Wharton adopts a 'bolder and cleaner' logo

Though it was developed in October, the Wharton School of Business is finally putting its new logo to use. According to Wharton Deputy Dean Janice Bellace, the school has adopted a new and improved design, which sports a "bolder and cleaner look." Introduced in the fall of last semester, the new logo will gradually replace the "flying W," which previously appeared on all Wharton-related paraphernalia. Designed by Joel Katz Design Associates, the new large "Wharton" is an electronic drawing of a classic font called Caslon 540. Colored in the traditional Penn blue, the logo does not have an official unveiling date. "The change was no huge decision," Bellace said. "It was more of a gradual change than anything else." Departments within the school were encouraged to use up their existing stationary and brochures before ordering supplies with the new logo. Wharton Reprographics was the first to run out of paraphernalia with the old logo, and has been using the new logo since the beginning of the semester, according to Assistant Manager of Reprographics Customer Services Leroy Heartsfield. But other departments, including Marketing and Finance, are still using the old logo. Discussions about changing the logo arose during a meeting last academic year, according to Bellace. Some administrators and faculty said they felt the old logo needed updating, explaining that they thought it appeared heavy. "It might have been powerful back in the '80s, but many agreed that it needs to be dated," Bellace explained. The ability to transmit the logo legibly through fax machines was also taken into consideration in the development of the new design. "Back in 1984 when the old logo was developed, there were no fax machines," Bellace said. She added that the former logo did not scan very well. "People couldn't read the italicized University of Pennsylvania part of the logo," she said. Over the past few months, Wharton has collected input from administrators, faculty, students and external audiences through interviews, questionnaires and research. They were asked what they thought of the old logo and how it could be updated. Although the design was shown to University President Judith Rodin, the final decision was made by senior faculty and staff of the Wharton school based on information received from marketing research, according to Bellace. Bellace said most administrators and faculty have not reacted strongly to the change. "Most people saw it as an updating," she said. "Some people didn't even notice it." Students only started to pay attention to the new logo when Wharton Reprographics sold folders and bulkpacks with the new logo on them. "Most students seemed receptive to the new logo," Heartsfield said. And Bellace said no one expressed any disapproval regarding the change. The previous logo was developed in 1984 when Rush Palmer became dean of the school, Bellace said. Wharton had not changed their logo since then.