Reimagining UM sport and recreation brands

Over the next several months, the University of Manitoba is undertaking an initiative to explore the family of brands that include Bison Sports, Mini U Programs, Junior Bisons and Recreation Services to more closely align them with the current UM brand and evolve how we all identify as Bisons.

We have been delighted to engage with the community, on and off campus, and look forward to sharing our progress. Check back to this page for updates.

Introduction

The University of Manitoba is proud of its rich history and vibrant identity. In 2019, the central university brand underwent a refresh, reflecting our evolving values and aspirations. Our brand story shares a vision of who we aspire to be. Last refreshed in 2001, it is now time for this group of UM's most recognizable sub-brands to take a similar charge ahead.

This project reaches far beyond logos and colours. It's about harnessing our shared story and connection to the bison as a symbol of strength, leadership and determination while emphasizing the commitment to building healthy communities through sport and recreation. 

Plan and progress

The initial branding initiative will consist of four phases, from May 2024 to March 2025:

August to October 2024:  Consultation, research and discovery

A series of focus groups were held in August and September to gain insight and perspectives from our university community about existing views of the sport and recreation family of brands and their vision for how they should evolve. Focus groups took place in Winnipeg.

A quantitative survey will be circulated at the end of October to gather additional feedback from key stakeholder groups.

As part of this process, a competitive audit will also be conducted looking at university sport and recreation branding.

November to December 2024:  Brand strategy

Results from the focus groups and survey will be refined and key themes reflecting the expression of the brands will be identified. Recommendations will be presented and further refined based on feedback.  

January 2025 to February 2025:  Creative exploration

Creative exploration will begin based on the approved brand strategy and platform.

March 2025:  Execution and launch

The brand strategy will be introduced to the university community in March 2025, along with the identification of priority deliverables. Ongoing execution is expected to continue through the remainder of 2025.

Community consultation

As part of the research and consultation process, we hosted several focus groups in late August and early September to gather insights and opinions into the future direction of the Bison Sports brand.

We hosted focus groups with the following stakeholders:

  • Mini U Programs and Junior Bisons parents, participants and coaches
  • Faculty of Kinesiology students, faculty and staff
  • Recreation Services members, including intramural sports and rec club participants
  • Bisons student-athletes and coaches
  • Alumni and donors

We gathered feedback from the community via two online instruments as well. A short feedback form was open for completion between July 17 and October 11. In addition a qualitative survey to gather more specific data was deployed to stakeholder groups by Academica Group on behalf of UM from October 24 to November 3. 

We have now completed our engagement with stakeholders, gathering valuable insights and feedback. The next steps are now under consideration, and we remain committed to keeping the community informed as the process progresses.