SDSU Collegian

Issue date: 10/11/06 Section: News

Until 1971, the SDSU Jackrabbit took many different looks thoughout the years.

A toothy-grinned jackrabbit has been the face of SDSU athletics for more than 30 years. But some say it's out of style, and a hunt has begun to find a more current look for the SDSU Jackrabbit.

About a year ago, Rob Peterson, associate athletic director, and Derek Peterson, director of the University Bookstore, noticed that the Jackrabbit stood out from the other Division-I logos because it wasn't as current. The two then recruited representatives of different university constituent groups to further discuss a Jackrabbit makeover.

After only a few meetings, the group decided that an update would be appropriate and chose Phoenix Design Works of New York City to design a new Jackrabbit and an official Jackrabbit font.

Kat Brandtjen, Students' Association vice president and student representative for the committee, said they chose the firm because it is the "Cadillac of athletic logo companies."

"Their designs look unique instead of you going and getting a cookie cutter logo," she said. "They are very experienced and they do quality work."

Representatives from Phoenix Design Works will visit SDSU Oct. 18 to present exploratory designs for the looks. The logo committee will then conduct surveys, polls and focus groups to get a feel for what the Jackrabbit should look like. The new Jackrabbit will be chosen sometime in February, and the group plans some special event for the unveiling.

"We are not doing this in a vacuum," Rob Peterson said.

The Jackrabbit makeover is just another part of the Division-I transition, Rob Peterson said. The issue was brought up last fall, but was put on the back burner because it wasn't too pressing. With SDSU's acceptance into the Mid-Continent Conference, it just seemed like the appropriate time for a mascot makeover, he said.

Although the committee has no preconceived ideas of how the new Jackrabbit should look, it wants a logo that accurately represents a jackrabbit - sleek and fast, Rob

Peterson said.

"We don't want a muscular rabbit," he said.

There isn't anything wrong with the current Jackrabbit based on basic design principles, said Crystal Ehresmann, a 2003 graphics design graduate. A good logo is one that conveys a certain feeling, transfers well and reads clear, which the current one does, she said.

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