The Background

University of Limerick is an independent third-level institution with 15,000 students, which has repeatedly been ranked among the world's Top 100 young universities. In 1989, University of Limerick had invested in a rebrand but, more than three decades later, felt it was time for the university's brand to be refreshed.

In our research phase of the brand positioning process, we spoke to students, alumni, members of faculty, management and industry partners who collectively identified University of Limerick as an educational institution that not only thinks but does differently to shape and create a better world. Our approach would be to evolve the existing identity to reflect a bold, dynamic, future-facing university.

The Idea

The brief was to maintain the two giant Irish Elks, Tau Cross, and Castle – an evolution rather than a revolution, to find a balance between heritage and modernity.

The Execution
The principal elements in the coat of arms of the previous logo were retained but re-rendered in a more straightforward, contemporary way. Striking a balance between heritage and modernity, innovation and the natural world, the introduction of water speaks to the university's beautiful setting and its fluid approach to education. Including the iconic flags that grace the entrance to the campus signal intent to challenge the future.

The visual language toolkit we developed is derived from the shapes and forms found in the university's architecture, while the physical landscape around it inspires organic patterns.