UC Logo Put Out Of Its Misery

change.org

Old left, new right.

They said would be used primarily online and that the 1868 "Let There Be Light" logo would remain for old-school letters and the like.

No dice:

This thing was more hated on than Anne Hathaway's pristine crotch. And detractors took to change.org to get UC administrators to put it to its death.

Success!

Today the system's senior VP for external relations, Daniel M. Dooley, officially announced the logo is a no-go. In a statement sent to the Weekly and other outlets, he says:

... While I believe the design element in question would win wide acceptance over time, it also is important that we listen to and respect what has been a significant negative response by students, alumni and other members of our community. Therefore, I have instructed the communications team to suspend further use of the monogram.

He notes that the hatred has been fueled, in part, by false information, which is true. Many believed that the new would have replaced the old entirely instead of having them live side-by-side, which was the plan:

In fact, the graphic element in question was never intended to replace the official seal that still graces diplomas and other appropriate documents. Rather, it was to provide a graphic cue to distinguish systemwide communications materials from those of individual campuses.

The monogram was only a piece of the visual identity system - a new approach to typography, photography, colors and the like - that was developed by UCOP design staff.

Even so, it was an ugly little thing, no matter where it would have ended up. Good riddance.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]