KSU’s unofficial slogan, “Black and Gold, Proud and Bold,” will have an emphasized and refreshed meaning this fall.
On June 12, KSU Director of Athletics Vaughn Williams unveiled the new primary logo for the Department of Athletics. KSU has seen a few subtle logo additions to its former identity since the school’s beginning in 1963, but this summer’s overhaul marks the first time in school history that the brand of KSU athletics experienced a significant restructuring.
“I love our look. I love our menacing new owl,” Williams said. “There are a lot of schools around the country that are the Owls. What differentiates us from other institutions that have the nickname? I think of Kennesaw. Kennesaw State.”
The new primary logo features a swooping owl over a bold script that reads Kennesaw State Owls. Williams insisted that the new logo be more complete and help brand the school.
“The old logo was more of just an Owl,” he said. “This new logo focuses on Kennesaw State and the owl.”
KSU’s former logo, the simple, owl head in a circle logo, was a design by former KSU associate professor Jeanne Sperry. Following the old owl logo were the full-bodied cartoon scrappy logo, an interlocking “KS” logo, mainly used by the baseball team, and a banner-type logo that featured owl eyes.
All of those previous marks will soon be replaced with a new graphic identity that is still being developed by Rickabaugh Graphics.
Rickabaugh Graphics, a highly acclaimed graphic design firm out of Gahanna, Ohio, has also done collegiate branding work for Ohio State, Marquette, Baylor, Wisconsin and Connecticut, among others.
Evidence from KSU bookstore merchandise, the Kennesaw State Owls Facebook page and the ksuowls.com online shop indicates that the three new marks, which have not been officially introduced, include a full-bodied owl logo, a new owl head logo and an updated “KS” logo that is more streamlined than the former worn by the baseball team.
These logos, along with two additional school spirit marks, are shown on the school’s official online style guide.
According to the style guide, gray has been introduced as an official color. Despite burgundy being absent from any of the new logos, the color is still listed as the tertiary color in the style guide.
KSU’s new look will be officially unveiled on Aug. 20 as part of the Welcome to the Block event that will be held on the Campus Green.
Of course, the new logos render the uniforms worn by all of the varsity athletic teams moot. According to Williams, the athletic department has been in the process of switching apparel providers, though he would not disclose what apparel provider the department will sign with.
“We are engaged with a new apparel provider,” Williams said. “We used to be Russell. We won’t be Russell, and that announcement will be coming out soon.”
The Marietta Daily Journal posted an article on June 13claiming the KSU athletic program was close to signing with Adidas.
This means that each varsity team will have new uniforms for the upcoming year and beyond. Williams said some of the fall teams and the basketball team will unveil the new uniforms as part of the brand showcase during the Welcome to the Block event.
Williams said the mascot, Scrappy, could even get a new look.
“We have upgraded the brand, so it might be time to look at the mascot and costume and things like that,” he said. “I think you have to look at the whole totality of the branding effort, and that is what we are doing.”
The Convocation Center on campus, home to the basketball teams and volleyball team, is also receiving significant upgrades that will vastly enhance the perception of Owls’ athletics in the future.
A new video board has been installed on the wall that was once a blank canvas, and LED banners will be present around the arena and on the scorer’s tables.
The court in the Convocation Center will be completely changed as well to accompany the new brand.
“They are working on that right now. As we speak,” said Williams. “We will be putting out a release Monday or Tuesday that the court has changed.
“I like to say it is going to enhance the convocation center. We are now an arena. With that video board you have the elements of video,” Williams explained. “The scorer tables will now be LED scorers tables. So what you see downtown or in northwest Georgia, in Athens, you will see here. We have ribbon boards that go the length of the hospitality suite, so the environment is going to change. No doubt.”
Williams insisted that all of the changes are going to greatly enhance the environment at KSU.
“I think the motivation came from our environment and where we are going,” he said. “I think being here over the course of time from the internal and external community, with the Owl being a little meaner and more representative of the school, we can promote a brand going forward with this new era of owl athletics.”
Williams said the timing of the change was perfect and proactive.
“We felt it was definitely time to look at that. So, I think in the background you have football. I think you want to know what your identity is going to be going forward, and not to wait until football comes here. We want to get ahead of those things.”