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Refreshed brand unveiled

Monday, 4 March, 2024

Over 500 ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ staff and students came together last week for a Brand Celebration event in which an evolution of the BSU branding and logo was revealed.

ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sue Rigby, gave a live Town Hall from the Atrium in the Commons building at Newton Park where she updated students and staff on the 12-month Brand Review. The process has involved consultation with hundreds of staff, students, external stakeholders, and focus groups of sixth formers. Professor Rigby also confirmed the University's brand position of “Professionally Creative” and unveiled a refreshed BSU logo and branding.

The event was live-streamed across three sites: Newton Park, Locksbrook and BSUL (ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ London), and to colleagues watching virtually. In a first for the University, all three campuses were connected at the same time. Students and colleagues from across the University came together for refreshments, new headshot photographs and time to connect and network with teams from across all departments.

Professor Rigby said:

"Creativity is our human superpower, in whichever subject we learn, or course that we follow. We want all of our students and colleagues to embody our three brand behaviours of Curiosity, Creativity and Confidence in whatever they choose to do, and by doing that they will change their world and the world around them."

A short film officially unveiled the evolved logo, which features five new electric vans belonging to the University. "Wrapped" in the new branding, they feature photography from each of the three main campuses: Newton Park, Locksbrook and London, as well as van representing Sustainability and the refreshed logo. A competition will be launched later this month in which students and colleagues will be invited to design a van which represents their School, and the next six vans will be on the road later in the Spring.

The refreshed logo features a 'BSU' icon, which is a new addition to the University's branding. The rationale behind the logo is to encapsulate the name by which ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ goes, both internally and externally. With a bold, bright, and modern typeface the icon better embodies the professionally creative ethos of the brand. The 'U' is inspired by the original logo of the University when it was first launched as ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ College almost two decades ago. The refreshed logo is the first step on a journey towards BSU's 20th Anniversary in 2025.

With the BSU brand value of sustainability, the University is adopting an ethos of 'Evolution not Revolution', with students and colleagues advised to use up and not rush to replace materials which feature the current logo.

As part of the brand development work, a new logo has been created for each of the individual schools which celebrates their unique character through a distinct brand colour and identity.

Further changes have been made to the BSU website including a more engaging news section, enabling authentic student, staff, alumni, and partner stories to be told with most of the brand and design work worked on by in-house teams.

Professor Sue Rigby said:

"Brands are more than a logo; they are built from behaviours. We are encouraging every student and staff member to "Be the Story" and encapsulate and embody the core brand behaviours of Curiosity, Creativity and Confidence."