You would think that a school that spends so much time talking about the branding and the equity a brand holds within it's history, it's consumer (or students in this case) and it's appearance would be smarter than this. To me it just weakens everything that the Adcenter had originally stood for. I think I'm proud to not be a part of the new generation. Whoa, where did that come from?
This is a bad example of how things will look, so let's not jump to conclusion. The triangle motif is actually pretty cool when applied to the Web site and the new design is much cleaner and more mature. Unlike the current site.
I'll never get used to the name Brandcenter, but I think we are just being nostalgic and any change will seem bad.
It's true that we shouldn't jump to conclusions, i guess. However, i think the website could've become cleaner and more mature without abandoning the 'Adcenter.'
I'm not totally sure about the logo, but I think Brandcenter is really smart. Consumers are attracted to brands these days anyway, not ads. So the school its looking at the big picture - the future, because ads mean less and less to consumers every day. As a planner, it is also a signal to me how serious they are about my position in the industry as well as brand managers. This name also signals we are way more than a portfolio shcool - we stand for something more serious. Of course it will take getting used to, but hopefully it is a signal that the industry might actually move forward.
Agencies are traditionally horrible about branding themselves. I feel like this is true of our graduate school as well, regardless of the name we go with.
What this really seems to come down to though, is what your personal proclivity for prestige is made up of; whether you look at this from an internal industry point of view, or a general business one.
If you look at either of these names from an Ad industry POV- they are good, solid reminders to others that you went to the (arguably) best school in the nation for what you do. It gives you access to others who did the same- creating an instant bond not unlike those i imagine ivy league schools have.
If you look at it from a more general point of view- it's pretty damn silly. It's certain that anyone you tell in passing is going to take a school name like that a hell of a lot less serious-than, say, Virgina Commonwealth University. It's just the way it goes.
So, why not speak out of both sides of our mouths- or use the haughtiest of all names: The (Brand/Ad)center, graduate advertising program at Virgina Commonwealth University.
-Like the Graduate Writers College at the University of Iowa.
In the end, it does say a lot- but only to those of us that go/went there. To everyone else who would care, its just a moniker of easy association for a program by now synonymous with quality in our field.
And ain't that what matters anyway?
Just as long as they don't order any more of those lettermen/bomber jackets.
so far, everyone at my office (who has even heard of our school) just refers to it as VCU anyway.
kind of makes me laugh a bit though, if they're supposed to be good at building brands, they probably wouldn't be fiddling with a solid brand, and confusing people...
13 comments:
seriously? who says 'business' in the name of their school?
well, i suppose business schools, but weird.
i don't like this.
i just threw up in my mouth a little bit.
go rams?
no.
(even though it makes me want to play with Tan Grams)
You would think that a school that spends so much time talking about the branding and the equity a brand holds within it's history, it's consumer (or students in this case) and it's appearance would be smarter than this.
To me it just weakens everything that the Adcenter had originally stood for. I think I'm proud to not be a part of the new generation.
Whoa, where did that come from?
This is a bad example of how things will look, so let's not jump to conclusion. The triangle motif is actually pretty cool when applied to the Web site and the new design is much cleaner and more mature. Unlike the current site.
I'll never get used to the name Brandcenter, but I think we are just being nostalgic and any change will seem bad.
It's true that we shouldn't jump to conclusions, i guess. However, i think the website could've become cleaner and more mature without abandoning the 'Adcenter.'
I'm not totally sure about the logo, but I think Brandcenter is really smart. Consumers are attracted to brands these days anyway, not ads. So the school its looking at the big picture - the future, because ads mean less and less to consumers every day. As a planner, it is also a signal to me how serious they are about my position in the industry as well as brand managers. This name also signals we are way more than a portfolio shcool - we stand for something more serious. Of course it will take getting used to, but hopefully it is a signal that the industry might actually move forward.
Why can't I help myself? Sigh.
Agencies are traditionally horrible about branding themselves.
I feel like this is true of our graduate school as well, regardless of the name we go with.
What this really seems to come down to though, is what your personal proclivity for prestige is made up of; whether you look at this from an internal industry point of view, or a general business one.
If you look at either of these names from an Ad industry POV- they are good, solid reminders to others that you went to the (arguably) best school in the nation for what you do. It gives you access to others who did the same- creating an instant bond not unlike those i imagine ivy league schools have.
If you look at it from a more general point of view- it's pretty damn silly. It's certain that anyone you tell in passing is going to take a school name like that a hell of a lot less serious-than, say, Virgina Commonwealth University. It's just the way it goes.
So, why not speak out of both sides of our mouths- or use the haughtiest of all names: The (Brand/Ad)center, graduate advertising program at Virgina Commonwealth University.
-Like the Graduate Writers College at the University of Iowa.
In the end, it does say a lot- but only to those of us that go/went there. To everyone else who would care, its just a moniker of easy association for a program by now synonymous with quality in our field.
And ain't that what matters anyway?
Just as long as they don't order any more of those lettermen/bomber jackets.
was that those fancy glasses talking josh?
so far, everyone at my office (who has even heard of our school) just refers to it as VCU anyway.
kind of makes me laugh a bit though, if they're supposed to be good at building brands, they probably wouldn't be fiddling with a solid brand, and confusing people...
I don't think the name matters. We can call it Adcenter or Brandcenter or Poopcenter. People will always know that VCU graduate students are legit
Felix likes the new "triangle" motif because R/GA had a lot to do with the new branding.
And, I think Brand and Adcenter are bad names. I thought our school was about innovation? Innovation Center sounds pretty cool.
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