Reviewed by: Pat Byington
UAB unveils new logos for university, medicine and athletics
Reading time: 3 minutes
On Monday, July 29, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) unveiled a new brand identity designed to reflect the university’s growth and increase brand recognition.
For the first time in UAB’s history, the university, medicine and athletics departments will share the same primary logo.
About UAB’s 2024 Brand Refresh
One major accomplishment of UAB’s new brand refresh is the establishment of a single, unified logo that will be consistent across all UAB entities:
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham
- UAB Medicine
- UAB Athletics
“At the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), we are proud to unveil a refreshed visual identity that reflects our dynamic growth, commitment to excellence, and bold vision for the future.
UAB’s brand refresh is more than logos; it is designed to enhance the way we present ourselves to the world.
For the first time in our history we share a primary logo that will be used across university, medicine and athletics.”
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)
UAB’s new unified monogram features a cleaner design, complete with spaced lettering for improved legibility and recognition.
The brand refresh also includes minor changes to the beloved Blaze logo, including:
- Replacing black accents with green
- Updated dragon features, including teeth and ears
The brand refresh re-establishes UAB’s official colors as green and gold, with an updated color palette featuring a rich, darker green and a brighter gold.
In addition, UAB’s brand font has been updated from Avenir to Aktiv Grotesk, a modern sans-serif font chosen for its enhanced readability and contemporary look.
When will we see UAB’s new brand logos?
According to UAB, the new brand refresh will take place in three phases over several years.
Phase I | Announcement (July 2024)
- Share update and first look at refreshed brand with key stakeholders and the public.
Phase 2 | Soft Launch (Fall 2024)
- August 26th – Primary logos for university, medicine and athletics, along with spirit marks will be available for internal use.
- Architectural signage for new buildings such as UAB Early Learning Center.
- Student recruitment materials
- Athletic touch points such as Protective Stadium scoreboard, football field, and men’s basketball uniforms
Phase 3 | Full Launch (January 2025)
- Launch of new brand and logo toolkit with full brand guidelines for university, medicine and athletics. Unit, school and college lock-ups will be available for download.
- Coordinated profile image updates for official UAB social media accounts
- Brand education workshops and trainings will be offered.
- Former logos will officially transition to legacy logos. Only new logos will be approved in the marketing approval process going forward.
What do you think of UAB’s new brand identity? Which logos do you like more? Tag us @bhamnow to let us know!
