Current Students and Staff

// University News

28 Apr 2015

An update on our visual identity changes

We’ve received a lot of feedback on the changes to the University’s visual identity. I wanted to thank everyone for their comments and to apologise for not being able to respond sooner.

Last week Loughborough was named University of the Year by WhatUni. The key reason for that award is the passion students feel for our institution. That passion is, I believe, shared by staff, our alumni community and our many other supporters.  

There is clearly strength of feeling around the change in the visual identity. It is important that this is acknowledged. There are, in my view, very strong reasons for the change and we have clearly failed to communicate some of those reasons. Equally, I am happy to admit that there may be concerns we haven’t fully anticipated and changes may be necessary.  I hope to be able to harness the engagement that this issue has generated to positively benefit the University we are all committed to.

I am therefore proposing that we pause the roll-out of the new identity at this point to allow us to take stock and to listen to concerns.

I would appreciate the opportunity to share with you some of the reasons for the change, which is one element of a wide-ranging reputation strategy. This includes some examples of imagery taken from our latest prospectus to show how broader changes – colour, typeface, photography – can work in practice.

The most common criticism of the new device has been that it is insufficiently traditional.  Our aim was to develop something with flexibility that would work in an agile context on and offline but particularly across mobile and digital. We have also been clear that we want to make more strategic use of the Coat of Arms where this is beneficial. One of the most important matters I’d like your feedback on is whether there is a bigger role for the 1909 Coat of Arms. This, rather than the 1996 crest device that forms our current logo, has appeared on our degree certificates since the Royal Charter was awarded and will continue to do so.

I will be organising some open meetings with students so that you can participate in the development process and have input. I appreciate that your time is at a premium and we are therefore setting up an email that will ensure your ideas, thoughts and input can be woven in to our strategy. This will also allow us to keep you updated and informed and to ask for your opinions and input. I would also like the opportunity to engage you in the ongoing development of our plans to increase Loughborough’s profile, reputation and impact. Please email me at notifications@lboro.ac.uk if you would like to be involved.

Dates of the open sessions will be circulated as soon as possible this week and we will also email them to anyone contacting the notifications@lboro.ac.uk email.

Finally, can I thank you all personally for getting involved. I have tried to work closely and collaboratively with LSU and other groups since I started here. It was the University’s absolute focus on the student experience and the sheer ambition and pride of all I met – staff and students – that drew me to Loughborough. I am committed to getting this right. Thank you.

Emma Leech
Director of Marketing and Advancement


For more information about our visual identity see some questions and answers