University of North Texas

Like other major universities across the country, the University of North Texas (UNT) is no stranger to the need to express itself forcefully and uniquely as it competes for top students, dedicated faculty and external funding. Yet, for all its commonly held values and traditions, UNT has struggled over the years to build a cohesive, lasting brand. In its 121-year history, the university has had no fewer than 6 name changes. Between 1989 and 2004, UNT had no fewer than 6 distinct visual identities!

In October of 2004, under a UNT Board of Regents’ mandate, the university chartered a number of committees to develop and implement a new brand identity for the university. Eric Ligon and Keith Owens were charged with developing a new identity system for UNT: the word marks, letter marks, eagles and colors that would capture and express the institution’s unique personality, traditions, values, mission and aspirations.

What began as concise redesign grew into a coordinated visual campaign comprised of a family of marks branding every aspect of the university system - academic, athletic and spirit. Accompanied by a redesigned family of Mean Green spirit eagles, the entire system now contains over 700 distinct yet interconnected elements. With the support of the University’s administration, the University Relations, Communication and Marketing department and other student, faculty and staff constituencies, the Ligon + Owens was able to create an identity system that could span decades and help UNT propel itself into the regional and national prominence associated with a top flight research institution.

Anna, Texas

Anna, a town of approximately 8,000 people located in northern Collin County, about 50 miles north of downtown Dallas and in close proximity to the ex-urban North Texas communities of Richardson, Plano, McKinney and Frisco, has grown rapidly in the past five years (800 residents to 8,500). It still retains its small town values, open vistas and friendly atmosphere. Proud of its history, Anna is also planning for its future. Like many small North Texas communities, Anna faces a number of economic, civic, historic and communication challenges directly affecting the town’s ability to create a vibrant future for itself. Ligon + Owens Design undertook a number of important steps, or phases, in order to conceive and implement a successful and authentic brand for Anna. The following 4 phases were initiated:

Discovery: We identified decision makers whose input would be necessary to, and influencers whose input would be insightful during the branding process; conducted interviews to gauge how Anna is currently viewed by key internal and external audiences; and ascertained the goals and aspirations of a majority of stakeholders in Anna’s future.

Development: We identified and developed the core brand story for Anna: the central concept upon which was based the corresponding marketing and design strategy.

Design & Approval: We developed and designed an integrative and comprehensive set of authentic brand materials; and created a carefully structured design/approval process to gauge feedback to and build ownership in the branding story, process and key materials.

Production & Delivery: We created final art and copy for all brand materials once consensus had been reached by key decision makers, including a kinetic identity system, stationery, street signage, a marketing brochure, and a series of promotional videos for the town.

UNT|Dallas

In January of 2007, the UNT|System opened the first of many proposed buildings located on the 264-acre campus of the new University of North Texas Dallas (UNT|D). The new university is the first four-year public university in the city limits of Dallas. While part of the UNT System, the new institution required a unique image to represent a budding community of faculty, staff and students based in Dallas County. Ligon + Owens Design was contracted to develop, design and produce this new identity system. This process entailed fact finding, conceptual development, typographic design, mascot selection and design, and color selections.

In order to fully understand the project’s texture and nuance, Ligon + Owens first met with UNT|D decision makers and stakeholders Chancellor Lee Jackson, Vice President Richard Escalante, UNT|D Provost John Price and Deputy Vice Provost Gary Ross. Additionally, we also created materials for, and led discussions at, two branding events designed to engage the broader community constituents of UNT|D that were hosted by Chancellor Jackson and the UNT’s University Relations, Communications and Marketing department. Both events gave their respective participants the opportunity to share their opinions about and insights into possible UNT|D mascots, university colors and emblematic typography. The first brand event hosted Dallas's South Sector community leaders. This gathering of 110 attendees included mayors and councilmen, a state senator, and important opinion leaders. The second event gave UNT|D students and faculty members the chance to participate in the process. Both events were highly successful in two ways: fostering stakeholder engagement in the branding process and gathering information that ultimately guided branding decisions.

Ligon + Owens Design completed work for the word marks, letter marks and mascot as well as provided final color selections. We have completed over 100 variations and lock-ups of the marks for the university. These marks, mascot and colors in combination have become the outward manifestation of UNT|D’s unique values, mission and aspirations.

UNT|Health Science Center

Ligon + Owens Design was contorted to redesign the brand identity, and develop a new color strategy to help UNT|Health Science Center align with its sister universities in the UNT system, as well as redesign of the university collateral, and complete brand style guide including appropriate brand expression through the use of type, color application, layout style, writing tone, photographic attitude and information graphic styles. We guided the university through a brand strategy development process with the intention of helping to create buy in and ownership of the new identity with each of the university’s constituents: its alumni, faculty, students, the osteopathic medical community, and its local Fort Worth community.

BrailleInk.

BrailleInk. books use print & braille in a patented format to promote literacy. The BrailleInk. format reproduces a book in its original form at the top of the page, and places the Braille at the bottom of the page with a letter-by-letter translation in print directly above each Braille cell, allowing sighted readers to help blind readers learn Braille without having to remove their fingers from the page and loose their place. Each book contains a glossary of Braille usage with only the rules as they apply to that book, allowing sighted readers to learn Braille, as well.

The logotype was designed to accentuate the dual nature of these books in both braille and print.