The Echo

Issue date: 10/9/08 Section: Culture

Media Credit: Casey Green New look, new clothes: Student Jen Karn, a senior from Nashville checks out the new merchandise in the University Center bookstore. According to Laura Horne, an employee in the bookstore, sales of products with the new logo have been good.

The university recently introduced new logos that will be used along with existing logos, according to Chuck Cantrell, assistant vice chancellor.

The new logo is not replacing Scrappy, Cantrell said. "A lot of students love Scrappy. This is just an add-on."

Other logos are being retooled to look more professional and more reflective of the quality programs at UTC, Cantrell said.

The marks are more fierce and more competitive looking, he said.

"We wanted a mark that is more professional looking," Cantrell said. "We're just adding to the package."

Last year, the "C" was introduced, and it was very well received, Cantrell added. "It's a good, solid representation for Chattanooga."

"As you change the marks, people buy more merchandise," Cantrell said.

"We are making money in this process." The bookstore has hats and T-shirts, and they are buying more, he said.

Chattanooga junior Laura Horne, who works in the UTC Bookstore, agreed that people are buying merchandise that features the new logos.

"People are definitely buying," she said. "We've sold plenty, especially at the football games," she said.

Horne said the new logos are more bird-like and more realistic than Scrappy. "It's definitely different than the others," she said.

Horne said she still likes Scrappy. "The new one is okay, but I kind of like the old one better."

Shane Uselton, a Manchester, Tenn., junior, said he doesn't really like the Scrappy logo. He said he thinks updating the product is a good business decision.

"I think if it looked more sleek or more agile it would be better marketing for your merchandise and for alums and students," Uselton said.

Brittany Brown, a Memphis senior, said she is very busy and has not gotten to see what the new logos look like.

Brown said she likes the Scrappy logo. "With logos, it's tradition. It's what people are used to seeing," Brown said.

Scrappy is playful and kid-friendly, according to Andrew Horton, assistant athletic director for external operations.

"We tried to make a more streamline version," he said. "The athletics department will use the new mark with their programs," Horton said. "It's more professional."

Horton said the logo package is still in development, and phase one has been released. Phase two is almost ready to be released, he added.

"Our hope is that in the next couple of months we will be able to release it," he said.

"Once we release phase two, you'll see it all come together," he said.

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