HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – As part of a university-wide initiative, the Northern Kentucky Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has created visual and verbal identity standards, which includes minor updates to the primary athletics logo, designed to continue to build a positive image for Norse Athletics.
 
A study in the fall of 2015 sought input from over 300 key stakeholders in the Norse community, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, season-ticket holders and Go Norse Fund members, which served as the guide in developing the new standards. These standards will be instrumental in aligning our external communications, allowing us to increase awareness of the Norse brand as called for in our strategic plan Uprising.
 
Minor updates were made to the primary Norse logo in order to simplify the mark and make it bold, impactful and aligned with the brand standards.
 
The logo still features "NKU NORSE" above a Norse helmet and crossed swords, but is simplified by removing some of the more intricate details, including rivets, notches and glare among others. NKU's three primary colors of black, gold and white are now the only colors used in the primary mark.
 
A secondary identity is achieved through wordmarks that utilize "Northern Kentucky" and "Norse."
 
Updated typography has also been introduced. NKU and its new apparel partner adidas collaborated to select Joe College Sans NF to serve as the primary font. Joe College Sans NF closely aligns with fonts available for uniforms through adidas.
 
Northern Kentucky University completed updates to its institutional brand standards in 2015. The process of NKU Athletics revising its standards was the next phase in the evolution of Northern Kentucky's brand.
 
Updates to NKUNorse.com, athletics social media accounts and all apparel and uniforms ordered through our partnership with adidas will take place over the course of the coming weeks and months. Other physical assets will be converted through their natural life cycles.