The Lehigh Mountain Hawks are the athletic teams of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The university’s visual identity for athletics centers on the Mountain Hawk, introduced in November 1995 as Lehigh’s first official three-dimensional mascot and an athletics nickname. The same launch introduced a coordinated graphic identity system that remains the foundation of the program’s marks today.
Design and History
In November 1995, the Lehigh Student Senate and the Department of Athletics jointly introduced the Mountain Hawk as Lehigh’s first-ever athletics mascot. At the same time, the university unveiled a new graphic identity that included a primary logo (Lehigh with the Mountain Hawk in the background) and a secondary logo known as the L-Hawk.[1] The mascot was unveiled on November 11, 1995.[2]
Before the Mountain Hawk era, Lehigh’s teams were associated with the “Engineers” nickname. The university continues to use “Brown and White” and “Engineers” when referring to Lehigh athletics teams of the past, particularly those prior to 1996, while referring to all current teams as Mountain Hawks.[1]
On November 19, 2008, 13 years after its creation, the Mountain Hawk mascot was given the name Clutch through a student voting process.[1]
Lehigh’s current athletics identity is managed as a controlled system of marks. University brand guidelines list protected marks including the primary Lehigh University logo, the institutional shield, the L Hawk, overlapping LU logos, and Lehigh wordmarks.[3] Use of the L-Hawk logo as a standalone mark is reserved for athletic teams only.[3]
Meaning and Symbolism
Lehigh’s official brand guidelines state that Lehigh Brown and White have been the university’s primary colors since 1867.[4] The official Lehigh Brown is specified as Pantone 1545 C with hex code #502D0E.[4] The university’s art sheet for licensed merchandise lists Brown, Yellow, Red, and Brown 2 as colors within the mark system, with Brown specified as Pantone 1545 C.[5]
Typography and Design
Lehigh’s brand guidelines establish rules for how its marks may be used. Athletic marks, such as the L Hawk and the athletic “Lehigh” wordmark, can only be used on Brown, White, Tan, and Gray merchandise.[6] The university requires that correct and current PMS color codes always be used and prohibits altering the Lehigh logo in any way.[3] No official Lehigh logo may be merged with a secondary logo or design.[3]
Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
