Brand Evolution
New Look, Same Mission
The University of Guelph has a new look, but who we are, and our commitment to Improve Life remains unchanged.
For over 18 months, we have worked collaboratively across our institution to evolve our brand and unify our visual identity. This work was built by the community for the community and designed entirely in-house.
The results celebrate the best of our history, while reflecting our pursuit of a vibrant future.
Complete details regarding brand governance and a full breakdown of the University of Guelph’s updated visual identity can be found in our Brand Guide.
Looking Back
The evolution of the University of Guelph’s visual identity is an important and necessary change for the future of our institution. But to move forward, we must first understand where we started.
Crest
Designed in 1964 by Eric Arthur and John Hall, the University of Guelph's crest, shield, and motto symbolize its links with the City of Guelph and the University of Toronto. The crest features a white stallion from the House of Hanover's coat of arms, while the shield includes a book, an astrolabe, and a cornucopia, representing learning, science, and abundance. The motto, "rerum cognoscere causas" a quote from Virgil, means "to learn the meaning of reality".
The current University of Guelph wordmark was created in 1987, and has been the focal point of our logo ever since.
Gryphon
The Gryphon name was first introduced in 1966 after the chairman of the Athletic Advisory Council, Fred Gilbert, suggested it for the U of G softball team. He would later advocate for all U of G sports teams to be called Gryphons, and it was officially adopted in 1967. Soon all members of the U of G community would proudly call themselves “Gryphons”.
The logo itself was created by W.F. Mitchell and took inspiration from a gryphon illustration used as a trademark by an English manufacturer. Mitchell would make slight alterations to the design and received approval from the manufacturer to use it.
By evolving our visual identity, we are able to honour our history and restore the original artistic intent of our brand, while also embracing modern accessibility and design standards.
For Our Community by Our Community
Our brand is who we are and who we aspire to be. It represents both the identity of our institution but also the people within it.
For this reason, the University of Guelph’s evolved visual identity was designed entirely in-house and in collaboration with our community:
- 400+ Total Partners and Collaborators Engaged.
- 50+ Interactive Meetings.
- Students, student athletes, prospective students, prospective students’ parents, staff, faculty, coaches, alumni, donors, and external brand design experts.
This unique approach not only saved a significant amount of money by avoiding typical agency costs, but it also resulted in a better design, one that properly reflects our community.
We Are Gryphons
All members of the U of G community are proud gryphons, and our updated branding now embodies this shared identity.
Our emblem builds on the legacy of our historic crest, while emphasizing dynamic detail and modern design principles.
- Proudly leaning into Gryphon imagery unites our visual identity with existing brand equity.
- Accessibility minded updates to our colour palette and typography improve brand recognition and unity.
- Multiple variations of our logo, along with a collection of secondary assets and branded templates, creates a versatile and performance-driven visual identity.
The Gryphon graphic connects us with U of G’s athletic heritage and legacy, while evolving to meet the needs of our future.
- A bold outline and sharp talons create a powerful and grounded feel.
- The feathered wings, mythical white eye, and golden beak instantly connect the gryphon with our mascot and the gryphon statue, which was created by FASTWÜRMS, two College of Arts faculty members. Our mascot and statue are two core pillars of the gryphon brand.
- Sound proportions and balanced dimensions ensure the logo remains highly versatile while optimizing our digital presence.
- Custom typography is rooted in accessibility standards and references shapes from within the gryphon to build a unique and unified presence.
- A collection of secondary assets allow our community to create fresh and varied feeling content that remains very clearly aligned under one cohesive visual language.
All of our brand components are now properly defined, more visually appealing, more versatile and designed through accessibility standards.
This unity reinforces our sense of community, while the evolution of our brand reaffirms our position as a bold, creative institution dedicated to continuous innovation.
We are Gryphons. We are the University of Guelph.
Together we are all committed to the same goal, to Improve Life.
