The University of Hawaii has awarded three contracts as it pursues a new, cohesive corporate identity for the 10-campus system. UH seeks to retool
brand-name identityA research group says the
university's image needs refocusingAssociated Press
Research conducted by The Brand Strategy Group found the university's brand image was fractured with more than 150 logos in use systemwide, university officials said Friday.
The research also found the university had no distinct message or theme and that many programs failed to mention their affiliation with the University of Hawaii, they said.
The Robert Rytter & Associations graphic design firm has been hired for its expertise in creating graphic identities for educational institutions and its emphasis on the importance of using the Hawaiian language to distinguish the university, the officials said.
Meanwhile, Starr Seigle Advertising was hired to implement the new brand.
"The University of Hawaii system brand is our most valuable strategic asset in recruiting students and faculty, increasing research funds and securing grants, yet our message is inconsistent and, worse, indistinguishable from other institutions of higher education," said Paul Costello, university vice president for external affairs and university relations.
"Nowhere else on earth can you have a similar experience to UH, and we need to convey that to our various audiences," he said.
University of Hawaii
