Joe Henderson
I’m trying to imagine how the marketing mavens at the University of South Florida must have felt when people loathed and mocked the new academic logo they worked hard to produce. I’m also trying not to laugh, at least not too hard, because that would just be piling on the good people at USF.
That only goes so far, though. If they’re feeling more sheepish than bullish, well, they had it coming.
After pushing a bad hand for months, they put an end to the logo that looked like a Merrill Lynch ad in a weak shade of green.
The university will stick with the popular and recognizable “Bull U” logo used by its sports teams.
The Republic is saved. Or at least the part of the Republic located on Fowler Avenue in Tampa.
It’s worth noting that when it was introduced last September, outgoing USF President Judy Genshaft said, “I think it brings new energy and a new look and a lot of pride about the university.”
It brought new energy all right but looked more like pitchforks and flaming torches instead of school pride. 
Normally, ditching a logo would barely rate a blip in today’s rapid-fire news cycle. This story is different for a couple of reasons though.
First, students and USF alums heaped unceasing scorn from the start on those who created the logo. The marketing folks even spent months redesigning the logo after the harsh reception – except they didn’t change it in a way normal humans would notice.
Second, USF blew a reported $1 million to create and market the lame logo. Now it has to purge that image from everyone’s memory banks. Posters, signs, banners, and letterheads with the old logo are bound for the trash pile.
This is not USF’s first logo fumble. Before the “Bull U” logo, USF had something that looked more like a goat than a bull. Not a fearsome goat, either. It looked like something you’d see at a petting zoo.
The “Bull U” logo, on the other hand, is genius.
It is distinctive without being overbearing. It fits well with USF’s “horns up” cheer. USF Marketing Director Joe Hice called the logo “iconic.” I won’t go there.
But at least “Bull U” gives USF a sleek, unique look. People won’t confuse that with any other college or university. You don’t mess with things like that. It’s what USF should want.
It was there all along, but the university big-wigs thought they knew better.
What’s a little $1 million oopsie among friends, though?
One comment
Marcus Jackson
May 10, 2019 at 7:15 pm
That new logo was set to replace our spirit marks at one point, but thankfully, people high up in USF Athletics weren’t having it. I agree with the decision to roll with the Bull U for all of USF. Many people know that mark now.
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