University of Illinois at Chicago

Brand

The University of Illinois at Chicago is a progressive research university with a commitment to public education, social justice, and civic engagement – doing good and giving back. One of the most ethnically rich and culturally diverse universities in the U.S., UIC is home to one out of ten Chicago college graduates, and is consistently ranked as one of the top 20 young research universities in the world.

Brand identityUIC engaged in a rebranding initiative to express the dynamism of its growing and increasingly recognized campus. The revised identity embraces the university's mission and intense engagement with the city of Chicago, and supports a voice and set of stories that can project the university to a variety of publics.

View video

 

View image gallery Related work for this client College brand
College interactive
Art & Art History interactive
View all
University of Illinois at Chicago
Brand
Image 1 | 15

Brand identityStudio Blue worked with UIC in both an academic and professional capacity. The relationship began with a senior-level professional practice course at the School of Design. Taught by studio members and other faculty, the course led students in primary and secondary research and the development of language and design. Once classroom prototypes were approved, Studio Blue developed the work into a full-fledged identity system and guidelines, now implemented across the university’s 15 colleges and administrative units.

Related work for this client College brand
College interactive
Art & Art History interactive
View all
University of Illinois at Chicago
Brand
Image 2 | 15

Brand identityWith UIC students, we spent two semesters gathering insights and developing a visual and verbal identity system for the university. In all, nearly 200 stakeholders were interviewed during the process to ensure that the new brand accurately represents UIC and its future. The brand design and implementation include a family of logotypes and marks for the university’s primary and secondary colleges and administrative units; color, image, and typographic guidelines; stationery; and prototypes for signage and banners, a website, print materials, and apparel.

Related work for this client College brand
College interactive
Art & Art History interactive
View all
University of Illinois at Chicago
Brand
Image 3 | 15

Brand identityFaculty member and writer Meghan Ferrill collaborated with us to develop key concepts, phrases, and stories representing the university. These tools are used by UIC’s numerous decentralized marketing, development, and communications offices.

Related work for this client College brand
College interactive
Art & Art History interactive
View all
University of Illinois at Chicago
Brand
Image 4 | 15

Brand identityTogether, photography and bold color communicate the energy, breadth, and transformative potential of UIC’s mission of social justice and academic excellence.

Related work for this client College brand
College interactive
Art & Art History interactive
View all
University of Illinois at Chicago
Brand
Image 5 | 15

Brand identityThe new identity consists of two key components: 1) The vertical logotype emphasizes the campus’s urban spirit with an experimental, aspirational orientation of the university’s name; and 2) The circular mark updates the existing UIC acronym, incorporating a circle to refer to the university’s historical name (Circle Campus).

Related work for this client College brand
College interactive
Art & Art History interactive
View all
University of Illinois at Chicago
Brand
Image 6 | 15

Brand identityThe new system provides a range of lockups for each unit, which can be brief or extended, energetic or refined.

Related work for this client College brand
College interactive
Art & Art History interactive
View all
University of Illinois at Chicago
Brand
Image 7 | 15

Brand identityTemplates were provided for a range of tools. Shown here is university stationery.

Related work for this client College brand
College interactive
Art & Art History interactive
View all
University of Illinois at Chicago
Brand
Image 8 | 15

Brand identityApparel

Related work for this client College brand
College interactive
Art & Art History interactive
View all
University of Illinois at Chicago
Brand
Image 9 | 15

Brand identityThe identity incorporates a distinct, contemporary, but durable typographic vocabulary.

Related work for this client College brand
College interactive
Art & Art History interactive
View all
University of Illinois at Chicago
Brand
Image 10 | 15

Brand identityTypographic guidelines

Related work for this client College brand
College interactive
Art & Art History interactive
View all
University of Illinois at Chicago
Brand
Image 11 | 15

Brand identityTypographic guidelines

Related work for this client College brand
College interactive
Art & Art History interactive
View all
University of Illinois at Chicago
Brand
Image 12 | 15

Brand identityTemplates were provided for a range of tools. Shown here are Powerpoint templates.

Related work for this client College brand
College interactive
Art & Art History interactive
View all
University of Illinois at Chicago
Image 13 | 15

Brand identityTemporary signage prototypes

Related work for this client College brand
College interactive
Art & Art History interactive
View all
University of Illinois at Chicago
Brand
Image 14 | 15

Brand identityWebsite prototype

Related work for this client College brand
College interactive
Art & Art History interactive
View all
University of Illinois at Chicago
Brand
Image 15 | 15

Brand identityCampus signage prototype

Related work for this client College brand
College interactive
Art & Art History interactive
View all