Doak Campbell Stadium, home of FSU Football, in Tallahassee, Florida, United States on February 15, 2020. Photo: C5 Media/Shutterstock.com
Following a recent, subdued revamping, Florida State University’s buses, social media accounts, and website are all done out in a new logo.
Going forward, the university’s identity will be centered around a straightforward design that prominently features the initials “FSU” in gold with a garnet outline, serving as the new academic mark.
The Seminole head logo, which the school refers to as “one of the most recognizable and iconic marks in sports,” has seen a significant downgrade in prominence. It will now only be used for athletic events.
Although the marketing department of the university has been working on the rebranding for more than a year, the new logo was unveiled to FSU staff members on Monday as part of an internal brand launch via email.
In a prepared statement provided to the Tallahassee Democrat on Wednesday, FSU Chief Marketing Officer Susannah Wesley-Ahlschwede stated, “Prior to this, FSU was one of the only public universities in the nation without three distinguishing marks.” Together with Katie Grab, FSU’s Director of Marketing & Creative, she led the rebranding initiative.
After a nationwide search, Wesley-Ahlschwede was named FSU’s first chief marketing officer in January 2023, and he began serving in that capacity in February of the same year. Richard McCullough, the president of FSU, created the job and started the hiring process for it soon after he assumed office in 2021.
According to her, “the majority of esteemed and R1 (Very High Research Activity) universities use a primary athletic mark, a university seal, and their primary institution identity, which is text.” “FSU has only had the seal and athletic mark for a long time.”
The university’s seal, an official trademarked emblem featuring FSU’s “Vires, Artes, Mores” torches that will now be kept sacrosanct for events like commencement, and the Seminole head, an athletic mark, are enhanced by the new academic mark. Seminole Spear and Spearhead are secondary athletic markers.
Although he has always admired the official seal, Mark Zeigler, a senior lecturer at FSU and head of First Year Experience Programs at the College of Business, says he understands the university’s wishes to save it for special occasions.
Personally, Zeigler stated, “our behavior as instructors, staff, and students matters more than any of our symbols when it comes to branding.” “I think the brand will take care of itself as long as we continue to work hard, prioritize the needs of our students, and treat each other with respect.”
An FSU representative stated that strengthening the university’s brand was included in the strategic plan that was outlined in 2023.
“This brand work is a testament to our dedication to academic excellence and accessibility,” McCullough stated in a statement that was issued to the Democrat beforehand. “This new visual identity not only honors our rich heritage but also propels us forward and aligns with our strategic goals of attracting the best talent and fostering a strong, cohesive community.”
In addition to upholding the university seal, Wesley-Ahlschwede notes that FSU’s rebranding had several other major objectives:
Increasing the visibility of FSU for the work being done on campus.
Making a statement to draw in the top academics, researchers, and students and to forge closer ties with former students of FSU.
updating the public perception of FSU and developing a central institutional identity that is readable and usable in all media by all individuals, including those with low vision, dyslexia, dysgraphia, and neurodivergence.
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
