On Sunday, April 7 the Pittsburgh Panthers unveiled new logos and uniforms for all of their athletic teams.
The university also unveiled their new Cathedral font and stripe designed after the Cathedral of Learning on the Pitt campus.
From the Pitt Athletics:
”CATHEDRAL FONT Type tells a story. The right typeface, used consistently, builds character. To assist in creating a consistent look for a wide variety of athletic communications, custom alpha and numeral sets have been designed to enhance the overall brand. Two options have been created. The Panther's Script that ties back to the Primary Pitt Script as well as the Cathedral Font. The Cathedral Font takes inspiration from the parallel lines and pointed arches found in the Gothic architecture of the iconic Cathedral of Learning; the epicenter of the Pitt campus. The pointed arches have been reserved for the letterforms where it makes sense and a curvature would naturally occur. MASCOT HISTORY The adoption of the panther mascot dates back to 1909, during a meeting of student and alumni leaders. According to alumnus George M.P. Baird, who first suggested the idea, Felis Concolor was chosen as the University's mascot for the following reasons: (1) it was the most formidable creature once indigenous to the Pittsburgh region; (2) it had ancient, heraldic standing as a noble animal; (3) the happy accident of alliteration; (4) the close approximation of its hue to the gold of Pitt's colors, blue and old gold; and (5) no other college or university then employed it as a symbol. BRAND EVOLUTION Pitt's brand evolution was intended to create a flexible system of elements that are visually consistent, provide a strong brand identity. The goal in doing so, is to capture new audiences in an authentic and meaningful way. Composed of core elements including logo, color and typography, as well as extended expressions including treatments and textures, this wide range of tools is designed to be flexible and expandable—so you can use your creativity to innovate across all media. DESIGN APPROACH Although the Pitt Script is as iconic as it gets in the athletic world, it was important to build a supporting identity that is inspired by the most iconic structure on the University's campus, and perhaps in all of North American campuses. The Cathedral of Learning is unanimously pointed to by both alumni and students as the heart of the school. The Neo Gothic-style pointed arch motif fills every aspect of the building. It became a natural extension to embed that aesthetic into the new elements of the identity. CATHEDRAL OF LEARNING HISTORY The Cathedral of Learning owes its existence to the vision and persistence of John Gabbert Bowman, Pitt's chancellor from 1921 to 1945. The Cathedral of Learning was constructed of Indiana limestone and built with the pennies, nickel and dimes of area school children. A structure expanding upward, though unorthodox, would solve the growing University's problems of space and distance. More important, a tower would be a visible inspiration to all who approached the city. It would carry the message that education was the result of aspiring to great heights. The parallel lines of the truncated Gothic form, never meeting, would imply that learning is unending. The sweeping proportions would symbolize the spirit and achievement of Pittsburgh. Architect Charles Z. Klauder translated these concepts into drawings that guided the placement of steel and stone. COLOR PALETTE The new blue and gold colors are a reinterpretation of the color palette made famous by Pitt's golden era of football. Originally introduced by Coach Johnny Majors, as a way to sharpen up the uniforms, and stand out from rival Notre Dame, who shared the navy and old gold colors at the time. The new versions of the blue and gold have been created so that it is easily reproduced, and therefore will drive a consistent look across all mediums. When it comes to communicating the Pitt Athletics brand, color is quintessential. The color configurations show how Pitt's primary and secondary colors can be expanded analogously to build harmonious color palettes and complementary pairings. Color is one of the most important elements of the Pitt Athletics identity system.”
You can view their brand guidelines here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/pittsburghpanthers.com/documents/2019/4/9/Pitt_IDManual_FINAL_Share.pdf
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