next steps. In 2020 New South Research was contracted to lead focus groups with with representatives of the UAB arts community.
In October 2022 the University contacted 18 creative agencies across the United States requesting information about how they would undertake a rebranding program. A smaller selection committee heard proposals from five agencies. Meanwhile New South continued to conduct focus groups, especially with components of the UAB Heersink School of Medicine. In April 2023 UAB contracted with Ologie of Columbus, Ohio and began a three-phase intensive process of "discovery + immersion", "visual system strategy" and "creative exploration".
In late January 2024 some of the results from that process where shared with the UAB community, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and a sample of the general public, to give feedback on three alternative logo designs. The survey generated 10,000 responses, with most supporting a "Modern" outline option. After internal discussion, the committee chose to proceed with a different "Classic" block-letter logo, which was more similar to the 1970s logo, but with the letters separated and the "A" straightened. The same logo with a gold outline was made the primary UAB Blazers athletics logo, with minor adjustments made to the Blaze dragon logo.
UAB also adopted Dalton Maag's "Aktiv Grotesk" as its preferred logo typeface, set in title case.
See also
References
- Communication from Tim L. Pennycuff, University Archivist (March 11, 2016)
External links
- Brand and Communication Toolkit at uab.edu
- Brand Refresh at uab.edu
- UAB logo examples on instagram.com