Pentagram's Explanation of the LOGO

Submitted by GustaveFerbert on

 

From the designer of the logo - some of the logo's look better in their work - and the abbreviated logo with a different color - but really? 

 

New Work: Big Ten Conference

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The Big Ten Conference is the U.S.’ oldest and largest Division I college athletic association. Founded in 1896, the conference is comprised of schools located mainly in the Midwest and includes world-class academic institutions such as Ohio State, Michigan State, Penn State, Purdue, Northwestern, and University of Wisconsin–Madison. Big Ten schools compete at the highest level of NCAA competition in basketball and football, and over the past decade the Big Ten has led all conferences with national titles in different sports including volleyball, track and field, cross country, wrestling, hockey, soccer, tennis and golf. Despite its name, the conference has included 11 member schools since Penn State joined in 1990, and it will add University of Nebraska – Lincoln as its 12th member in July 2011.

Pentagram’s Michael Gericke (a graduate of the University of Wisconsin) and Michael Bierut (husband of 30 years to an Ohio State alumna) have designed the new logo for the conference, announced today. The conference’s previous logo hid an “11” in the negative space around the “T” in “Ten.” The new logo evolved from this use of negative space and is built on the conference’s iconic name without reference to the number of member institutions. “Seeing two numbers at once is clever, but it means redesigning the logo every time the conference expands,” says Bierut. “It was time for something direct and simple.” The resulting logo features contemporary collegiate lettering with an embedded numeral “10” in the word “BIG,” which allows fans to see “BIG” and “10” in a single word.

“The new logo was developed to symbolize the conference’s future, as well as its heritage and tradition of competition,” says Gericke. “Going forward, fans will know The Big Ten will always be the Big Ten.”

“The new Big Ten logo provides a contemporary identifying mark unifying twelve outstanding institutions,” said Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany. “It conveys some elements from the past while simultaneously introducing new features. We think the new logo is fun and has something for everyone.”

 

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funkmob_starchild

December 14th, 2010 at 8:59 PM ^

Everyone will eventually get used to this design, and it will be like it never changed in the first place.

And so flow the sands of time, erasing our memories, replacing them with . . . . the present.

LaurenNolan

December 15th, 2010 at 2:13 AM ^

The problem is that the Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference.   Our new logo is a bit off and the division names are terrible. 

Last week I was in Kentucky (had a fantastic time) and I was just reading a University of Kentucky blog about the Big Ten division names.  It was a bit painful to read.  I'd rather not reference their suggestions.  (I now know what Luke Wilson's character in Idiocracy felt like.)  My point is that the Big Ten is a highly respected conference with history and these changes are not getting us any more respect.

mgokev

December 14th, 2010 at 9:04 PM ^

Honestly, how do you include Michigan State in world class academic institutions but not Michigan?  The only Big Ten school academically superior to Michigan is Northwestern.  As mentioned above, that was the point I stopped reading as well.

btjabrone

December 14th, 2010 at 11:08 PM ^

I wouldn't just concede that Northwestern is "academically superior." Particularly when it is qualified as "world-class," it might be good to expand your research beyond the slop US News and World Report throws in front of you.

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2010-2011/top-200.html

#15 Michigan

#25 Northwestern

Go Blue!

BiSB

December 14th, 2010 at 9:05 PM ^

"So, we totally thought it was due next week, but the conference was all like, 'no, it's due tomorrow, and we won't grant any extensions.' So we had to throw something together, cause we can't have an F on our transcript."

Mfan1974

December 14th, 2010 at 9:07 PM ^

Thank you, that was my first impression also.  

Then you get to the part about the owner/alums backgrounds. Sneeeeeeeeeeeeecky Wisky, tOsu tie ins.

My second thought was "M is not mentioned.  Ding, ding, ding, ding. I see what happened there!

Bryan

December 14th, 2010 at 9:12 PM ^

Those were my thoughts when I went back to read it as well. 

When a designer has to explain something, they have already failed. I think the new PAC10/12 logo has set the standard, and the B1G logo looks pathetic in comparison. 

LaurenNolan

December 15th, 2010 at 1:34 AM ^

New PAC 10 logo is far better than their old sunshine logo.  

I'm grateful that the Big Ten logo doesn't have a bunch of swooshes. Just because it worked for Nike doesn't mean every company needs to put a swoosh into their logo.

 

GustaveFerbert

December 14th, 2010 at 9:14 PM ^

The multi-color one is much better than the one announced yesterday - just having some contrast.... And frankly,  after the dust settles soon, will it really matter? 

I do not worry about the Big 10 logo, only Big 10 championships.   The name for the divisions? Stupid - perhaps - but who really cares.  What matters is that we always play OSU.   Besides, in a few years, the division names will be sold corporately...it is inevitable. 

Michigasling

December 14th, 2010 at 9:20 PM ^

“Going forward, fans will know The Big Ten will always be the Big Ten.”

Oh, I get it.  That's why they only mentioned 7 of 12 the schools, and three of them twice. 

GustaveFerbert

December 14th, 2010 at 9:37 PM ^

Is it really that big of a deal that it sucks?   So long as these designers are not hired by UM to mess with crap, then it is ok by me... Just do not mess with the UM brand. 

Sgt. Wolverine

December 14th, 2010 at 9:39 PM ^

A G isn't going to be seen as a 0, no matter how hard you try.  It's going to be seen as a 6 because that's what it most closely resembles.  Stop trying to convince the rest of the world that reality isn't real.