Oregon State revamps look with new logo and uniforms
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CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State Athletic Director Bob De Carolis described the Beavers' new look as "classic and contemporary" on Monday.
Shortly after he spoke those words, the athletic department revealed its revamped brand that features new patterns, fonts and a logo. The school didn't change its colors, however. But lead designer Todd Van Horn noted that a metallic bronze was added as an accent. (Click on the photo gallery to see more of the new look.)
Oregon State University worked with Nike for nearly two years to create the new look to honor the "rich tradition of academics and athletics." They hope the revamped logo will help increase their national exposure, much as similar Nike makeovers have done for the Oregon Ducks.
OSU teams won’t start wearing the new uniforms until soccer season starts in August, the Portland Business Journal reported.
Athletic department spokesman Steve Fenk told the Business Journal that the school has been trying to build their national brand for several years, but has struggled with people confusing the current interlocking “O” and “S” logo with Oklahoma State University (which also goes by OSU and has the same colors).
With Nike’s branding help – not to mention Phil Knight’s money – the Ducks have become a national media darling. Their football uniforms are routinely discussed around the country.
Even NBA superstar LeBron James has talked about his love of Oregon’s uniforms. During football season he posted an Instagram picture of him wearing Ducks gloves and a helmet with the caption “S/O (shout out) to Oregon for the fire!! Best uni’s in the Nation. #Nike”
OSU is hoping to capture some of that magic with their own Nike-designed uniforms. What do you think of the re-branding? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Why is it necessary to change things???? I like what we have.
This is the best they could do?
Why do they keep changing the beaver? They just changed it a few years ago!
@Shawn Moore Try 15 years ago
I believe the last change of the logo was about 2007....not even 10 years ago...
Looks like a beaver with a combed back Mohawk
they're trying to keep up.
lol@pauline,,,,ttttthats allllllll folks lol
It's interesting how there has been no story about how angry the entire OSU community actually is about the new logo. Some will say, "its new so thats the only reason people are upset, they will get over it". Yet, it's being universally panned by everyone, and rightfully so, its pretty darn ugly, although the uniforms were a success. The worst part though is that no one asked the students. You know.. those kids who pay the tuition, go to all the events, PLAY the sports... the reason the university exists in the first place. Unfortunately they are going to take a sales hit if they don't change it because people are already saying they won't wear something with that logo on it.
OSU, if you wont listen to your students at least listen to OSU community. You can't ignore the outrage forever. I know you spent a lot of money on rebranding and i'm guessing thats probably why you won't change it, but that doesn't excuse your behavior in "scheming" with Nike to change the logo without your walking billboards even having a say.
You don't have to go back to the old logo, but redesign a new one and give the students, alumni and fans a chance to have a say. After all, their opinions are the only ones that matter.
@CaptainAmerica It most certainly not being panned by everyone. The almost universally praised down here at OSU. People feel like they finally have a logo that they don't have to be embarrassed about. Which as a Beaver, that old logo was utterly embarrassing. Every year, some ESPN commentator made some joke or comment about it. It was universally laughed at nationwide.
Naysayers are ALWAYS vocal, much more so than people who have something good to say.
@Brandon Johnson  Â
Thats definitely a fair assessment, we do get a lot of flack for our current logo too. I can understand why someone might like this,. But if you go to OSU (like I do) and you ask random students if they like it (I have) or just walk around OSU, or go to the MU to see the new banner you will hear people disappointed with the logo, definitely panned, not jumping for joy proud. The people who like it are the ones who got to pick it, i.e. Nike and the athletic departments, not the poor students who had no say. If you're argument is that the people who do like it don't say anything, they are the most silent majority i've ever not heard of.
My argument is: hey, more likely than not its probably true that the actual OSU community is upset with the logo as heard by social media and word of mouth; and while it might also be true that our past logo's are ugly as well, that does not de facto make this one any better. Change for the sake of change isn't progress. Let the students have a say, let the students redesign it! lets take a poll to prove it and if there is support for a new logo, OSU should do the right thing and let them have a say in it. If you would, re-read my comment again to answer what I think is the most important question here, even if the logo wasn't ugly, doesn't it make you angry that the students who pay tuition and are the reason for the universities existence, left out of the logo decision making process?
Pointy nose, pointy head, is their a point to all of this? Â Jack it seems you have an axe to grind , but no stones to throw.
makes it look cartoony
A new logo isn't going to make them better than the Ducks.
Uncle Phil, you can keep your money, if this is an example of what it buys for us. Thanks for nothing!
How many of you think this was just a ploy by Phil "bend Oregon over the couch for tax break" to sell more of his child labor goods to replace the stuff we already have and steal more of our money?....
@Jack Smith Sorry to break it to you, but the stuff you already had was more than likely made by Chinese labor already. And BTW, Nike hasn't used Child Labor in years. They're actually considered the gold standard around the world for how they treat their labor force in developing nations.
How many of you think this was a ploy by Phil "uncle duck" Knight to insult Beaver Nation?....
How many are going to refuse to buy any new gopher head logo gear and just sit tight and wait for the "brain trust" at OSU or OS or Oregon State or Oregon State University or whatever it is now to change their minds again and bring back a logo that isn't embarrassing?....
How many of you feel betrayed like me...a few years ago, OSU convinced us to give all our OSU branded gear to goodwill and go buy new OS gear...now they are saying april fools...just kidding...give your stuff away and buy OSU gear again...and by the way your old logo and color scheme aren't even right either...we added a little bronze and a gopher to the mix just to add insult to injury...
I think the new logo is just horrible. It seems to me that someone is not thinking clearly! C'mon people.....get with it and come up with something that at least slightly resembles a Beaver, not a nutria or some other disgusting rodent!! I for one, will not be purchasing any gear with this gross logo on it, and I have been a Beaver Believer for over 50 years. Just hope all of the OS gear that I have at the moment will last until I'm gone!
Okay, I admit the original sailor-hat-wearing cartoon beaver from back in the day was pretty lame. The newer "angry beaver" logo developed a few years ago was vast improvement and should've been left alone. This new logo looks like a conglomeration of several disgusting rodents, or maybe an ad for a pest control company or something..
Looks Great!!, GO Ducks!!!!!!!!
Wonder how much extra $ the design team got under the table to make the new logo as bad as possible? Phil's school has wings, we get a nutria. Wonder how much tuition will go up to pay for this ugly thing? 2 years & this is the best of the choices? We will get more national attention all right, everyone will be laughing themselves silly!
Ten out of ten KATU viewers prefer old beaver.
HATE IT I like the first beaver
Are there Beavers in New England? Ugh. Hate the new logo. Similar to the dropping of the U. Just stupid. Can't wait for the discounts on the old garb..
But I do love the new black uniforms and helmets. Seriously kick ass!
@Scott Hopkins That's what the logo reminds me of!  I was totally thinking that I've seen that shape/logo before...
It's too odd, where is the other side of the face? Only one tooth....it's pretty awkward, I agree with Jerrilyn
I'm a Duck and I think the previous Beaver looked a whole lot better. This one looks terrible. The marketing team that settled on this design needs to he fired!
sux
Not impressed.
I am shopping for old logo clothing. No way am I going to wear a nutria.Â
@native_or You know, the old logo looked like a nutria too. You know why? Because the two animals look exactly the same!
Agreed!...good idea...
It sucks pure and simple.....
"Nice beaver!"
"Thanks, I just had it stuffed!"
Ick.
Looks like a buck-toothed, tiger-colored rat, with a cardinal-shaped head.
I enjoyed the old beaver emblem on the helmet. Looked ferocious! The new beaver looks like its head got cut off! bring back the old one!
It looks like a nutria stuck in a wind tunnel. Terrible logo.
With a recession on, they should not have blown a lot of money on uniforms.
It sucks!!!
Hate it.
It's an angry gerbil. Angry because he was left out all the other gerbil polka mayors games.
Hey, Mark, he does sort of look like Mitch Daniels. We could drop Boilermakers for Boilerbeavers.
What part of "Naked Mole Rat on Steroids" is not perfect? I wish Purdue thought of that before settling on Boilermakers.
Lets get an American company to do the Logo!
@Larry Campbell Nike is an American company. Headquarted in Beaverton. Wow.
Why can't a beaver just be a beaver? It looks more like Tony the tigers face stuffed into the head of a cardinal.
New & improved sucks. I guess that the marketing department is trying to justify their jobs with this desperate effort. Bigger, better, faster, more doesn't always add quality or relevance to traditional theme.