Spring Break
Facebook petition sinks revamped logo
Derek Schlickeisen
Issue date: 9/12/07 Section: Focus
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Armed only with their computers and disdain for the "Middlebury Leaf," Sarah Franco '08 and Alex Benepe '09 brought more than 700 students together in their group "Just Say No to the Middlebury Logo" within days of the College's announcement of its new graphic identity to accompany a $500 million capital campaign.
"I first learned about the new logo at the end of May," said Franco. "A friend of my supervisor came by our office, carrying a box with a sign bearing the new logo, and she informed me that that was our new logo."
While Franco and Benepe's efforts became united online, their initial impetuses were different.
"I started a Facebook.com group for the sheer purpose of sharing this logo with my Middlebury friends and poking fun at it," said Franco, adding, "This was purely selfish and not at all altruistic. It wasn't even my intention to stop the logo."
Benepe had bigger plans.
"Almost everyone I know is on Facebook," said Benepe. "It's also extremely rapid - you can invite 400 people to a group in five minutes. And while it may not have the same weight as a real, tangible group of people, it still has numbers that make a strong argument."
The short and mostly good-natured fight over the logo pitted Franco, Benepe and their followers against the product of the prestigious New York branding firm Chermayeff & Geismar, creators of the famous NBC "peacock," as well as logos for universities like Cornell and NYU.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 25
bkr81
posted 9/12/07 @ 9:33 AM EST
"High profile design firms" also brought us the Edsel, New Coke, and the Pontiac Aztek. A clinker and a stinker. (Not they asked the alums' opinion, either). (Continued…)
Mary Claire Carroll
posted 9/12/07 @ 9:35 AM EST
As a parent of a Midd student I am frustrated that the college spent so much money for an ugly logo that doesn't reflect the college or Vermont. There are many Vermont firms who design for big corporations all over the world that could have done it better. (Continued…)
Chris
posted 9/12/07 @ 9:47 AM EST
I think that the correct "old saying" is: a camel is a horse designed by committee. No wonder the logo looks like a child designed it.
joseph
posted 9/12/07 @ 11:15 AM EST
Ol' "Coll Med Virid Mon" will do just fine, thanks. Its Latin is just stuffy enough and its sound just silly enough (pronounce the vee or is it W?) for all tastes. (Continued…)
CDG99
posted 9/12/07 @ 12:35 PM EST
"(Not they asked the alums' opinion, either)"
Amen to that! We're asked for money every year, we're asked to volunteer time to interview prospective students, we're constantly reminded of our "vital" importance to the future of the college, and yet, when the college decides to trash part of our memories, history, and in fact, the very seal that adorns our diplomas, we're not even included in a post factum announcement of the change. (Continued…)
Zarrow
Susan
posted 9/12/07 @ 12:51 PM EST
The new logo is almost identical to the Star of Bethlehem design used in many quilts. It is a Christian religious symbol and it is wholly inappropriate for use as the Middlebury logo. (Continued…)
Nate
posted 9/12/07 @ 12:53 PM EST
Wow! What a great job these students did organizing! Though McKenna might think horses are better than cows, others might want something useful and good to eat--and he just wants to run around looking pretty! Cheers to student involvement & Sarah and Alex! (Sarah, have you thought about running for public office?)
Mary
posted 9/12/07 @ 10:27 PM EST
I am proud of the sensible activism these students have taken up to oppose the adoption of this confusing and expensive new logo. Kudos to Sarah and Alex, who were paying attention, and to all the students that supported them! The whole notion of a new logo was silliness and a waste of money. (Continued…)
Jon
posted 9/13/07 @ 7:26 PM EST
I think its a wonderful logo with very smart, sensible typography. It's too bad that students (and alums) without any design sophiscation decided to voice their opinion. (Continued…)
pat Taylor
pat Taylor
posted 9/14/07 @ 9:27 AM EST
BRAVO!
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