The AMS has been working on its brand guidelines this year, and President Cole Evans says it will cost between $20,000 t0 $30,000.
In 2014, the AMS consulted with design agency Glasfurd & Walker which provided them a logo for $8,000, but gave minimal brand strategy or brand identity guidelines. This left them with a professionally made logo, but minimal direction for their communications department.
Students criticized the logo as a waste of money, saying a UBC student could have designed it for a much lower price.
“What this project is, is really an expansion on that work,” said AMS President Cole Evans. “No, we aren’t changing our logo again, don’t worry.”
In 2021, the AMS has hired consultant Partners & Hawes to flesh out its branding guidelines.
Evans said this branding initiative is crucial to helping students feel like the society is working for them.
“We want to create consistency in our brand so that people can easily identify what the AMS is all about,” said Evans. “We want our brand to be strong and we want people to trust it. Brand guidelines are key to being able to check these boxes.”
Previously, AMS communications had done everything branding related on an ad hoc basis, lacking cohesion with the frequently changing leadership in AMS. The estimated $20,000–30,000 cost for this project will come from the communications department budget, Evans said.
According to Evans, the AMS is meeting with the consulting firm and will have more details on the branding project by the end of April.