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May 1, 2008
Baylor Line News
A publication of the Baylor Alumni Association
In the April 24 issue of Inside Baylor, President John Lilley's regular e-mail to faculty and staff, Lilley announced that the school's football team will continue to sport the interlocking BU on its helmets this fall. The team will also retain the same uniform colors as in previous seasons. (Photo of Willie Andrews, 2002-05, by Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald.)
The announcement followed a discussion among alumni and students about the planned removal of the BU from helmets
 in favor of spelling out "Baylor" on the headgear. Lilley had said in a meeting with students on April 21 that the BU would be replaced on helmets with the word "Baylor" for better "branding" of the university.
Baylor vice president of marketing and communication John Barry told the Baylor Line News that Baylor is in the process of a "university branding initiative" that encompasses every aspect of the university. A national branding consultant, who began the process last year, has conducted an alumni survey and talked to focus groups of alumni, students, faculty, and staff, Barry said. Now that the consultant has made some recommendations, administrators are taking them to more campus groups before any conclusions, he said.
Below is the entire text of Lilley's Inside Baylor announcement:
Baylor Branding
In an effort to enhance the awareness of the quality of the Baylor University name nationally and internationally, Baylor is presently reviewing its University branding efforts. In that context there has been recent discussion regarding how we use the interlocking "BU."
The University retained a leading national branding consultant who identified the interlocking BU as a beloved symbol and part of the University's rich traditions. He also encouraged the University to utilize its branding to leverage the great strength of the "Baylor" name nationally and the affinity that all of Baylor's audiences have for it.
Recognizing the singular branding opportunity provided by major collegiate athletics and the significant financial commitment that Baylor has made to its athletics program, we have been exploring possibilities of more effectively utilizing televised athletic contests for national branding purposes.
We determined initially that we should leverage the strength of the Baylor name by using it on our football helmets in place of the interlocking "BU."
We have heard from a number of members of the Baylor family, however, and, as a result, we have concluded that while this suggestion makes sense from a branding perspective, we acknowledge the value of our traditional symbols. We will honor our past by retaining our current football colors and our interlocking "BU" logo.
To share your thoughts on this issue, click here: Interlocking BU
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