New Members, New Momentum, New Identity
When the Mountain West Conference called on us to create, manage and execute the most comprehensive branding initiative in their 13-year history, it was about more than a new look.
It was all about a new attitude.
Fighting for attention and respect from the national media and entrenched interests, encumbered by longstanding misperceptions and literal distance, the Mountain West needed a bold statement to underscore its solid success.
Thus, the Rock.
To Make a Difference, we employed a comprehensive strategy involving three major steps: Analyze, Synthesize and Differentiate.
In the Analysis phase, we reached out to more than 8,000 key constituents including university presidents, athletic directors, coaches, administrators, fans and members of the media. Their input helped established the key points of differentiation between the Mountain West and everyone else.
“Loma Media has proven to be a tremendous partner in the rebranding of the Mountain West Conference. From concepts and research to branding and production, the entire Loma Media team has truly become a member of the Mountain West family and has proven to be a great asset to our organization.”
Dan Butterly
Associate Commissioner, Mountain West Conference
Dan Butterly
Associate Commissioner, Mountain West Conference
Synthesizing these findings became the basis of the Mountain West’s new brand identity – strong, feisty and aggressive. We developed a range of 30 potential marks and logos, which the Mountain West whittled down to a set of finalists with our guidance. The winning design, nicknamed “The Rock” is a strong symbol of a league on the rise.
Differentiation was achieved by the striking new logo, a process that began with a press conference to unveil the identity supported by an original branding video, digital/social media components and an original TV show produced by Loma Media that aired in all Mountain West markets. This process also carried over to the league’s external expressions – television PSAs, digital/social, radio and print – and continues to this day.