History of the Seal: Part 3

Throughout the second half of the 20th century and early 21st century, Emerson branding went through several major changes. In the 1970s, the College rebranded itself with a new lowercase “e” logo that was considered to be more modern. The seal was used infrequently, most often being included on commencement program covers and diplomas.

It was not until the 1980s, with the centennial anniversary bringing the history of the College to the fore, that the seal became prominent again. A new iteration was unveiled, with previous versions of the seal being placed on some commencement programs.

With the new millennium looming, in the late 1990s, the College once again rebranded itself using elements of the seal and lowercase “e” logo to create a new image. Use of the official seal was relegated to some publications, such as Expression magazine, diplomas, and programs for events with a more historical focus. This state of affairs continued into the 2010s when a new logo, a stylized lowercase “e,” was released. In the 2020s, the College moved toward the use of a lockup containing just the College’s name, with the seal again being used sparingly.

Although the seal has changed throughout Emerson’s history, it still holds the core features of the original images created in 1535 and 1880. It is a seal we can all be proud of, and the Archives staff looks forward to seeing how it is used and modified going forward!

In the gallery below, view seals and logos that span the years of 1957 and 2024.