Stampede of Mustang reaction after new Cal Poly shield and logo unveiled

Memes, outrage and an online petition. That’s how Cal Poly’s brand refresh has been received after it was unveiled last week.

However, university officials say they’re proud of their new design and are clarifying how the new shield logo will be used.

To give you an idea of what a lightning rod this new logo is, there are over 21,000 students at Cal Poly and only around 3,000 voted in the last student government election.

At last check, a petition to “stop the rebrand” has over 7,000 signatures.

We showed students a picture of the new “Learn by Doing” Shield on campus Tuesday.

“All I see is the giant waste of money that it cost the school,” said Blake Messmer, a Cal Poly Freshman.

“I just think it kinda looks like something from a commercial,” said Cal Poly First Year Marissa Mitchell

There’s a stampede of negative reaction among some Mustangs.

“It’s like the communist regime motto,” said Celia King, a Cal Poly Sophomore. “My roommate is a graphics communication major and I feel like she could’ve done, made something like 100 times better.”

“There’s so much more to Cal Poly than a feather and a hammer,” said Daphne Hummell, Cal Poly First Year.

“It doesn’t give me any idea as to what Cal Poly is. This is more of what San Luis Obispo is,” said Lauren Powell, a Cal Poly First Year.

Not every student is against the new rebrand, however.

“I like how it shows the mountain range and more of the agricultural side of Cal Poly,” said Levi Krull, Cal Poly First Year.

“I think it’s better that everyone kind of gets the Cal Poly motto now. It’s a lot more comprehensible,” said Cole Bumen, a Cal Poly First Year.

School officials tell us they engaged education marketing firm SimpsonScarborough to lead an initiative to update the university’s entire brand platform.

Officials say it took over a year and $340,000 to develop the brand refresh.

“I pay tens of thousands of dollars every year just to go to school here and the fact that they’re wasting my money on something as nonsensical as this when there are so many other things that they could be spending money on, this makes me mad,” said Messmer.

University Spokesman Matt Lazier says anytime there’s change they expect some sort of critical reaction.

“The university is proud of the work that has gone into this branding initiative and proud of the results. Any time there is change, there will always be some who are critical of that change. We understand that, but we’ve also received positive feedback and believe that the campus community as a whole is supportive of the effort,” said Lazier in a statement.

Officials say the old Presidential Seal hasn’t necessarily been replaced. The crest featuring a coat of arms and a Latin inscription will still be used on diplomas, certificates and transcripts. The new “Learn by Doing” shield will be used more commonly throughout university publications and in marketing efforts.