Dartmouth Introduces Controversial New Logo

Last Monday, Dartmouth announced a new branding initiative that is meant to unify and update the brand of our school. The most significant change is the new “D-Pine” logo. The new logo is a simple “D” in a different font with an updated lone pine in the center. The logo has a striking resemblance to the Stanford University logo, which similarly is an “S” with a tree in its center. One of the reasons for the updated design is that the school intends to combine the message it sends to the world through one central logo. As of late, many different logos are floating around campus. For example, Collis, the Geisel School of Medicine and the school’s website all display different logos. Another benefit of the new logo is that it can be easily shrunk down to fit as profile logos on social media platforms. The Crest was too intricate to fit into an Instagram avatar. According to Vice President of Communications, Justin Anderson, the Thayer School of Engineering and Tuck School of Business could also see changes to their respective logos in the future as well.

The change in logo is a part of an overall pivot by the college to a “strategic communications framework.” This change in outlook consists of five “pillars” that reflect on the college’s mission. These include liberal arts at the core, scholars who love to teach, adventuresome spirit, base camp to the world, and a profound sense of place. We at The Review feel the new logo is inferior to the old crest logo that the college has had since the 1940s. The “D-Pine” is not very aesthetically pleasing and looks more like the logo of a large corporation than an Ivy League college.