People often associate budget cuts with the University, but administrators are looking to create a new, hopeful image to brand the University: “Love purple, live gold.”
Herb Vincent, University associate vice chancellor for University Relations and senior associate athletic director, said the campaign was focused on the color gold, which represents excellence, achievement and prestige.
“Purple, passion — we love what we do, and we’re excited about research. Band is excited about sporting events,” said Jewel Hampton, University art director, who coordinated task force efforts for the campaign. “Gold is about hitting the gold standard of excellence. It’s more focused on presenting who we are to prospective students.”
In such a difficult economic time, Vincent said it’s difficult but necessary to brand the University with a new image now.
“The campaign is mostly about who LSU is and trying to define LSU based on the community that makes up this University,” Hampton said. “In that sense, the challenge we have in communicating for LSU every day is this private market of 16- to 20-year-old prospective students.”
Chancellor Michael Martin said it’s an ideal time to brand the University with a new message.
“People are trapped with old images and old phrases,” Martin said. “[The new campaign] is to recognize the place is always changing.”
Martin said once people mull over “love purple, live gold,” they’ll reflect on what it means to them.
“To me, if you embrace and invest yourself here, you’ll live better as a result of it,” Martin said. “Invest in a great education experience, and every part of life will be enriched.”
The process to create the new idea started last fall with a team from various University departments. Hampton said they started with three basic sketches of new campaigns, including one focused on gold, which is closest to the final product.
The task force surveyed, used focus groups and questioned high school students, University students, faculty and staff, alumni and donors about possibilities for new slogans.
“Over the last couple of years, we’ve been looking towards having something that would be more university-wide,” Hampton said.
The new slogan has already made some appearances — on two billboards in downtown Atlanta for the football opener against the University of North Carolina and in the 30-second TV spot that appears during University-televised football games.
“Our audience is very wide,” Vincent said. “We’re trying to show LSU is a high-achieving institution.”
The slogan will also appear on the T-shirts for this Saturday’s football “gold game” against Mississippi State. Vincent said “love purple, live gold” billboards will start appearing throughout the state in October.
Vincent said it’s unclear how much money the University will spend on the new campaign because the funds will come from various budgets.
Hampton said they’re trying to use the University’s dollars to the utmost efficiency.
Though the University does an ad campaign every year, Vincent said the new campaign will encompass all University message efforts, including recruiting and advertising in publications.
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Contact Catherine Threlkeld at [email protected]