2008 Woodie Awards
UT System's branding campaign sparks controversy
Katie Broderick
Issue date: 9/28/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
By Katie Broderick
Managing Editor
Although some students and faculty have expressed initial discontent, university officials insist that the UT System's branding campaign will not leave UTC the victim of a big orange screw.
Last week, President John Petersen announced the start of a new image campaign and remarked that every campus in the system will be "distinct, but linked" through a new logo meant to unify the campuses and demonstrate the system's statewide presence.
University spokesperson Chuck Cantrell said, "The UT System is trying to raise $1 billion in the next few years, and we all recognize that coordinated effort is more successful."
Cantrell said the logo is the result of several years of assessment.
"When Petersen became president a few years ago, part of his job was to evaluate the system's image as a whole, and he realized we didn't really have one," he said.
"Besides UTC and Memphis and Martin, we have a Space Institute, Institutes of Public Service in some of the metro areas and an agriculture center in every county," Cantrell said. "They don't really have a chance to brand themselves - the new logo is all they've got. So uniting all of these under one graphic is a pretty good idea.
"Think of it this way: If every McDonald's did something different, it would send mixed messages," he added.
As for the design of the logo, Cantrell said, "There were two elements that were not debatable: that we include the UT logo and that the logo is orange."
The orange aspect has sparked the most controversy.
Tim Adams, a Jasper, Tenn., senior, said: "I'm a Tennessee fan when it comes to athletics, but this should be left to the institution. Let them decide. They should have taken a vote of the student body, or let them voice their opinion."
However, Natalie Marlowe, a Monteagle, Tenn., freshman, said she thinks the UT addition to the logo doesn't really matter.
"We are part of the UT System anyway, so it wouldn't insult me … I don't think it's confusing," she said.
Cantrell added he did not realize the emotion and power a color can have.
"But the UT System said they understand the orange thing, and they trust us to use it appropriately," he said. "For example, it will not be seen anywhere near athletics. That's not appropriate."
However, Cantrell said there was a great deal of flexibility built in that allows UTC to have its own identity.
"We wanted to keep the 'Chattanooga' nice and big," he said.
Cantrell also said a lot of questions about the use of the logo really haven't been answered yet.
For instance, he posed the questions: "Will the new logo be on stationary? Probably. Will it be orange? Maybe. No one needs to order new stuff just yet."
Cantrell said the logo has grown on him.
"I'm a graduate of UTC and I've been working here about 20 years," he said. "My blood runs blue and gold, so if I can say this can be a good thing, that's huge."
Managing Editor
Although some students and faculty have expressed initial discontent, university officials insist that the UT System's branding campaign will not leave UTC the victim of a big orange screw.
Last week, President John Petersen announced the start of a new image campaign and remarked that every campus in the system will be "distinct, but linked" through a new logo meant to unify the campuses and demonstrate the system's statewide presence.
University spokesperson Chuck Cantrell said, "The UT System is trying to raise $1 billion in the next few years, and we all recognize that coordinated effort is more successful."
Cantrell said the logo is the result of several years of assessment.
"When Petersen became president a few years ago, part of his job was to evaluate the system's image as a whole, and he realized we didn't really have one," he said.
"Besides UTC and Memphis and Martin, we have a Space Institute, Institutes of Public Service in some of the metro areas and an agriculture center in every county," Cantrell said. "They don't really have a chance to brand themselves - the new logo is all they've got. So uniting all of these under one graphic is a pretty good idea.
"Think of it this way: If every McDonald's did something different, it would send mixed messages," he added.
As for the design of the logo, Cantrell said, "There were two elements that were not debatable: that we include the UT logo and that the logo is orange."
The orange aspect has sparked the most controversy.
Tim Adams, a Jasper, Tenn., senior, said: "I'm a Tennessee fan when it comes to athletics, but this should be left to the institution. Let them decide. They should have taken a vote of the student body, or let them voice their opinion."
However, Natalie Marlowe, a Monteagle, Tenn., freshman, said she thinks the UT addition to the logo doesn't really matter.
"We are part of the UT System anyway, so it wouldn't insult me … I don't think it's confusing," she said.
Cantrell added he did not realize the emotion and power a color can have.
"But the UT System said they understand the orange thing, and they trust us to use it appropriately," he said. "For example, it will not be seen anywhere near athletics. That's not appropriate."
However, Cantrell said there was a great deal of flexibility built in that allows UTC to have its own identity.
"We wanted to keep the 'Chattanooga' nice and big," he said.
Cantrell also said a lot of questions about the use of the logo really haven't been answered yet.
For instance, he posed the questions: "Will the new logo be on stationary? Probably. Will it be orange? Maybe. No one needs to order new stuff just yet."
Cantrell said the logo has grown on him.
"I'm a graduate of UTC and I've been working here about 20 years," he said. "My blood runs blue and gold, so if I can say this can be a good thing, that's huge."
