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Yvettep
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Yvettep
Post Number: 2560
Registered: 01-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 01:44 pm: | 
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Full story: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/17/business/media/17adco.html?ref=business
MORE than 35 years after its debut, the slogan for the United Negro College Fund, “A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste,” remains one of the most recognized in American advertising history.
The years, however, have not been as kind to the organization’s name, which has gradually become a source of alienation to the very people the group aims to serve. And while the fund is not prepared to drop the word “Negro” from its name, it plans to try to shift attention away from it.
A branding effort being introduced Thursday will seek to play down the full name and instead highlight the nonprofit’s initials, U.N.C.F. An updated logo will seek to communicate the changing direction of the group while putting renewed emphasis on the well-known slogan.
“Forty-plus years ago, when I started at Morehouse, I thought of myself as a Negro,” said Michael L. Lomax, U.N.C.F.’s president and chief executive, referring to the historically black college. “By the time I graduated in 1968, I was black. And then in the last 15 to 20 years I’ve become an African-American.”
The nomenclature issue is a decades-old predicament for U.N.C.F., which has long struggled to keep up with younger generations of African-Americans without abandoning nearly 70 years of hard-won brand equity.
“We want to hold on to our heritage, but we also want to find a way to say who we are that speaks directly and positively to a younger generation,” Mr. Lomax said. “I think we’ve found a happy medium.”
...The centerpiece of the rebranding effort — which is its first since the motto was written by a copy supervisor at Young & Rubicam in 1972 — is the logo. The organization’s familiar torch, which has been in black and white, will now be in several shades of orange and blue, representing metaphorically the varied ethnicities served by the organization.
The torch is accompanied by the initials rather than the group’s full name, and the motto is featured prominently below that. The announcement of the redesign is scheduled to take place on Thursday at Spelman College in Atlanta....
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Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 6128
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 01:57 pm: |
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A person can call his or herself what they want.
I prefer Black. African American second.
But if a person wants to be Negro, Colored, whatever, let them.
I judge them by their fruits. |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 11205
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 02:59 pm: |
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Yeah, right, chrishayden. You are the one of the main ones to give "negro" a negative connotation on this board. |
Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 6131
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 04:35 pm: |
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Yeah, right, chrishayden. You are the one of the main ones to give "negro" a negative connotation on this board
(If ya can't do the time
Don't do the crime) |
Yvettep
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Yvettep
Post Number: 2565
Registered: 01-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 18, 2008 - 08:33 am: |
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Do either of you two kids have an opinion about UNCF? 
I am very interested in this whole idea of "re-branding." Everyone these days is doing it. My degree granting division just underwent a major effort after a big restructuring and a disciplinary organization I have been a member of for years is currently in that process. In the first case, a major consulting firm responsible for big branding efforts at Target Corp and elsewhere was hired to do the job. Even high school and college students are coached on developing their "personal brand" prior to applying to college programs and jobs.
Sometimes I kick myself for not getting that MBA after undergrad as a couple folks recommended to me at the time! |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 11215
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 18, 2008 - 01:12 pm: |
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Well, Yvette, you in particular, might be interested to hear that there is a movement under way in my hometown to change the name of one of the local grade schools from "Washington Elementary" to "Percy Julien Elementary" because this prominenet black chemist was once the president of the PTA there. He later moved to the neighboring town of Oak Park, Illinois, who persists in trying to claim his as their own, but he was ours first.
Also, Springfield is the capital of Illinois and its local college has recently been made an extension of the University of Illinois and they are now issuing new diplomas to previous graduates that will have the U of I seal on them and say that their degree is from the Springfield branch of the University of Illinois, something which looks better on a resume.
I like clever logos and I also don't have a problem with re-branding. "Cynique" has become my brand.  |
Nels
Veteran Poster
Username: Nels
Post Number: 999
Registered: 07-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 18, 2008 - 10:27 pm: |
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When you think about it, "Colored" wasn't so bad after all. |
Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 6139
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 19, 2008 - 11:36 am: |
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Yeah, right, chrishayden. You are the one of the main ones to give "negro" a negative connotation on this board
(Let me see if I can teach an old dog some new tricks--
Check this out, Lassie--
I use Negro here rather than use perjoratives such as ••••••, Coon, Splib, Porch Monkey, Nigga, etc etc etc.
Do either of you two kids have an opinion about UNCF?
(Naw, Cuz a mind is a terrible thang to waste)
When you think about it, "Colored" wasn't so bad after all
(Only problem was
Nobody knew what color) |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 11220
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 19, 2008 - 11:48 pm: |
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Who cares why you use the term Negro, chrishayden?? Your motives are of no consequence or interest to me or anybody else who has any sense. I certainly don't care if you continue to use in a disparingly way, or not. You should know by now that you have no credibility with me.  |
Yvettep
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Yvettep
Post Number: 2574
Registered: 01-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 23, 2008 - 09:45 am: |
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Nothing to add...Just bringing the thread back up...Just for Doberman23 |
Yvettep
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Yvettep
Post Number: 2575
Registered: 01-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 23, 2008 - 09:48 am: |
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Oops! Actually I do have something to add. I just saw this from Cynique:
there is a movement under way in my hometown to change the name of one of the local grade schools from "Washington Elementary" to "Percy Julien Elementary"
How exciting!!!! I recall us talking about that documentary about Julien and your links to him. I'd be interested to hear how this effort goes. |
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