University of Auckland unveils modernised logo

When you think of brands or big organisations, you think of one logo associated with that brand. 

But over the years, as Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland has grown, different faculties, departments and research centres have had their own variations. The result is a patchwork of thousands of logos that lack consistency in colour, shape and readability.  

That’s now changing. The University is introducing a modern, unified logo to be used across all faculties, departments and in its international marketing. 

The refreshed logo features a simplified design in the University’s official colours, with an updated version of the traditional shield. It’s clearer, more accessible and meets standard accessibility guidelines, which require logos to be high contrast and easy to read, with complementary colours. 

Mark Howard, director of marketing and recruitment, explains the University didn’t want to change too much, but there was a real need to start representing the University as one institution and brand. 

 “We are keeping the 120-year-old crest, in a tidier form, because it represents our history and is a core part of our identity. The logo is the visual representation of the sum of all our parts so it’s exciting to unite all aspects of the University under a single logo.

“But we are simplifying it and making it accessible – and very identifiable as the University of Auckland.”

He said there have been minimal costs associated with the refreshed logo, and these will be offset by cutting out the need for custom logos for different parts of the University. 

“Now it’s one logo for everyone.” 

The other cost saving is in the font. The new font is a free Google font, which puts an end to the cost of paying for font usage.

The design also includes Waipapa Taumata Rau at the top and University of Auckland bolder below. This is in keeping with the agreed convention outlined in the University’s te reo Māori policy and language revitalisation plan. In international markets, the logo will always be seen in the context of other information that clearly identifies the University's New Zealand location. 

The refreshed logo will be rolled out over 18 months, for domestic and international use. To keep costs down, materials featuring the University logo will only be updated when they need replacing.