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.
FAQ
No, the changes to our visual identity are an evolution aimed at restoring and unifying our brand. Our name and mission to Improve Life remains unchanged.
Components of our previous visual identity had not been updated for many years. This evolution was an important and necessary change for the future of our institution that ensures our brand is unified, fully accessible and optimized for digital use.
Our brand components are now properly defined, more visually engaging, better aligned with accessibility standards and easier to utilize across various mediums. Properly established brand architecture and unified design choices also strengthen our sense of community by building points of visual connection across our community.
U of G’s evolved brand was created in collaboration with community members across our institution. Through interactive meetings with over 400 different partners and collaborators, including students, student-athletes, prospective students, prospective students’ parents, staff, faculty, alumni, and external brand design experts, we gained important feedback and insight to ensure that our new visual identity properly reflects our community.
The University of Guelph’s evolved visual identity was developed entirely in-house and avoided the typical fees associated with hiring a creative agency. To ensure fiscal responsibility, updated assets will be implemented within natural product life cycles. This means that as things wear down and need to be replaced, that’s when we’ll look to update them with the new brand. Luckily, many of our widest reaching and most impactful updates will be digital and very cost effective.
While we haven’t updated components of our visual identity for many years, the majority of other institutions have. Our evolved brand now properly reflects our position as a leader in Canadian higher education and elevates our reputation amongst competitors.
All brand materials, including logos, templates, and guidelines, are available via our Brand Guide.
Yes, a selection of updated merchandise and branded clothing can be purchased at our Campus Bookstore and Gryph’s Locker. Some products featuring our previous logos will remain as a part of our heritage line.
To ensure a smooth transition and fiscal responsibility, the updated branding will be implemented over several months. However, there will be no requirement to update or replace existing physical branded materials with the new branding. Updates will only occur when necessary, such as when signage breaks, reaches the end of its lifecycle, or when new assets are being created. Any existing branded assets still in stock, will continue to be distributed. If you have any questions regarding the complete rollout plan, please contact: brandguide@uoguelph.ca.
Many questions are answered within our comprehensive Brand Guide which will be available on March 24. If you don’t see the answer you’re looking for, please direct any questions related to the U of G brand to brandguide@uoguelph.ca.
