The Robert Morris Colonials are the athletic teams of Robert Morris University in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, a Pittsburgh suburb. The university’s athletic identity has centered on the Colonial figure since 2006, when the department replaced its previous “dome atop RMU” mark with a new logo family featuring the head of a Colonial. In 2020, the athletics department streamlined that identity, promoting a wordmark-based primary logo that remains in use today.
Design and History
Prior to the 2006-07 season, the Robert Morris University athletic department unveiled a new logo family for use on apparel, uniforms, publications, merchandise and competition venues. The process began in the spring of 2006 with focus groups and a logo selection committee. Rickabaugh Graphics, a design firm based in Columbus, Ohio, was chosen to create the logo. The new athletic logo incorporated the Colonial as part of the department’s identity, described at the time as “tough and aggressive, yet with a collegiate style.”[1]
The primary mark unveiled on August 10, 2006, featured the head of a Colonial atop the Robert Morris Colonials wordmark, replacing the dome atop “RMU” used by the department since 2002. Rickabaugh Graphics also produced sport-specific logos, secondary marks with just the words Robert Morris and RMU, a standalone Colonial head, and the design of a new mascot costume.[2] The new mascot, RoMo, was introduced in 2006.[3]
In September 2020, the RMU Department of Athletics unveiled a refreshed brand identity and creative strategy with the launch of the “UNITE” campaign. In the spring of 2020, RMU athletics partnered with Old Hat Creative to undergo a comprehensive brand study. According to the department, the RMU logo and identity marks that had been in place since 2007 remained but were streamlined to include one primary mark and a secondary mark, with a modification to the RMU primary logo and an updated font package.[4]
Separately, in 2013 the university moved to a dual-logo approach for academic and athletic purposes. President Gregory Dell’Omo explained that the university would use its official academic logo, featuring the dome-like graphic, for academic and formal communications, while the athletic and social graphic would use the “RMU” abbreviation with a red banner running underneath it.[5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The Colonial figure in the athletic logo directly references the university’s namesake, Robert Morris, a Founding Father and signer of the Declaration of Independence. The university’s athletic teams adopted the Colonials nickname to honor this heritage. The 2006 redesign was driven by the growth of the athletic department, which had added six new sports since 2003, with the athletic director stating the new logo was something student-athletes, coaches, faculty, staff and alumni could “rally around and feel proud of.”[2]
Typography and Design
Robert Morris University publishes official color specifications for its brand. The official colors are Robert Morris University Blue (PMS 282, web #14234b), Robert Morris University Red (PMS 186, web #e51937), and Robert Morris University Gray (PMS 421, web #b2b1ae).[6] The 2020 refresh included an updated font package as part of the streamlined identity.[4]
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