by Steve Collins '74

Colby in print got a new look this spring when the College introduced an updated seal and a new logotype. The new marks, shown here, will be featured on stationery, publications, the Colby Web site, campus vehicles, lecterns and bookstore merchandise from notebooks to glassware to apparel.

"Institutions periodically review and update their identity marks, and it had been almost 20 years since Colby last revised the College seal--that's when the first English-language version was introduced," Director of Communications Stephen Collins '74 said.

As the College took stock of itself through the strategic planning process, it hired the Massachusetts design firm Corey McPherson Nash to take stock of its graphic image and to work on a formal graphic identity system. The primary goal was to create a consistent look for the College's official correspondence in order to distinguish Colby, on paper, from other institutions. "So that whenever something comes from Colby, they'll know it's from Colby," said Design Director Brian Speer.

The two main elements of the identity are a crisper version of the starburst seal and a new logotype (how "Colby" appears alone). A new stationery system was introduced, and official typefaces were specified for Colby publications and correspondence. The changeover is expected to be well along by the time students return to campus in the fall, though some elements, like campus signage, will take longer to convert.

Over the years publications lacked the consistency that is helpful in making Colby materials recognizable. "We needed to bring them back together and make them look like they all come out of the same institution," said Randy Helm, vice president for college relations. "No one claims this is going to change academic quality, but if you let publications look chaotic and run-down it doesn't speak well of the College."