Posted on: Saturday, August 7, 2004

Public underwhelmed by UH logo finalists

By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Education Writer

The people have spoken, and they are not happy with the six potential University of Hawai'i logo designs.

Of the 660 people who submitted opinions during the weeklong public comment process, 49 percent did not like any of the designs, instead suggesting that the university solicit more designs or give up the idea of changing the logo.

In general, critics found the designs too generic, abstract and boring, more suited to represent financial or medical institutions than a university.

"One should not have to try to figure out what it is or where it is from," one respondent noted in an e-mail to the university.

More than 18 months and nearly $90,000 into a search for a unifying logo, the university finds itself in much the same place it was last spring — with designs that few in the community support but with a mandate to move forward.

While the new logo designs by local graphics firms did not raise as much of an uproar as two designs submitted last year by a Baltimore firm, they are almost as unpopular with the public.

The most popular design — the stylized UH — received 18 percent of the votes, with many of its supporters lauding its bold, clean lines and modern design suggesting a university moving into the future.

But even some of the support for the favored design was lukewarm. "Design #3 seems to have the best possibility if it did not appear that the top of the "H" was a butt sitting on a rope," another e-mail said.

A 15-member evaluation committee will begin meeting Wednesday to come up with a recommendation for the UH Board of Regents. They are not bound by public opinion, nor are they required to choose one of the six designs.

Students on campus yesterday wondered why the university did not just solicit potential logos from the UH art department.

"We have lots of talent here at the university. Why don't they utilize it more than they have?" asked Kevin Hirano, a philosophy major who ran a campus contest to find a logo for the "Manoa Maniacs" student section for athletic events. "We didn't spend anything," he pointed out.

By contrast, the university spent $72,000 for the designs rejected last year and has paid $5,000 for each of the three finalists in the current round of designs. If one of the logos is selected, the winner will receive another $5,000.

Like many who commented, Hirano did not see much of an improvement over the previous submissions.

Biology major Cat Garafalo said she was disappointed in the submissions.

"I think the current one looks better," she said.

Her thoughts were echoed in many of the submitted comments, as people wondered what is wrong with using the university seal or the Warrior "H."

Or, as McCully resident Harry Chu suggested, "Why don't they just knock it off and put the old rainbow back?"

With 150 logos used across the university system, electrical engineering student Paul Linden understands the need for a unifying logo, but rather than accept one of the finalists, he would rather see members of the UH community get a chance to submit designs, because they are better connected to the university.

Liliha resident Wendell Yamada agrees with the decision to go with professional designers rather than open submissions, since design is a complex process requiring technical and psychological considerations.

However, he pointed out even the professional designers failed to recognize the negative connotations in some of their designs, as one design illustrates book burning, while another looks like a woman's legs.

"I believe that at this point one design should be chosen based on its basic concept, and then sent back to the designers for revisions with input from the public holding some consideration," he said.

The problem with the university's decision-making process is "too much committee," Yamada said. "Public opinion is a nice idea, but the public isn't always the best judge of design," he said.

Since the university holds little hope of reaching a public consensus, Yamada suggests they just pick a design and run with it.

"It's time to get on with the marketing plan," he said.

Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8014.