Knox College Prairie Fire Athletics' old visual identity did not match a renewed energy and enthusiasm resulting from recent conference championships, new athletics facilities and record-setting recruitment and fundraising. In summer 2015, an internal team of representatives from Athletics, Admission, Communications and Advancement partnered with branding firm SME Inc. to change that by creating a new Prairie Fire Athletics logo and introducing an official mascot, Blaze the Fox. Here's some of what the judges had to say.
From the Judges' Report
"Initially, because at first glance the resulting deliverables seem somewhat kitschy, I wasn't prepared to think much of this entry. After delving into it further, however, it became apparent that Knox College Athletics has a solid grasp on what would resonate with their audiences."
"Although I wish more solid statistics were provided, the response seemed to be highly favorable overall, indicating the program's success."
"I wasn't blown away from a creative perspective, but I can appreciate the amount of thought, collaboration and consideration of various aspects of the school and athletic community that were woven into the process of choosing the mascot and refining the word mark. I do like that they were able to apply the brand to some more unusual items and use them as giveaways, such as the "fox socks," which I thought were sort of brilliant."
