I have been reading lots of comments from Beaver fans about the "re-branding" and new Beaver logo (leaked version).

What is fascinating to me is how they relate this process to Oregon, and in most cases make that realtionship a negative reflection on Oregon ... but they try so hard that sometimes they don't see their own contradictions.

For instance, there is theme among their posts that they don't want Nike to do to OSU what Nike did to Oregon. But then folks post about how OSU NEEDS to do something to improve their image and create some excitement and marketing energy. Some OSU posters point out how successful Nike has been in sports marketing over several decades, but they can't seem to release themselves from the idea that Nike has a relationship to Oregon.

And this keeps me interested because it continues to demonstrate what I have seen dozens of times among fans ... they can't seem to separate Phil Knight and his desire to help Oregon from Nike. If they would simply look at Nike as a COMPANY that has been a part of sports marketing for a long time, and that is motivated by gaining or retaining market share and making money for their shareholders, then they might be able to see past Phil Knight and figure out that NIKE is very motivated to make whatever they do for OSU a success.

One of the recent comments I read had to do with the changing Beaver logos and images (Cartoon Beaver with a sailor hat versus "Angry Beaver" with script lettering, to interlocking OS, and now another change). The comment was from a poster that said he HATED the Angry Beaver logo so much that he threw away a sweatshirt he bought after several years wearing it and having people ask him about what it meant. I contrast that to the fact that I wear a Duck polo to work from time to time that has the old Interlocking UO and Duck image on it ... the polo is 20 years old and I still love it. Yes, I have all kinds of new "O" logo stuff (including one each game-day polos Green, Yellow, Black), but I still love my old Duck stuff too. I cannot imagine "hating" anything from Oregon.

One of the other comments from Beaver fans is that they don't want to explain the meaning of their new logo ... it should be self-evident. They use the "O" logo as an example saying that Oregon fans spend time explaining the outline of Autzen combined with the track at Hayward Field. It seems somewhat ironic that they complain about this explanation (as a negative about the "O") yet it is obviously EFFECTIVE because not only do they remember this detail about the meaning of the logo, they actually explain it in reference to the logo - and do so in a single sentence that ANYONE that knows anything about Oregon would know and understand the reference. That actually made me laugh when I read the "complaint" regarding the "O".

I am guessing that if you placed a yellow or green Oregon "O" on a white t-shirt today, and then you set that white t-shirt next to 3 other white t-shirts with a different "O" (like overstock.com or whatever), that any college football fan would recognize the Oregon "O" immediately. That is a pretty successful logo for the target market IMO.

A quick update ...

1. Beaver fans are STILL CONFUSED about Nike and Phil Knight. They somehow believe that NIKE cares about the success of Oregon over Oregon State on the field of play and in the marketing of licensed product. They don't seem to understand that NIKE the COMPANY cares only about increasing profits through sales ... Nike has NO ROOTING INTEREST in Oregon as a sports team. Nike cares about Oregon's high profile winning ONLY in how it affects sales.
2. Phil Knight has donated money to Oregon for facilities. Nike has NOT donated money or supplied ANY FUNDING to Oregon for facilities. Nike has a marketing and licensing agreement that supplies apparel and equipment along with cash to Oregon in EXACTLY the same way they do this relationship with dozens of other schools.
3. OSU fans somehow can't make the distinction among uniform designs and their own logo. They can have as bland a uniform as they want and add a new logo the the jerseys or helmets. Just because OSU accepts a new logo from Nike does NOT necessarily mean that OSU will have dozens of uniform combinations.
4. OSU fans confuse Oregon's athletic department marketing with Oregon's presence as a winning program in the NCAA across multiple sports. Yes, Oregon gets lots more air time on ESPN when the golf team, baseball team, volleyball team, basketball team and football team all compete at the highest levels in post-season play. But that does not change what Oregon's athletic department does to engage donors and ticket holders.
5. Some OSU fans actually don't like the Oregon "O" logo. Some of them somehow confuse the logo with the flashy uniform designs and billboard marketing ... and therefore try to diminish the "O" with these references. As I mentioned in the previous post, even their own fans that want to point out the negative aspect of the "O" logo because it requires an explanation about its design, demonstrate both the effectiveness of the design and the ease with which the message is related.
6. At least some OSU fans are realistic about the fact that a new logo or re-branding won't make them a better football, basketball or track school in the short term. It appears to be painful for them to admit that they have fallen behind and even if they try to catchup it is a long ways to go to be identified the way that Oregon is.

I think they're still butthurt about the bra unis Nike made for them. Those unis just added to the Beavers insecurities about all things Nike.
What they need to realize is that occasionally "new" and "edgy" attempts fail. That's why you end up with things like roboduck, or grellow helmets. Unfortunately for lil' brother, the uni thing failed on the first attempt. Soon after most Beaver fans seemed to really like the Pro Combat throwback "giantkiller" uni's Nike made for them.
Another thing is that some new things take some time to grow on you. What initially is shocking and ugly, becomes more attractive over time. Our diamond plate was like that for me.
Of course then there's the opposite of that where things that are attractive at first become ugly, but no need to go on about my ex-wife here.......

They should use the sheep in the rebrand design, that's what they are known for.

One other aspect of the Nike thing ...

there are posters that literally believe that Nike does not want the new re-branding to succeed ... at least not to where Oreogn has risen ... because Phil Knight would not want it. This reveals more ignorance of the world of business (the profit motive and increased value for share-holders) than I can possibly understand.

They then go on to say that NIKE spent a bunch of money promoting the Oregon brand. When in fact the investment in MARKETING has come from the donors to DAF not from Nike. Nike dollars are basically the same for both schools ... but it is obvious that the donor bases are vastly different.

So, Beaver fans it isn't Nike holding you back ... it is your own fan base and the lack of revenue to your AD to market your athletic programs.

Green85 wrote: One other aspect of the Nike thing ...

there are posters that literally believe that Nike does not want the new re-branding to succeed ... at least not to where Oreogn has risen ... because Phil Knight would not want it. This reveals more ignorance of the world of business (the profit motive and increased value for share-holders) than I can possibly understand.

I guess the OS fans show us the major difference between OS (Ag school) and UO (everything else school).

Phil Knight is an alum who wants us to succeed.

Nike is a shoe and apparel manufacturer who makes millions and millions of dollars off their NCAA contract and individual school contracts. They are motivated to produce popular designs (although they LOVE schools with multiple unis). Not hard to understand. They want OS fans to love their design and buy lots and lots of stuff.

Their rebranding into the "Oregon State Furious Gerbils" has been a complete success.

I really DO hate orange!

The color is obnoxious.

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--- WingTduck wrote:

<a rel="nofollow"><img alt="Orange Sheep Clip Art" src="www.clker.com/cliparts/p/j/W/d.../></a>

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I guess he is planning a protest at the spring game from what I heard.
Posters, signs and a megaphone outside the gates.
Way to go JC. See where that gets you protesting the beevur logo. What is next a petition or food strike JC?

He will be mad at me tomorrow but...

"major difference between OS (Ag school) and UO (everything else school)". Are you really that stupid?

Wow!
This thread got linked on www.pure-orange.net

For the pure-orange posters that can post here ... please let me know what part of my post here on eDuck is untrue.

Or better yet, explain to the folks on pure-orange.net the difference between Nike (a COMPANY) and Phil Knight (a private citizen and donor).

Then take the time to explain to those same folks why some unfounded fear that Nike wants your re-branding to fail demonstrates ignorance of the motives of a business (and here I thought OSU had a school of business).

Then explain to you fellow posters how NIKE does not promote Oregon and the Oregon "O" ... the University of Oregon Athletic department spends the time, effort and money to promote Oregon.

P.S. Hey jccrabbe, try to make the distinction between a logo and re-branding effort and the use of alternate uniforms and helmets -> they are not the same thing. You can keep your same uniforms and put a new logo or lettering on them ... that is still re-branding. You can change uniforms - like the OSU "giant-killers" - and still have the same logo. This is the type of confusion I refer to in this thread ... you folks have no clue what is going on, but if you can find a negative connection to Oregon, then you certainly don't want to go there - LOL!

they could easily post a link,...but,..that would make them out to be liars.

Green85 wrote: Wow!
This thread got linked on www.pure-orange.net

For the pure-orange posters that can post here ... please let me know what part of my post here on eDuck is untrue.

Or better yet, explain to the folks on pure-orange.net the difference between Nike (a COMPANY) and Phil Knight (a private citizen and donor).

Then take the time to explain to those same folks why some unfounded fear that Nike wants your re-branding to fail demonstrates ignorance of the motives of a business (and here I thought OSU had a school of business).

Then explain to you fellow posters how NIKE does not promote Oregon and the Oregon "O" ... the University of Oregon Athletic department spends the time, effort and money to promote Oregon.

P.S. Hey jccrabbe, try to make the distinction between a logo and re-branding effort and the use of alternate uniforms and helmets -> they are not the same thing. You can keep your same uniforms and put a new logo or lettering on them ... that is still re-branding. You can change uniforms - like the OSU "giant-killers" - and still have the same logo. This is the type of confusion I refer to in this thread ... you folks have no clue what is going on, but if you can find a negative connection to Oregon, then you certainly don't want to go there - LOL!

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--- Green85 wrote:

lack of revenue to your AD to market your athletic programs.

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Name me a Beaver alum who can donate $20 Million on the spot.

Protip, you can't.

We just don't have anyone rich enough. And the only guy who was "rich" is now dead.

"Name me a Beaver alum who can donate $20 Million on the spot."


Husnu Ozyegin

Hüsnü Özyeğin (born 1944) is a Turkish businessman in the finance sector who is a self-made billionaire. He is the owner of FIBA Holding, a group of mostly financial companies in Turkey. He has a net worth of US$3 billion as of 2011.

The son of a doctor, Özyeğin was born in 1944 in İzmir, Turkey. He graduated Robert College, an elite academy in Istanbul[3] in 1963, and claims that he went to the U.S. with just a thousand dollars in his pocket. There, he studied civil engineering at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon, USA, receiving a BS degree. Being more interested in finance, he attended the School of Business at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts and obtained an MBA.





en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%BCs...3%96zye%C4%9Fin

Whoever came up with that idea should have free season tickets for life.  Such a simple piece, but so much meaning.  Yes, you have to explain it to people but it's very powerful once explained.  Thanks to our success, Oprah and "O" in Vegas ("lol"), the Oregon "O" is truly a recognized brand.  No question. 

In regards to Beavers, I really do believe PO.net is the minority view of typical OS fans.  I know several OS fans who make fun of PO.net posters.  Unfortunately, they will always have this double standard toward Nike, Oregon, etc without realizing it.  I appreciate they do because it will always have entertainment value.  Yep, I am a proud reader of pure-orange.net.   "lol"

"Yes, you have to explain it to people but it's very powerful once explained. "

That is why I found it so amusing that one of the OSU posters saw the need to explain the "O" was negative, but in the same post exlpained the meaning of the "O" logo in a single sentence.

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--- Go OR Ducks wrote:

Whoever came up with that idea should have free season tickets for life.  Such a simple piece, but so much meaning.  Yes, you have to explain it to people but it's very powerful once explained.  Thanks to our success, Oprah and "O" in Vegas ("lol"), the Oregon "O" is truly a recognized brand.  No question. 

In regards to Beavers, I really do believe PO.net is the minority view of typical OS fans.  I know several OS fans who make fun of PO.net posters.  Unfortunately, they will always have this double standard toward Nike, Oregon, etc without realizing it.  I appreciate they do because it will always have entertainment value.  Yep, I am a proud reader of pure-orange.net.   "lol"

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The Nike company has it's roots in the running shoe market. At the time that Nike was becomming a force OSU dropped their track and field program. Even if Phil Knight had not gone to Oregon Nike would have had no reason to get involved with OSU as they had no runners.

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--- Green85 wrote:

"Yes, you have to explain it to people but it's very powerful once explained. "

That is why I found it so amusing that one of the OSU posters saw the need to explain the "O" was negative, but in the same post exlpained the meaning of the "O" logo in a single sentence.
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Even more amusing:

Is the "O" somehow not effective without the explanation?

It's an O. It stands for OREGON. Just like the Michigan "M", the Wisconsin "W", the tOSU "O" and virtually every other college team out there.

The fact that it has a deeper meaning is only a bonus.

I'm sure there are MILLIONS of people who could identify an "Oregon O" and what it stands for, and almost none of them will be able to tell you how that specific design was chosen.

Not many people can tell you the story of the Nike swoosh, or what it means, yet it's still one of the most well known and effective logos on the planet.