Cal Athletics Introduces New Visual Identity
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he University of California Athletic Department has unveiled an updated visual identity for the Golden Bears, showing a set of graphics, colors and imagery that pays homage to Cal’s historic past and creates a contemporary look and feel for the future. Among the changes fans will see are uniforms that portray a coherent theme throughout all sports, consistent use of Cal’s blue and gold colors across a wide range of platforms from uniforms and team performance gear to signage and advertising, as well as a new Bear logo that comes alive with renewed spark and energy. However, one significant element will not be altered: the Golden Bears’ most enduring and iconic mark - the script Cal - will continue as the primary logo for all of the University’s intercollegiate athletic teams. “We feel we have developed guidelines that respect Cal’s strong tradition and universally-recognized marks,” Director of Athletics Sandy Barbour said. “At the same time, we realize that we need to create a look designed to evolve with our changing world.” Fans can purchase gear with the new identity today online through the Cal Bears Shop, the official outfitter of the California Golden Bears, or on campus at the ASUC Student Store. Most other outlets that offer Golden Bear merchandise will have products available before the end of April. Cal Athletics worked collaboratively with the Nike design team to create the new brand identity. The core elements of the unified identity include logo, color and type usage designed for flexibility and to keep pace with the athletic department’s evolving needs. Cal’s blue and gold colors remain, but will now be used across programs to create consistency among team uniforms where variations have developed over time. An additional third color – gray – will be introduced in some cases to accent Cal’s traditional shades. The distinct Cal script logo will remain the primary mark for the Golden Bears and serve as the main visual identifier. “Our script logo is recognized around the world by alumni and fans, so we felt it
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was important to maintain the equity it has built,” Barbour said. “We have worked to embrace the aspects of our visual brand that are firmly entrenched in our department’s culture, while coming up with new marks in areas where we haven’t been as consistent or developed a strong brand presence.” One example is the Golden Bear logos, where a wide variety of shapes and sizes have been used over the years. In their place will be a new bear mark portraying a powerful, intelligent force that reemphasizes the reasoning behind establishing the bear as Cal’s mascot more than 100 years ago. To help build a coherent look for a wide variety of athletic communications, a custom font has been designed. In addition, unique word marks for California and Golden Bears, using the font, form a clear and consistent identity. Many of the older Cal marks, such as drawings of Oski, are enduring images for Golden Bear fans and will remain available on a wide range of items, such as t-shirt and sweatshirts, but Cal’s team uniforms and performance apparel will use the updated identity. “When it comes to developing our brand, consistency is key,” Barbour said. “This work is crucial to our efforts to not only develop but also advance and leverage the brand that is Cal Athletics. Our student-athletes and coaches are excited about the new look and feel of our department, and we hope our fans will share in the enthusiasm.” For more on the new visual identity, visit CalBears.com/unifythebears.