Starting this fall, Rockets will begin to see a fresh perspective on the Toledo they know. The University of Toledo has recently undergone a rebranding to connect the main campus and UToledo Health under the same brand.
In the fall of 2023, the decision was made to rebrand, and in December of the same year, the University entered a $585,000 contract with Milwaukee-based firm BVK. The purpose of this contract was to conduct research including quantitative and qualitative data on the University, and to work with the University to develop the new brand.
“We were really looking for an outside perspective who can come in and give fresh eyes to the things that we’re doing,” said Meghan Cunningham, vice president of marketing and communications at UToledo.
Starting in January, the University and BVK began work on research, including surveys and focus groups which accounted for opinions of students, staff, and faculty as well as hospital patients, prospective students and parents, and the Ohio public. The University also conducted extensive stakeholder interviews, as well as input from student government and clinical leadership at UToledo Health.
In creating the new brand for the University, Toledo has adopted the new slogan, “The Power To Do”, pulling ‘To Do’ from first two and last two letters in Toledo.
This slogan will be used for the academic and clinical operations of the University, combining both under the same identity.
The University also decided to refresh their secondary color palettes, using the color accent of magenta for academic operations and cyan for clinical operations.
“Our colors are always going to be blue and gold. We’re the Rockets, we are blue and gold forever. But we also have secondary and tertiary palettes,” said Jen Sorgenfrei, executive director of marketing and communications.
In addition to the new slogan and color palette, the University has refreshed their marketing material, including updates to both the University and Health websites, new admissions materials and billboards, and new social media templates, including updated business cards, fonts, and letterheads.
The University as well as UToledo Health have also filmed multiple commercials and promotional videos to highlight the rebranding and the adoption of both sides of UToledo under the same brand.
These videos were filmed at the end of June, and featured UToledo students, staff, and alumni.
The videos can be found on social media, streaming services, and the Health and University websites. These various videos will be shown throughout the state, targeting local areas for healthcare, as well as parent influencer and prospective student audiences for academics.
“I think it’s a step in a great direction… but I think that the traditional blue and gold are a better color palette,” said UToledo sophomore Makayla Richardson.
The University has researched and received feedback on the rebrand, and according to Meghan Cunningham and Jen Sorgenfrei, initial reactions have been positive.
“We’ve received really positive feedback about the brand, particularly those engaged on the healthcare side are excited to see them so well connected to the university side,” Cunningham said.
The rebranding is far from simple, and new materials must be adopted to be up to brand standards for the University and UToledo Health, as well as general upkeep for the new brand and filtering through of old brand materials, which will take time and resources.
According to the University, the additional investment for advertising assets which included the video and photoshoots, television commercials, and digital, print, and outdoor billboard materials was $1.3 million, funded by both the university and the hospital. These materials and cost are for both the University and UToledo Health, and will continue to be used for a few years.
This step in a new direction for Toledo will affect both academic and clinical operations, and Rockets can begin to familiarize themselves with UT’s new look.
“We are telling the story of who UToledo is,” Cunningham said.
