CREDIT: STEPHANIE LAI
Fanshawe College revealed its new logo April 2; the first rebranding exercise the logo has undertaken since 1981.

On April 2, Fanshawe President Peter Devlin unveiled the College's new brand and visual identity. The new brand promise — to educate, engage, empower and excite — reflects Fanshawe's desire to help people reach their full potential.

“Fanshawe has been the go-to place for successfully navigating change for almost 50 years,” said Devlin. “Our look may have changed, but our commitment to unlocking the potential of students, staff, alumni, businesses and communities continues as strong as ever.”

Fanshawe has dubbed its redesigned logo “NorthStar,” because of its visual and symbolic link to the star famous for helping generations of travellers find their way.

“The time is right for us to do this,” said Devlin. “Competition is increasing, demographics are changing and colleges have to strengthen their reputation to ensure long-term success. In response, we have developed a clear, compelling and distinct profile and story.”

The rebranding effort gathered input through a series of online and in-person surveys, workshops and individual interviews. More than 6,000 responses were received from all College audiences, including prospective students, current students, staff, alumni, guidance counsellors, business and academic leaders, government and community partners.

“NorthStar and the new brand give Fanshawe a single look and message across all our campuses and community locations, and it's perfect for the College,” said Devlin. “I believe staff, students, alumni and prospective students will be proud to be associated with it for many years to come.”

This is the first rebranding exercise the College has undertaken since 1981, when the image of four stylized F's was created to represent the four counties served by Fanshawe campuses.

NorthStar is a dynamic reinterpretation of the old symbol being turned outward.

The changes in Fanshawe's visual identity are not limited to the launch of a new logo — it also includes a slight colour shift to the same red used for the Canadian flag — reflecting the College's desire to be seen as a national education leader.

The legal name — the Fanshawe College of Applied Arts and Technology — will remain unchanged and be used where appropriate.

The home page of Fanshawe's website has been given a fresh new look to reflect the new brand identity and outdoor and indoor signage at Fanshawe campuses will be changed gradually over the coming year.

Complete details about the new brand are available at www.fanshawec.ca/brandstory.