The University of Bristol’s visual identity is built around a graphic block derived from the university’s coat of arms, combined with a logotype. The current logo, launched in February 2024, retains the heraldic symbols representing the city and the university’s founding families while removing the dolphin emblem associated with slave trader Edward Colston. [1]
Design and History
The university’s crest was granted alongside its Royal Charter in 1909. [2] In 2003, the university unveiled a new visual identity that retained key elements of the coat of arms but redrew them for modern use. These elements included the ship and castle representing Bristol, the sun, horse and dolphin representing the university’s founders and benefactors, and an open book representing learning. [3]
The 2003 logo distilled the heraldic icons from the coat of arms with a graphic representation of an open book in the lower half, combined with a type block set in Bembo. [4]
In November 2023, the university announced its £10 million Reparative Futures programme, which included the decision to remove Colston’s dolphin emblem from the logo. Colston was a 17th century investor in the slave trade whose statue was toppled into Bristol Docks during a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020. The university received no funding from Colston, who died nearly 200 years before the university was founded, but his personal emblem, the dolphin, formed part of the institution’s crest and modern logo. [1]
The refreshed logo launched in February 2024. The sun symbol of the Wills family and the horse emblem of the Fry family remain, reflecting the decision to acknowledge the institution’s history by explaining the historical significance of these figures in terms of their relationships with the university. The castle and ship symbols come from the medieval seal of the city of Bristol, dating back to the 13th or 14th century. [1]
The university began a phased update of the logo to limit wastage and manage the refresh cost effectively, updating digital platforms and prominent campus signage first, with other changes made as materials and signage need replacing. This means a mix of logos is likely to be used across the university for some time. [1]
Meaning and Symbolism
The book of learning, previously referenced in the shape of the lower left and right segments of the logo, was reinforced and strengthened in the 2024 refresh by the addition of moving pages and a bookmark. This image reflects the institution’s core mission of education and learning. [1]
The traditional coat of arms, or university crest, still contains Colston’s dolphin, although the university expects its use will be reduced over time. [2]
Typography and Design
According to the university’s earlier brand guidelines, the logo was made up of two elements: the graphic block and the logotype. The logotype was set in Bembo, a typeface cut in 1929 with Renaissance origins. The principal colours of the logo were University Red for the graphic block and black for the logotype. University Red was specified as Pantone 187, with a hex value of #b01c2e. [5]
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