Oregon State Athletic Logo History

Starting With O                                  Oregon State Athletic Recent Logo

Oregon State University has embarked on an aggressive effort to better tell its success story through all forms of visual identity, the latest effort being the Oregon State Beavers Athletic and Merchandising visual identity system. The “Oregon State” Visual Identity System — the symbols, logotype, mascot and colors we use to represent the Beavers visually — is an important tool for achieving that goal.

A cohesive and uniform visual identity offers a more efficient and effective way for the university to communicate with key audiences. The system also provides us with a bold, strong interlocking “OS”, a highly readable and recognizable way of representing the university’s athletic teams in which we all take great pride. When our audiences recognize us as one university on the fields of play and in retail environments throughout the world, the power of our consistency will provide long-term strength for our great university and our proud athletic teams.

This visual identity system is the product of many “Beaver Believers”, from the collaborative efforts of OSU University Advancement and Athletic Offices, to the feedback of many hundreds of OSU faithful, from Faculty, Students, BASF Members, Alumni, Coaches, Athletes, Licensees and Retailers. No one should doubt our commitment to the new standards.

We are in a unique time here at Oregon State University. Our Athletic teams are competing at the highest levels on a daily basis. More and more students and their families are choosing to become “Beavers”, and to show their pride in our great university through the products our licensees create and our retail partners sell. We are truly privileged to live and work in such a great college community as Corvallis, Oregon. Now we have a tool to help the public better recognize the value we all see Oregon State Athletics brings to the Beaver State, Beaver Nation, and the World.

We retained the consistent weigh of the Block O letterform because of its bald stroke, simple yet solid form, and ability to cut through visual clutter.




Classic Oregon State:
The Orange Block O has been the most consistent letterform icon used to represent Oregon State Athletics. It is Classic and beloved, yet too similar to Ohio State’s Block O.

The “dog-eared” corners of the Block O are typical of many “old school” sport letterform icons. We removed them in order to move forward with a more unique Oregon State icon.

Modern Oregon State:
The new Interlock OS logo system is designed & engineered to confidently move forward and link all of Oregon State’s athletic teams into a single visual identity.

It represents Speed, Power & Balance.

The customized OS is visual shorthand for Oregon State, the conversational reference to Beaver athletic teams. Interlock OS is designed and engineered with broad, arching shoulders like steel beams, and link the O & S together to represent Unity & Family.


Reference:http://oregonstate.edu/marketing/trademark/athletics_identity/history.html