Back in 2007, while employed as Creative Director at a boutique design company in Wellington, we were asked to do a brand review for University of Otago. We were briefed the university needed new branding, as the existing shield was perceived to outdated.

Visiting Dunedin and most of its other centres across New Zealand made several things very clear. While the university’s comms team did their utmost, the perception of where the brand was at was mostly instigated by the largely complete lack of guidelines using the logo. People didn’t seem to care, and copies of copies of the logo were being slapped on whatever deemed appropriate or close at hand. Typefaces applied were the ones easiest accessible (from Times New Roman to Comic Sans). In short, what had once been a cherished and unique shield, held proud by generations of alumni, had become a disrespected emblem, thoughtlessly applied and abused.

Also evident was the absence of any way finding system, resulting in visitors, students, and university staff alike not being able to find their way on the expansive Dunedin campus.

The solution found was not the creation of a new logo, but designing a way finding system which featured the university’s shield prominently. The idea being it would help people find their way with confidence, thus associating the shield with positivity and safety, and it regaining the standing it deserved. We also suggested to create numbered meeting points, which would show a simplified map of the campus, relevant information, and an emergency phone. 

Of course we also created a brand guidelines document how to use the shield appropriately.

The presentation was received with mixed emotions, and it was unclear whether University of Otago would take up the recommendations, as the cost of the way finding systems was deemed high (but a fraction of the cost to completely rebrand the university).

After leaving my position as Creative Director at the end of 2007 I lost sight of the project. In 2008 I saw my design had been used for the Wellington campus of the university on Mein Street. 

And that was it. Until last week, when by chance I stumbled on a post on the university’s website announcing new way finding. See below.

https://www.otago.ac.nz/otagobulletin/news/otago685608.html

It is quite amazing and makes me proud to see the design finally being applied, after ten years.