CSUMB UNVEILS NEW LOGO
Updated branding is met with mixed reactions from students
After a 10-month design process, California State University Monterey Bay unveiled its new logo and first major rebrand this week — but it was met with mixed reactions by students and a protest amidst the party.
While the launch party was initially planned to be held outdoors, rain moved the event inside the student union. About 300 were in attendance.
The goal of the modernized logo, designed by Red Cactus Marketing, was “to better capture and express who we are to all of our communities (and) to have a name and visual identity that more accurately creates an authentic representation of us,” according to CSUMB spokesman Walter Ryce.
As the university has grown over the past 30 years, Ryce said CSUMB's “previous logos and marks did not match our evolving personality and (the communities') experiences of Cal State Monterey Bay,” according to feedback from their communities.
“Through a thorough process of surveys and focus groups, we learned that students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members felt we should modernize our logo,” he said.
“We asked people to share words that describe our campus,” CSUMB President Vanya Quinones said in a press release.
Those words included: supportive, inclusive, transformative, inspiring, approachable, down-to-earth, connected and excellence.
“Now we have a cohesive, clear brand framework that allows us to communicate these positive traits consistently with all of our university stakeholders,” Quiñones said.
However, some students weren't convinced by the new logo and felt the university could better allocate their money.
“I was wondering where my money was going for the longest time and I guess I
“I think it's pretty cool, I mean new logo, new branding. Not a lot of people hear about Monterey Bay so I'm hoping that maybe with the publicity of the new logo, people will start coming here. I think it's good publicity. I mean a lot of people don't like the new logo but new is new. There's never bad publicity.”
— Hannah Castillon, third-year at CSUMB
now know,” said third-year Jhoana Morales-Lopez, one of about a dozen students protesting at the launch party.
“This isn't what we should be spending our money on,” she said. “This is definitely not what we should be spending our money on when there's homeless and hungry students on campus.”
Morales-Lopez said they saw the event as a golden opportunity to address administration about money, explaining she was paying $13,000 per semester for tuition and housing, with additional fees if she wants to stay on campus over the summer or move into her space early.
“I'm just one student. There's 6,000 students on this campus and if you do that math, it comes out to the millions,” said MoralesLopez. “Our money is going to their salaries. It seems unfair that their actions are not representing us when we give the money to us.”
Third-year Hannah Castillon was hopeful about the new design and excited to see how it would be implemented into things like the university's merchandise.
“I think it's pretty cool, I mean new logo, new branding. Not a lot of people hear about Monterey Bay so I'm hoping that maybe with the publicity of the new logo, people will start coming here,” said Castillon. “I think it's good publicity. I mean a lot of people don't
like the new logo but new is new. There's never bad publicity.”
Fourth-year Ry Dart wondered why the university opted to outsource the updated branding, instead
of getting students in the communication design program to design it.
“All of their hard work is not being accounted for,” Dart said. “If we're about the students, why don't we use the students more?”
First-year Pedro Diaz also felt the new logo didn't properly reflect the university. While he thought the logo was OK, it felt too corporate and not like something for a school.
“Where's the otter at? I came here for an otter, I don't see any otters,” he said. “I see a corporation logo.”
Diaz was also concerned about the costs of the new logo and didn't think it was worth it, saying CSUMB should have kept the old logo.
Ryce explained since the branding and marketing project isn't complete yet, the total cost hasn't been calculated yet. “Its budget is similar to the cost of other CSUs that have recently taken on similar projects.”