College 'branding' includes new logos

The Mid-Plains Board of Governors has approved a new logo for the area.

As part of its institutional identity program the board formed an ad hoc committee to look at a new logo for the college earlier this year. In March the committee chose Bozell and Jacobs LLC, a marketing and advertising firm from Omaha to develop a logo to be used in advertising and publications and on letterheads, envelopes, business cards, forms, building and vehicle signage and other applications.

After meeting with college faculty members, staff, students and members of the general public, the firm used what they had heard and created a series of logos.

The project was underwritten by the Mid Plains Technical Community College Area Foundation.

The college is to begin using the logo immediately.

Board members approved an articulation agreement with Bellevue University to provide program offerings, staff and services at both McCook Community College and North Platte Community College.

Unlike current programs, Bellevue offers accelerated degree completion for undergraduates and graduate programs. The Advanced Studies program is designed to allow students within the Mid Plains Community College Area the opportunity to pursue upper division, undergraduate and graduate programs closer to home, said Chuck Saelstrom, Director of Public Information.

The board also approved a study to begin designing a universal sign system for the three colleges in the area.

Innerface Sign Systems will develop a plan for effective college-wide interior and exterior identification and location maps. Once the plan is developed, the next step will be to extend bids for the purchase of interior signs.

In an attempt to overcome shortfalls in the state's contributions to the college, board members removed more than $750,000 from the budget, bringing the overall budget for the institution to $13.95 million -- an 8.38 percent increase over last year.

The board had increased tuition beginning with the current fall term from $50 to $60 and implemented a $5 per credit hour fee assessment to all classes taken for credit.

During Wednesday's meeting the board requested an increase in the general fund levy from 6 cents to 6.9 cents. Ryan Purdy, MPCC's business officer said the colleges' portion of the tax bill would increase by $6.75, from $52.50 to $59.25.

The board will meet for a budget hearing Sept. 10.

The acceptance of a new logotype or "branding" for the institution was part of a long process, according to college officials.

After the college name decisions were completed last winter, it was decided that a new "branding" and/or logo should be adopted to better reflect the two-college multi-campus Mid-Plains system.

Former Board Chair Betty Wadewitz appointed Rick Kolkman, Harold Bennett, Chuck Salestrom, and Dr. Mike Chipps to an ad-hoc Marketing committee and charged them with developing a new logotype that would be used in advertising and publications and on letterhead, envelopes, business cards, forms, building and vehicle signage and other applications as part of the overall institutional identity program.

In March, the Ad Hoc Marketing Subcommittee selected Bozell and Jacobs LLC, a marketing and advertising firm from Omaha.

After the completion of more than 10 focus meetings with internal college faculty staff and students, and the public, the B & J staff took what they heard in the focus groups and created a series of logos to reflect both college and location identifiers. When they returned to report their findings back to the focus groups, it was very clear to them that the major institutional message focused on "students first." From that, they begin working on designs that might clearly state that message.

According to Sara Martens, Bozell and Jacobs Senior Account Director, once the new logo design was created by their creative services department, it became the instant choice.

Several weeks ago, Ms. Martens presented the new logotypes to the various focus groups and was accepted, without hesitation, by all those who participated in the process.

She told the various focus group participants "your new mark is not a literal drawing of 'Students First.' It will come to represent the position through the actions, messages and images that the organization associates with the logo. Your brand look that accompanies the logo is student-focused in its visuals and design and writing style."

The logos are unified but also allow for individualized campus identifiers. "The logos are designed with a common visual element, but also offer a personalized mark for each location. By keeping the visual element consistent, Mid-Plains as a whole is building its identity. The identity system is also flexible and can easily accommodate future additional locations," she said.

She also pointed out that the logos must be used with consistency. It should be used without modification. "Inconsistent use is the greatest injustice you can do to yourselves and your new logo," she told the group.

While the logo has been accepted, Bozell and Jacobs work is not complete. According the Chuck Salestrom, Area Director of Public Information and Marketing, a specifications book will be developed so that those within the institution will know the proper ways to use the new logos. As part of the original proposal, Bozell will also create animated versions of the logos for television and other media uses.

It's presumed that those items will be completed within the next few weeks.

At their meeting Wednesday, the board of governors accepted the new logotype and extended their appreciation to the ad hoc marketing subcommittee, those who participated in the internal and external focus groups, and MPTCCA Foundation. Mid-Plains Technical Community College Area Foundation underwrote the entire cost associated with the project.

Upon their acceptance, the board further directed administration to begin using the new logos in all institutional marketing efforts effective Aug. 28, 2003.