The University of Wisconsin System rebrands as the 'Universities of Wisconsin'
It may take some getting used to but the state's public university system will now be the "Universities of Wisconsin."
Throwing out half a century of operating as the University of Wisconsin System, President Jay Rothman rolled out the rebranding Tuesday.
“The Universities of Wisconsin is the best way to describe our thirteen excellent universities,” Rothman said in an announcement about the name change. “This new name rightfully shifts the focus from the System to the Universities that are providing opportunities to the students and families we serve.”
Rothman said that while he and others will begin referring to the Universities of Wisconsin immediately, the University of Wisconsin System will remain the official legal name of the state’s public universities.
The cost of the overall rebrand? About $480,000, UW spokesperson Mark Pitsch said.
UW employees collaborated with BVK, a Milwaukee advertising agency, and Baker Tilly, a public accounting and consulting firm headquartered in Chicago, on the new logo and other work. The project included research, assessment, brand presentations, strategic counsel and other work, Pitsch said.
The rebrand comes after a bruising budget season, with hundreds of university employees facing furloughs or layoffs this school year, and as the public increasingly questions the value of a university degree.
"I was hired, in part, because of my private sector experience," Rothman said in a statement to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Any private business would want information about how their brand is viewed by the public. This rebranding effort, which is addressed in our strategic plan, is the result of that work and only the first step in changing how the Universities of Wisconsin engage with the public, including the business community."
Rothman's strategic plan approved late last year calls for leveraging the UW brand through an umbrella marketing campaign to drive enrollment.
Jonathan Copulsky, a senior lecturer at Northwestern University who has expertise in marketing and branding strategy, said the rebrand may help some of the state's smaller universities by affiliating with UW-Madison's stronger brand.
"Obviously, (UW) is a pretty powerful brand, and I would think for the individual campuses, calling them UW would increase the potential attractiveness to applicants," he said. "My gut says it will not have any significant downside for Madison because people already regard it as the crown jewel. But if it lifts Milwaukee or Whitewater or the other campuses, that could help in the eyes of donors, research sponsors, as well as students."
The rebrand ditches the maroon logo for one with teal accents and an outline of the state borders.
Employees will transition websites, letterhead and other materials with the new name and logo in the coming months.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel will continue to refer to the state's public university system by its legal name.
Contact Kelly Meyerhofer at kmeyerhofer@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @KellyMeyerhofer.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: UW System rebrands to Universities of Wisconsin
