Signature "M" Aims To Expand The Ole Miss Brand

Derived from the classic signature Ole Miss logo, the signature “M” has recently made its way onto apparel around town as the University continues to expand their brand. Micah Ginn, Associate Athletics Director for Creative Services said that conversations surrounding the brand expansion have taken place for many years, but they decided to introduce the logo last year.
“It’s not replacing anything; It was simply brought on to expand our goals of branding Ole Miss and creating marks that are familiar and unique to Ole Miss to communicate who we are.”
Because of its ties to the cursive Ole Miss logo, Ginn pointed out that the signature “M” sits in a significant place, in one of the Rebels’ most notable logos.

“The signature “M” is the heart of that cursive mark. There are seven letters in Ole Miss, and the “M” lies in the middle of that iconic logo.”
The signature “M” has begun to appear on apparel including hats, polos, and more. Various Rebel teams have worn the logo on workout gear and on other pieces of clothing around campus. Ginn noted that the department is searching for ways to incorporate the signature “M” into the Rebels’ on-the-field product, but they want to ensure it’s done correctly and organically.
We are trying to find ways to organically incorporate it into our on-the-field product but that is not our top priority currently,” Ginn said. “The way our fans and alumni react; We like to use that to drive what we do because we like to be interactive and proactive with our fan base rather than changing things and hoping that they like it.”

The block “M” will continue to serve as a primary logo for Ole Miss, but Ginn mentioned that a symbol as unique as the signature “M” should also be showcased when possible. During TV broadcasts, in media guides and other instances where a full word may be too large to fit the space, Ginn mentioned that the signature “M” would be instantly recognizable to any Ole Miss fan.
“Part of the Ole Miss brand is the block “M”, and it will continue to be, but there are a lot of block M’s in collegiate athletics. We are fortunate to have the signature “M” that is extremely unique, so we want to maximize that,” Ginn said.

As an Ole Miss alumni, Ginn knows that fans across the country care deeply about the way Ole Miss is represented. Keeping that in mind, the expansion of that brand is something that he and the rest of the staff take very seriously and treat carefully.
“As long as we are good at communicating that it’s not a replacement, We think it’s the perfect complement to our what is our existing brand elements,” Ginn said. “I went to school here, and I understand the love that our fans have for this school and how it is represented. We want to grow the affection that people have for Ole Miss. I have so much respect for what this school means to people, and I just want to honor that in everything we do, and we hope that we can.”

Steven Gagliano is the managing editor of HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at steven.gagliano@hottytoddy.com.