Jacksonville University’s athletics program, the Jacksonville Dolphins, unveiled a complete new visual identity on August 28, 2018, at Swisher Gymnasium on campus. The redesign was led by Joe Bosack & Co., a firm that has also created logos for the NCAA Final Four and the SEC basketball tournament. Athletic Director Alex Ricker-Gilbert said the time was right for “a complete reimagining of our brand identity.” [1] [2]
Design and History
The 2018 primary athletics logo features a green “JU” ligature with gold accents. The negative space between the letters forms a dolphin fin, and the accent color at the bottom of the letters gives the fin the appearance of a wave. The reverse arch of the primary logo is a subtle nod to the 1970 men’s basketball team that appeared in the NCAA title game. [1] [3]
The secondary logo is a dolphin with the word “JAX” beneath it. According to the university, the updated dolphin was born from the iconic dolphin sculptures in the center of campus, representing “the agility, skill and athleticism of our student-athletes as well as the upward trajectory they’ve all taken JU athletics.” [1] [3]
Prior to the 2018 update, the Dolphins’ primary logo featured a dolphin jumping through a teal and black “JU” mark, a design used from 1996 to 2018. [4] The 2018 redesign removed the literal dolphin from the primary mark, replacing it with the fin-and-wave negative space, while introducing a sleeker dolphin as a secondary element. [5] [3]
The university’s official colors are forest green and white, with the oak tree as its symbol and the dolphin as its mascot. [6] The athletics department’s dark green and gold color scheme remained in place after the 2018 redesign. [3]
Meaning and Symbolism
The university states that the new JU ligature features “a flow to it created by the serifs at the edge of the letters,” inspired by the school’s location on the water. As a school located on the St. Johns River and a few miles from the ocean, the wave-like fin is described as “an authentic representation of who we are and where we are.” [1]
Typography and Design
The 2018 identity introduced a custom font for the athletics program, replacing the previous typography. The primary logo is available in two-color and one-color versions, and on green or dark backgrounds it may appear in either white or gold. A number of secondary logos exist for use throughout athletics to accommodate different apparel and backgrounds. [3] [7]
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