RAPID CITY, S.D. — South Dakota Mines has a new brand. The updated university nickname, logo, brand essence, positioning statement, tagline, university colors and brand guidelines can be found here. South Dakota Mines revealed its new brand in a virtual event carried on the university’s YouTube channel.
The challenges that lead to the rebranding effort include the length of the official university name and the logo itself, which is similar to other universities around the nation. University officials began the process of rebranding more than year ago. This included about 1,200 students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and community members who took part in surveys and face-to-face discovery sessions.
The old M logo failed to accurately convey the value of South Dakota Mines to the world. It was often confused with logos belonging to other universities. A prime example – when President Jim Rankin traveled wearing the M logo lapel pin on his jacket, people commented “Go Blue” in reference to the University of Michigan.
The new logo is a contemporary reimagining of our classic M and is inspired by the transformational story behind South Dakota Mines from a mining school to one of the nation’s leading engineering, science and technology universities. This mark has a sense of calculated movement that is at the core of what it means to be on the frontier of innovation. Borrowing the historic, yet timeless, black lettering of the university’s official seal, the new mark conveys a sense of calculated movement with lines that transition from thick to thin and precise notched corners that evoke a sense of progressive curiosity.
The full university name, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, is a mouthful, and people have shortened it to various nicknames throughout the years – Tech, School of Mines, SMD, SDSM&T and various other versions. The university will retain its full name, part of which is in the state constitution of South Dakota. But all university communication in the future will refer to the institution by the name South Dakota Mines.
Mines is an unusual word to encounter in the higher ed space. It’s memorable and pairing it with South Dakota makes it truly unique. The name South Dakota Mines will often be accompanied with the tagline “An engineering, science and technology university.” This paints a more complete picture of the institution as a whole.
South Dakota Mines’ brand is the story of the university. It is what makes the institution unique. The brand is more than a logo – it encompasses the university’s reputation, history and future.
In the past 135 years, South Dakota Mines has grown from a 19th century mining school to an engineering, science and technology university. This new brand will help South Dakota Mines continue to push the frontiers of science and engineering for years to come.
