June 6, 2011
LA JOLLA, Calif. -
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The Mountain West Conference Board of Directors (BOD) and Commissioner Craig Thompson today unveiled the league's new brand direction and conference identity at The Lodge at Torrey Pines, site of the annual BOD spring meeting.
Thompson, joined by Lt. Gen. Michael Gould, BOD chair and superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy; Dr. Stephen Weber, president at San Diego State University; and Dr. Neal Smatresk, incoming BOD chair and president at UNLV, ushered in a new era in the 13-year history of the Mountain West with a new logo nicknamed "The Rock" and the tagline "This is our time."
In addition to presenting a new Mountain West (MW) logo and theme, Thompson outlined the most comprehensive branding effort in the history of the Conference. As the basis for this major re-branding initiative, the Conference solicited the opinions of more than 8,000 constituents including members of the Mountain West Board of Directors, athletic administrators, coaches, fans and members of the media.
"This initiative is emblematic of the evolution of our league," Thompson stated. "The overwhelming majority of the people we spoke to said the Mountain West is bold, feisty and highly competitive, and we strongly believe these qualities are reflected in our new brand identity and our new logo."
The changes in the Mountain West extend far beyond the logo that will adorn uniforms and playing surfaces throughout the league. Beginning in July, an expanding fan base will also be able to experience new digital initiatives, including more original content on a re-designed Mountain West web site (www.TheMWC.com) and on social media platforms. The league has also tapped Loma Media, a nationwide creative services entity, to upgrade its advertising and outreach strategies. Loma Media will employ an NFL Films-style look and feel to the Conference's television, radio and print campaigns and will produce motion media content for all platforms on a monthly basis.
The unique logo itself is a strong symbol of a league on the rise, invoking comparisons to stately campus buildings and the Rock of Gibraltar. It is unlike any other conference mark. Reflecting the expanded membership from the mountains to the ocean and addressing the previous prevalence of mountain imagery and word marks, the letters representing 'Mountain' and 'West' are given equal weight and dimension.
"Our fans were right in noting that our evolving membership and geography reflect both 'Mountain' and 'West' equally," Thompson said. "The logo is bold, strong and balanced just like our league. We like the fact that it's instantly recognizable to fans on either side of the playing field."
"There's never been a more exciting time to be a part of the Mountain West," Gould noted. "The success our member institutions have enjoyed both athletically and academically and the positive new membership changes on the horizon means we've never been more united. We're proud to state 'This is our time' because we believe our future is unquestionably bright."