Portfolio : Banner Program

Banners wave around downtown Indianapolis.

IUPUI has long been one of Indianapolis' leading event sites, a frequent point of destination for sports fans (who frequent the Natatorium at IUPUI, the Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium or the Indianapolis Tennis Center), arts patrons (who visit the Herron Gallery) and participants in other civic events (like the Race for the Cure, the Mini-Marathon and RibFest).

Because our campus has become such an integral part of the city's landscape, it is vital that we use our own facilities to imprint the IUPUI brand in the public consciousness. That's why we have revamped our campus banner program, using the street poles lining Michigan and New York streets to build public awareness of our identity.

The banner program was once used for specific programs and events. But highly qualified image consultants made it clear we were missing an opportunity to highlight IUPUI's overall impact on the Indianapolis community. Based on their advice, our banner program has evolved into one of the most visible efforts to establish the IUPUI wordmark as our primary logo, and to establish the informational half of each pole's banners to highlight our most significant areas of expertise.

The white banners (featuring the wordmark) drive home our new look quickly, simply and emphatically, a must in a drive-by setting. The right side (the red and gold banners) use repetition of our areas of concentration to feature the breadth of our expertise. The combination is quick, clear and concise - and the recognition of place is unmistakable. The combination, bolstered by our new theme - "One Dynamic Campus" - is a logical next step in our growth and development.

We wanted the banners to be a clear expression of our "pride in place," and to drive home the point that IUPUI is one body fueled by the energy of its powerful individual units, working collaboratively.

Our new program elevates us to the levels established by our peer institutions, including our own Bloomington and West Lafayette campuses, which make it clear to visitors where they are. IUPUI's new banner program is part of our ongoing commitment to help public perception of our campus catch up with the reality we all have come to know: that the IUPUI campus is vital to the future of our city, our region and our state.