https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/uc-berkeley-launches-first-part-rebrand-cal-19472766.php

Nasal Mucus Goldenbear said:

---

BearSD said:

---

This may not be a solvable problem. Many of our sports fans want the football helmet logo attached to all aspects of the university; the faculty and administration want that associated with sports. The faculty and administration want Berkeley because the name has worldwide academic cachet; many sports fans and boosters would go ballistic if "Berkeley" was the name on the front of the football or basketball jerseys.

They are trying to make both camps happy with Berkeley branding for academics and Cal branding for athletics. See: https://brand.berkeley.edu/news/updated-brand-identity-launches

---

I'm OK with that approach. But having a "B" as the logo for the academics/research side doesn't make any sense. The prestige is attached with the spelled-out word "Berkeley," not with the letter "B". "B" is associated with Boston, or Baltimore, or even Buffalo. Don't get cute, simply spell out the word.

The abbreviation "B" also serves to confound the academic side with a sports-like logo, bringing even more confusion where distinction & clarity are the targets. Be consistent in keeping the 2 spheres separate.

It's actually a desirable situation that most people don't associate embarrassing/below-average teams with our prestigious university. A clear & uniformly demarcated dual-branding approach is a feature, not a bug. And if some sports programs become consistently elite (such as our aquatics teams), everyone who even casually follows those sports will already know that Cal/California = sports at the Univ. of California, Berkeley.

---

Agree 100%

Anarchistbear said:

---

Bk too Burger King

---

Nope - Capital "B" and small "k". Bk. The people you want to get it will get it. The people who think a periodic table is something you buy at Crate and Barrel, well screw'em.

That's what they had been using for a long time. The B replaces the Bk on social media.

https://brand.berkeley.edu/news/updated-brand-identity-launches

Quote:

---

The Cal logo is unchanged, preserving its rich history and tradition. The Berkeley logo is being updated to address issues with legibility at small sizes, usability in digital environments, and incompatibility between the two logos while maintaining the equity built over generations.

The Berkeley logo is based on the University of California Old Style typeface created by Frederic Goudy for the University of California Press. The typeface is also known as Berkeley Old Style and Californian. Over the years, the Berkeley logo has evolved while maintaining its connection to the Goudy typeface.

---

Quote:

---

Color palette

For the past decade, academics and athletics have used different color palettes. Moving forward, the traditional "Berkeley Blue" and "California Gold" will be used in all contexts. Berkeley Blue has been brightened to better match the saturation of California Gold. An updated simplified secondary color palette will complement the primary blue and gold.

---

95bears said:

---

They really hit all their channels at once... here's LinkedIn:



Amazing to think they could coordinate anything overnight, like this rebrand on digital.

---

I am less anti-"Berkeley" than most folks here. I would love for people throughout the land to know that "Cal"/"California" and "Berkeley" are the same school. I love the "Welcome to Berkeley" and wouldn't mind even having a small-font "Berkeley" somewhere on our uniforms. (very small font).

But this "B"? What the heck?!? No! Hell no! We already have a letter... and it's "C"!

The "B" stands for bullsh*t.

Freaking out over the B replacing the BK on socials seems weird.

Why would Carol Christ, who presumably knew she was going to retire this year for quite some time, launch this rebrand before the new Chancellor? What a nonsensical/unneeded controversy to hand off to him.

Is our navy blue cal logo changing to this brighter Berkeley blue now??

Someone needs to be given a position on the rebranding committee. Bk is what is should be dammit!

B is for bozos and bureaucrats

BearSD said:

---

This may not be a solvable problem. Many of our sports fans want the football helmet logo attached to all aspects of the university; the faculty and administration want that associated with sports. The faculty and administration want Berkeley because the name has worldwide academic cachet; many sports fans and boosters would go ballistic if "Berkeley" was the name on the front of the football or basketball jerseys.

They are trying to make both camps happy with Berkeley branding for academics and Cal branding for athletics. See: https://brand.berkeley.edu/news/updated-brand-identity-launches

I don't have an answer that will satisfy both groups. Maybe there isn't one.

---

I can't wait until the city copies the B branding...and there is nothing to be done with hit. How can Cal ask people to pay for that?

Cal was a used car salesman in la. What does it have on your sheepskin? Seventy two easy payments and the pinto is all yours?

oregoncalbear said:

---

The California script is one of the best logos in the country. Why ruin this?

---

I ask the same question about the state of California itself.

HATE IT!!!

I get the underlying logic.

Just go with what every other unit does -

UCB

as it is important to first recognize "UNIVERITY OF CALIFORNIA".

Think if UCI went "I"....or SantaCruz.....SC.....or UCSB - "SB". It is horrible.

Our alma mater is the University of California. There's no "B" in that.

And we are most likely paying serious money to consultants for this, sigh

captainbonzo said:

---

That's what they had been using for a long time. The B replaces the Bk on social media.

---

Thank you! Not being a Facebook or X user, I did not know this was the case. So, the Cal marketing team actually did something right, and now they're undoing it. I guess the humanities and social science folks were pissed that BK was a nod to the hard sciences? What can I say, but . . . typiCAL!

Big C said:

---

95bears said:

---

They really hit all their channels at once... here's LinkedIn:



Amazing to think they could coordinate anything overnight, like this rebrand on digital.

---

I am less anti-"Berkeley" than most folks here. I would love for people throughout the land to know that "Cal"/"California" and "Berkeley" are the same school. I love the "Welcome to Berkeley" and wouldn't mind even having a small-font "Berkeley" somewhere on our uniforms. (very small font).

But this "B"? What the heck?!? No! Hell no! We already have a letter... and it's "C"!

The "B" stands for bullsh*t.

---

Same here. I work in a professions where I think about branding and strategic positiong a lot, for startups who have zero identity or awareness. Cal isn't a well understood brand at all and has awareness with no substance behind it that the average person knows anything about. And off of I5 you can get a nice "Cali" hat, some folks out there think our brand is some state tourism campaign or something. On the other hand, Berkeley is so branded it brings tons mental images to people's minds, further cemented recently by Oppenheimer (Lots of commmies around Berkeley! And brilliant scientists!).

I don't really know what the answer is, but it feels like they are honing in on *something* because Berkeley works great in Academics and professionally for alums, but we all take pride as alums in being sons and daughters of California. Cal-Berkeley is bad and it looks like they're moving away from that recommendation. The"B" thing is so meh and adds confusion IMHO.

You do have to consider strategically the position you're giving up with these changes. The #2 always wants to beat the #1 and sometimes I think Cal is either ignorant or complacent about this. I just stumbled randomly across the UCLA decals below when grabbing the "Cali" logo. If we give up California (and adopt UCLA's "B"), we're ceding unequivocal flagship positioning to the southern branch.

Someone with knowledge on BI mentioned awhile ago Lyons is a proponent of "Berkeley", so hold on to your seat for this continued rebranding ride.

95bears said:

---

I just stumbled randomly across the UCLA decals below when grabbing the "Cali" logo.

---

Don't panic.

You can buy the same state-outline decal with the Cal logo on it, in "our" colors. $6.95 at the link below.

https://www.carstickers.com/products/stickers/college-basketball-stickers/product/details/california-golden-bears-state-shape-ncaa-sticker-ncaa07/

Big C said:

---

95bears said:

---

They really hit all their channels at once... here's LinkedIn:



Amazing to think they could coordinate anything overnight, like this rebrand on digital.

---

I am less anti-"Berkeley" than most folks here. I would love for people throughout the land to know that "Cal"/"California" and "Berkeley" are the same school. I love the "Welcome to Berkeley" and wouldn't mind even having a small-font "Berkeley" somewhere on our uniforms. (very small font).

But this "B"? What the heck?!? No! Hell no! We already have a letter... and it's "C"!

The "B" stands for bullsh*t.

---

Maybe you should change your login name to Big B before someone else takes it!

I honestly have no idea how big a deal Berkeley is for the academic side of Cal but for sports, a topic I've spent my entire life following (until recently) I know that all the great college programs have gone by one name plus their school mascot. That's it. The more we dance around and present alternatives the worse whatever outcome we are trying to achieve. For sports, anyway, stick with Cal...period.

On our rugged Eastern foothills,
Stands our symbol clear and bold,
Big "B" means to fight and strive
And win for blue and Gold.
Golden Bear is ever watching;
Day by day he prowls,
And when he hears the tread
Of lowly Stanfurd red,
From his Lair he fiercely growls.
What's he say? He says:
Grrrrrah, Grrrrrrah!
Grrrr, Rrrr, Rrrrrah!
We are Sons of Berkeley,
Fighting for the Gold and Blue.
Palms of glory we will win
for Alma Mater true.
Stanfurd's men will soon be routed
By our dazzling "B",
And when we serpentine,
Their red will turn to green,
In our hour of victory!
What's he say? He says:
Grrrrrah, Grrrrrrah!
Grrrr, Rrrr, Rrrrrah!

Blech!

Gimme a "B"!!!!

socaliganbear said:

---

Freaking out over the B replacing the BK on socials seems weird.

---

We use Bk???

I'm fine with Berkeley on the academic side, but the B logo is ridiculous. UCLA uses a block B for their athletics, so maybe we should just rename ourselves The Northern Branch of the University of California, Los Angeles. It's a prestigious 150+ year old university, not a fast food joint that needs a modern logo with a shelf life of 5 or 10 years.

scibear said:

---

Gimme a "B"!!!!

---

Ohh say can you B!

82gradDLSdad said:

---

I honestly have no idea how big a deal Berkeley is for the academic side of Cal but for sports, a topic I've spent my entire life following (until recently) I know that all the great college programs have gone by one name plus their school mascot. That's it. The more we dance around and present alternatives the worse whatever outcome we are trying to achieve. For sports, anyway, stick with Cal...period.

---

Slight modification: for sports, California officially and Cal as the shortened nickname. Keep reminding them that Cal is short for California. All our fight songs use California. As we enter the ACC and no longer play UCLA and Southern Cal, it is an opportunity to reassert our original and rightful full name for East Coast fans.

calumnus said:

---

82gradDLSdad said:

---

I honestly have no idea how big a deal Berkeley is for the academic side of Cal but for sports, a topic I've spent my entire life following (until recently) I know that all the great college programs have gone by one name plus their school mascot. That's it. The more we dance around and present alternatives the worse whatever outcome we are trying to achieve. For sports, anyway, stick with Cal...period.

---

Slight modification: for sports, California officially and Cal as the shortened nickname. Keep reminding them that Cal is short for California. All our fight songs use California. As we enter the ACC and no longer play UCLA and Southern Cal, it is an opportunity to reassert our original and rightful full name for East Coast fans.

---

Fair enough.

3.0 university

Last Xmas, my S-I-L got me a zip up and mugs and a Cutter and Buck polo with the now-obsolete logo. I couldn't be happier! I will continue to proudly wear the O.G. script Cal logo.

So I'm an old track/XC guy. I wasn't any great shakes, but regardless, I guess we are now proud members of the Big "B" Society?

*** is the matter with our leaders?

captainbonzo said:

---

Good to see an official rejection of the "Cal Berkeley" rebrand idea at least.

---

Yes, but is "Cal State Berkeley" still alive?

I think Cal is try to be like "Harvard", "Standfurd", "Columbia", hence, "Berkeley".
Try to cash in on the academic institution name recognition.