The unofficial online home for fans of the Western Michigan University Broncos. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(04-03-2022 09:45 PM)BroncoMD Wrote:  

(04-03-2022 07:50 PM)Flashboski Wrote:  

(04-03-2022 01:58 PM)BroncoMD Wrote:  

(03-29-2022 02:16 PM)Cocksman Wrote:  

(03-29-2022 09:07 AM)HeatherF Wrote:  check out the comments on the latest post. People still aren't having any of it.

https://www.instagram.com/westernmichu/?hl=en

Yeah, the school has been getting hammered on Instagram with bad rebrand comments. Keep it up. We can’t ever settle for this crap this person gave us.

This doesn't surprise me at all. I continue to run into students and alumni who either hate it or don't care because they don't wear WMU gear. It cracks me up how the channel 3 poll continues to get brought up as it was manipulated over the July 4th, 2021 weekend FOR the new logos/colors. I bet it is in the neighborhood of 90% for the previous (Dunn rebrand) logos versus 10% for the new (Proudfoot) logos -- I'm talking for people who actually care. I bet the majority of the 10% are alumni who graduated over 30 years ago.

A local news poll manipulated about a freakin logo?

Get a grip man.

Trust me, I wouldn't have believed it either if a number of us didn't witness it happening in real time. It was either a bot or someone had way too much time on their hands for a holiday weekend. The poll wasn't even close until that weekend -- and I wasn't about to waste my weekend on a poll.

I voted like 15 times in the span of just a few minutes. Let’s just say it was easy

(04-03-2022 01:58 PM)BroncoMD Wrote:  

(03-29-2022 02:16 PM)Cocksman Wrote:  

(03-29-2022 09:07 AM)HeatherF Wrote:  check out the comments on the latest post. People still aren't having any of it.

https://www.instagram.com/westernmichu/?hl=en

Yeah, the school has been getting hammered on Instagram with bad rebrand comments. Keep it up. We can’t ever settle for this crap this person gave us.

This doesn't surprise me at all. I continue to run into students and alumni who either hate it or don't care because they don't wear WMU gear. It cracks me up how the channel 3 poll continues to get brought up as it was manipulated over the July 4th, 2021 weekend FOR the new logos/colors. I bet it is in the neighborhood of 90% for the previous (Dunn rebrand) logos versus 10% for the new (Proudfoot) logos -- I'm talking for people who actually care. I bet the majority of the 10% are alumni who graduated over 30 years ago.

I posted that before that crazy Randy guy added his comments. Funny he brought up the Channel 3 poll from months ago. Wonder who would have enough time/be that nuts to keep voting in that thing?

Interesting that they used the Bronco head and not the circle W in the intro for the new basketball coach.

It appears the one logo movement started happening years ago as this article from 2017 points out: https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/cal...emic-logos

However, the last paragraph in the article hit me the hardest as it was NOT "executed with a meticulous eye toward design."

Quote:In any case, it’s a fun time to be examining identity marks in the industry. One final note: Alumni have intense nostalgia and profound emotional connections to their institution’s marks, whether academic or athletic. So any shift must be carefully considered, well planned, and of course, executed with a meticulous eye toward design.

(04-14-2022 12:31 PM)BroncoMD Wrote:  It appears the one logo movement started happening years ago as this article from 2017 points out: https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/cal...emic-logos

However, the last paragraph in the article hit me the hardest as it was NOT "executed with a meticulous eye toward design."

Quote:In any case, it’s a fun time to be examining identity marks in the industry. One final note: Alumni have intense nostalgia and profound emotional connections to their institution’s marks, whether academic or athletic. So any shift must be carefully considered, well planned, and of course, executed with a meticulous eye toward design.

Nice article and sound/logical premises of making the "athletic mark" more predominant, which could easily be backed up with some research/focus groups. Love the Michigan State example and CU Buffalos.

Ironically, it completely contradicts Tony Proudfoot and Companies approach, which isn't backed up with any research.

(04-15-2022 07:23 AM)Brownandgoldlaker Wrote:  

(04-14-2022 12:31 PM)BroncoMD Wrote:  It appears the one logo movement started happening years ago as this article from 2017 points out: https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/cal...emic-logos

However, the last paragraph in the article hit me the hardest as it was NOT "executed with a meticulous eye toward design."

Quote:In any case, it’s a fun time to be examining identity marks in the industry. One final note: Alumni have intense nostalgia and profound emotional connections to their institution’s marks, whether academic or athletic. So any shift must be carefully considered, well planned, and of course, executed with a meticulous eye toward design.

Nice article and sound/logical premises of making the "athletic mark" more predominant, which could easily be backed up with some research/focus groups. Love the Michigan State example and CU Buffalos.

Ironically, it completely contradicts Tony Proudfoot and Companies approach, which isn't backed up with any research.

It sure didn't seem like there was much research done. Proudfoot and company didn't even appear confident in their approach as there was no major announcement -- only a Youtube video in the middle of December that nobody watched.

"In an effort to create a new level of engagement with the WMU fan base and community, the Western Michigan University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is pleased to announce the introduction of the WMU Fan Advisory Committee.
The purpose of the committee is to not only engage our dedicated fans by gaining valuable feedback from the group as it relates to the overall fan experience, but also keeping in mind those we serve:
Bronco Student-Athletes
Bronco Fans/Alumni/Supporters
Bronco Staff & Coaches
The dialogue and feedback from the group will be utilized to enhance the overall fan experience at all WMU athletic events across the board."


https://twitter.com/WMUBroncos/status/15...fq26YqAAAA

https://wmubroncos.com/news/2022/5/10/ge...ittee.aspx

"We hope the Fan Advisory Committee can serve as a platform for our fans to offer perspectives from their own experiences which will assist WMU Athletics with the evaluation and enhancement of the fan experience at our events. We need to know where we are succeeding, along with where opportunities for improvement exist."

The changes to the athletic branding was a major mistake!!! I look forward to seeing who is on this committee in June and I hope they also provide contact information for each of these individuals so we can offer our perspectives.

(05-12-2022 08:07 AM)Brownandgoldlaker Wrote:  "We hope the Fan Advisory Committee can serve as a platform for our fans to offer perspectives from their own experiences which will assist WMU Athletics with the evaluation and enhancement of the fan experience at our events. We need to know where we are succeeding, along with where opportunities for improvement exist."

The changes to the athletic branding was a major mistake!!! I look forward to seeing who is on this committee in June and I hope they also provide contact information for each of these individuals so we can offer our perspectives.

This topic will be front and center as it should be for most students, staff, alumni and fans. The real question is if they even bother addressing it.

(05-12-2022 03:34 PM)BroncoMD Wrote:  

(05-12-2022 08:07 AM)Brownandgoldlaker Wrote:  "We hope the Fan Advisory Committee can serve as a platform for our fans to offer perspectives from their own experiences which will assist WMU Athletics with the evaluation and enhancement of the fan experience at our events. We need to know where we are succeeding, along with where opportunities for improvement exist."

The changes to the athletic branding was a major mistake!!! I look forward to seeing who is on this committee in June and I hope they also provide contact information for each of these individuals so we can offer our perspectives.

This topic will be front and center as it should be for most students, staff, alumni and fans. The real question is if they even bother addressing it.

The scope of the committee is the game day experience so I doubt the rebrand will even be discussed; but I agree that the rebrand should be on the agenda. I signed up for the committee. Let’s see if my two degrees from Western ( that includes my MBA) 35 years of marketing experience and a former player status gets me there.

(05-14-2022 11:25 AM)bronco89 Wrote:  I signed up for the committee. Let’s see if my two degrees from Western (that includes my MBA) 35 years of marketing experience and a former player status gets me there.

If it doesn't we will know the university really doesn't care about meaningful input.

(05-14-2022 11:25 AM)bronco89 Wrote:  

(05-12-2022 03:34 PM)BroncoMD Wrote:  

(05-12-2022 08:07 AM)Brownandgoldlaker Wrote:  "We hope the Fan Advisory Committee can serve as a platform for our fans to offer perspectives from their own experiences which will assist WMU Athletics with the evaluation and enhancement of the fan experience at our events. We need to know where we are succeeding, along with where opportunities for improvement exist."

The changes to the athletic branding was a major mistake!!! I look forward to seeing who is on this committee in June and I hope they also provide contact information for each of these individuals so we can offer our perspectives.

This topic will be front and center as it should be for most students, staff, alumni and fans. The real question is if they even bother addressing it.

The scope of the committee is the game day experience so I doubt the rebrand will even be discussed; but I agree that the rebrand should be on the agenda. I signed up for the committee. Let’s see if my two degrees from Western ( that includes my MBA) 35 years of marketing experience and a former player status gets me there.

If that doesn't get you on the committee, I don't know what will.

Can you imagine these freshman students thoughts when they arrive to campus and realize their logos and colors are different than the vast majority of students, alumni, and even the athletes jerseys? There is more gameday confusion now than there has been over the past 30 years.

Ok so this rebrand lacks personality. It’s simplified to the point of being meaningless. I want my brand to relate to me in a personal way.

Like that time in the fall of 1966. My girl friend and her girlfriend call from GVSU they were tired of the cornfields and wanted some action. Sue drove them down. I got my roommate Wayne to be my sidekick because he was 21. He bought us a quart of Bacardi and some Coke. We drove and we drank. We got back to Fox quite late. We strolled in 5 shots over the line. We rolled around on the lounge floor like drunken animals. After awhile the mail desk attendant came over and invited us to get the hell out. The girls snuck into the girls dorm somehow.

Now that’s the kind of thing I want to remember. I don’t want a W in gold chastity ring. I mean if they are going to give me a chastity ring I want it to be pink.

(05-17-2022 03:28 PM)Dirty Ernie Wrote:  Ok so this rebrand lacks personality. It’s simplified to the point of being meaningless. I want my brand to relate to me in a personal way.

Like that time in the fall of 1966. My girl friend and her girlfriend call from GVSU they were tired of the cornfields and wanted some action. Sue drove them down. I got my roommate Wayne to be my sidekick because he was 21. He bought us a quart of Bacardi and some Coke. We drove and we drank. We got back to Fox quite late. We strolled in 5 shots over the line. We rolled around on the lounge floor like drunken animals. After awhile the mail desk attendant came over and invited us to get the hell out. The girls snuck into the girls dorm somehow.

Now that’s the kind of thing I want to remember. I don’t want a W in gold chastity ring. I mean if they are going to give me a chastity ring I want it to be pink.

you made my day

The rebrand is simplified and meaningless to almost everyone associated with WMU.

Funny, I was poking around Reddit and I came across this students comments regarding the rebrand:

Quote:Finishing up my senior year at WMU as a marketing major.

Good god this entire project is a disaster, from a Public Relations, Financial, and Student/Alumni morale standpoint. Literally, no one we talked about this with liked the changes, or thought it was a useful way of spending their resources. We held multiple discussions in class about how horrible this project was. For crying out loud, the heads of the marketing department have been very vocal about how stupid this was. Yet they still pushed forward.

If they’re going to waste OUR tuition money, on top of the money they got from that big donation they received, just to work on this…they’re going to see it reflect 5 years down the road when enrollment continues to decline.

They’ve tried to “simplify” it to a two color scheme, and a changed the W to align with “what other universities are doing”. Not only are they failing to capitalize on what makes western different, and want to aesthetically look “like the other universities”.

Reference: https://www.reddit.com/r/kzoo/comments/t..._comments/

Interesting that the walls on second floor near WMU AD office have been repainted in what I would call “Vegas Gold”.

Is it me or has Proudfoot rebrand turned WMU into Generic U?

- Generic Circle W logo
- Generic fonts to go along with the Circle W
- Generic "Spirit Mark" that looks worse than the original Ghost Bronco
- Generic gray uniforms
- Generic "Home of the Broncos" written across the side of the football stadium -- does any other IA team have this? It seems like this belongs on a t-shirt not on the stadium wall.
- Generic boring colors

There is nothing special about WMU's product anymore. Nothing to get excited about.

Welcome to Generic U!

(06-08-2022 08:01 AM)BroncoMD Wrote:  Is it me or has Proudfoot rebrand turned WMU into Generic U?

- Generic Circle W logo
- Generic fonts to go along with the Circle W
- Generic "Spirit Mark" that looks worse than the original Ghost Bronco
- Generic gray uniforms
- Generic "Home of the Broncos" written across the side of the football stadium -- does any other IA team have this? It seems like this belongs on a t-shirt not on the stadium wall.
- Generic boring colors

There is nothing special about WMU's product anymore. Nothing to get excited about.

Welcome to Generic U!

You can criticize this rebrand for a lot of things. But, focusing on your colors being brown & gold is not generic. You only have two colleges (Western & Wyoming) & one pro team (Padres) who have these colors. That’s unique.

(06-08-2022 08:18 AM)BroncoMinor Wrote:  

(06-08-2022 08:01 AM)BroncoMD Wrote:  Is it me or has Proudfoot rebrand turned WMU into Generic U?

- Generic Circle W logo
- Generic fonts to go along with the Circle W
- Generic "Spirit Mark" that looks worse than the original Ghost Bronco
- Generic gray uniforms
- Generic "Home of the Broncos" written across the side of the football stadium -- does any other IA team have this? It seems like this belongs on a t-shirt not on the stadium wall.
- Generic boring colors

There is nothing special about WMU's product anymore. Nothing to get excited about.

Welcome to Generic U!

You can criticize this rebrand for a lot of things. But, focusing on your colors being brown & gold is not generic. You only have two colleges (Western & Wyoming) & one pro team (Padres) who have these colors. That’s unique.

And it’s an easy argument as to why there are so few schools/teams in brown and gold.

We're brown and gold? I thought we were brown, black, grey, white, yellow, and gold.