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Branding History

Liberty’s Branding History

Liberty University is the world’s premier Christian university, one of the largest private, nonprofit universities in the nation, and the largest university in Virginia. Utilizing its world-class infrastructure and Christian faculty, Liberty’s mission is to Train Champions for Christ with the values, knowledge, and skills essential for impacting tomorrow’s world.

With a continually expanding profile among academic institutions, as well as our unique mission, it is imperative that the Liberty brand is presented with a unified voice.

The history of Liberty marks, like any other new institution, presented a number of different looks that reflected the important message for the day in which they were created. The vision and message of our institution have always been in the forefront of our brand.

During the last two decades, an updated brand has emerged that continues to represent a vibrant university community that exists to Train Champions for Christ in many different disciplines and careers that impact our world in great ways.

1971-75 | Academic
During Lynchburg Baptist College's first year, Dr. Jerry Falwell requested that a seal be created for the college. This seal spoke to the foundation of the school on the Word of God and included an image of Thomas Road Baptist Church with a flame supporting the school's motto of "Knowledge Aflame."
1972-79 | Academic and Athletic
Used by Lynchburg Baptist College, the original mark was green and gold for the first three years before changing to red, white, and navy when the school was renamed to Liberty Baptist College in 1975.
1975-85 | Academic
In 1975, the college's name changed to Liberty Baptist College in recognition of the United States' bicentennial. The school colors were also changed to red, white and navy blue.
1980-81 | Academic and Athletic
This was the first mark to incorporate an eagle, the student body's chosen mascot, carrying a torch in its talons as a reference to the Liberty Flames. The original art was created by Fred Rothenbush.
1980-84 | Athletic
Mostly used in connection with Liberty's basketball teams, this mark showed an eagle diving past the sun and incorporated the eagle's shape into the team's name.
1983-88 | Athletic
Showcasing the earliest version of Liberty's mascot, this mark was often incorporated into athletic uniform designs, which led to the "fighting Sparky" concept tied to athletic competitions.
1985-2016 | Academic
This is the original seal created for the university, which included the school motto ("Knowledge Aflame"). The open Bible and art of the original Thomas Road Baptist Church building referred to the university's connection to its biblical roots and mission of Training Champions for Christ.
1984-85 | Athletic
Created for Head Coach Morgan Hout, this mark was added to the football helmets and, when it appeared in color, used oranges and yellows to enhance the theme of fire for the Liberty Flames.
1985-99 | Academic and Athletic
This mark was used the longest throughout Liberty's history, pairing the outline of the eagle mascot with a clear reference to the university.
2000-03 | Athletic
As an athletic mark, this was mostly used by Flames Football under Head Coach Ken Karcher and appeared on the team's helmets in its most high-profile appearance.
2003-13 | Athletic
Initiated by Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell, this athletics mark became the most widely recognized mark for Liberty University.
2005-13 | Academic
This original wordmark was created to provide a recognizable, unified identity for Liberty's academic departments.
2013-Present | Academic
The academic wordmark is the primary mark used by each academic unit. It can be used as is for general purposes or departments can add their name below for unique identification.
2013-Present | Academic and Athletic
The monogram is a stylized LU used by all areas of the university. When used, it cannot be on its own and must include a clear connection to Liberty University in the form of another wordmark or identifier.
2013-Present | Athletic
This athletic mark was created to unify the brand and lead the university into the next generation of athletics branding.
2013-Present | Athletic
Used for retail, this primary mark is reserved for use by the NCAA and Club Sports teams. It combines the monogram with the eagle head for a distinctive appearance that represents the spirit of Liberty.
2016-Present | Academic
Liberty’s newest seal reflects the heart and unifying voice of the university by incorporating key elements that reflect Liberty's history, including its founding year of 1971, an open Bible, the Liberty Bell, and Freedom Tower.
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