Nowadays, we are constantly bombarded by images of celebrities getting facelifts, getting nipped and getting tucked. The idea of getting a new, sleeker look is often applauded by society, while those who shun getting a new look are often viewed as “narrow minded” or “hopelessly nostalgic.”
This year, Saint Xavier has become the newest member of this wave of rebranding. Not only has the Saint Xavier cougar been given a new look, but also our very own SXU Student Media department has gotten a serious makeover.
For those returning students who have not been paying much attention around campus this semester (much like one member of the Xavierite staff), the Saint Xavier cougar now looks like he means business. Seriously, that is one scary looking cougar.
The end goal for this rebranding was to have a much more menacing look to match our fierce athletic teams. Mission accomplished.
For those students who do not know what the Student Media department is, shame on you. It is comprised of WXAV and The Xavierite (and soon a television outlet).
Because the actual department is new (it used to be a part of Campus Life but is now its own department), it needed a logo, and while we were at it, we decided to get a fresh look for WXAV and The Xavierite. If you haven’t seen these new logos, check them out at sxustudentmedia.com.
A main difference between the two revamps is how they were handled. Most students did not know about the new Cougar design until the school year was just starting, whereas Student Media openly posted about upcoming changes to the department’s look to its staff members.
Part of why this happened was because all students involved in Student Media were able to voice their opinions about the logos.
There were several options for all three sections (Student Media, WXAV, and The Xavierite). Students were able to vote for their favorites (or least favorites).
According to “SXU Unleashes New ‘Cougar’ Athletic Logo,” “The students were sent a survey of possible logo options a few months before hand, and the entire process was handled through The Office of University Relations.”
While this may have happened, none of us on The Xavierite staff can recall an email about this last year. This means that The Xavierite staff didn’t get the email, the survey was completely hidden within an email, The Xavierite staff somehow completely missed the survey in the email, or the survey was not very well advertised.
We cannot be sure exactly what happened, but by now, it is a moot point.
It is also safe to say that the Student Media rebranding cost a lot less than the Cougar rebranding. Not only did they have to renovate the floor of the main gym in the Shannon Center, but also they had to replace everything that had the old cougar head on it. This includes the mascot uniform worn at every home game.
This past Saturday, before the football game versus Marian began, the new SXU Cougar mascot chased its predecessor off the field, proving that the new mascot is one tough cookie.
However, the new mascot looks much more cartoon-ish than the previous version, which several Xavierite staff members found to be not so aesthetically pleasing.
This just goes to show you that changing your image is not to be taken lightly, new is not always better and when it comes to makeovers, it can good, bad or scary.
Letter to the Editor Policy
At the Xavierite we weolcome the thoughts and opinions of all students. We encourage you to write in and voice your opinion directly. If you wish to have your letter published, you must include your first and last name, year and major (or position and title if you are a staff/faculty member) in an email sent to the xavierite@yahoo.com. If these standards are not met your letter will not be published. We hope to hear your thoughts, opinions, or general feedback.
The Xavierite Staff
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