Taylor University

Encompassed within their broader strategic planning process, Taylor first began this brand update by gathering input from thousands of individuals from every constituent group of the University. From this conversation, they found there was a desire for the University to do a better job telling the Taylor story. With this as their goal, Taylor partnered with Carnegie Higher Ed on a robust brand study that helped them examine their position and reimagine ways they could faithfully elevate the distinctives of the University.

Focusing on the question of, “What makes Taylor, Taylor,” and through dialogue with the Taylor community, including students, employees, alumni, parents and friends, a vision for the refreshed athletics imagery was set.  Anchored by the Trojans’ determined spirit, call to excellence, and combination of spiritual formation with academic rigor, the new Trojan logo speaks to Taylor’s longstanding tradition of athletics and qualities of merit within all Trojans.

Kicking off with Discovery and the projects’ strategic foundation, Carnegie lead Taylor through the process of determining the projects’ higher level goals and practical considerations.  Assessing the current landscape of Trojan, or categorically similar, logos, regional competitors, and stylistic priorities for the new mark, Taylor and Carnegie set a clear path with flexible boundaries for the design stage to follow.

As with any project, there were many of twists, turns, and many many variations before the final identity was created.  Each detail was considered, ultimately leading us to a stoic, yet purposeful, Trojan logo in profile complemented by a classic collegiate block type system with subtle, yet unique, calligraphic features.

As always, thanks for checking out the project and a HUGE thanks to Carnegie for the opportunity to collaborate on this project!