Congrats to Duquesne Athletics, who was awarded two “Transform Awards” from Transform magazine, which recognizes excellence in rebranding and brand strategy. We are proud of the outstanding identity work we brought to life together, which was recognized with awards for “Best Brand Evolution” and “Best Visual Identity from Education Sector.”

As a school established in 1911 with a highly competitive NCAA Division I program, expectations among internal and external audiences were extremely high. The new athletics identity captures the University’s rich history and ties to Pittsburgh, the intense pride of the student athletes, and permeate every aspect of the fan experience – ultimately creating a modern brand that was as distinguished as the program itself.

Following an exhaustive search, ChangeUp was selected as Duquesne’s partner to develop a holistic brand identity, representative of the school’s commitment and athletics community’s passion. The comprehensive redesign included a custom wordmark and font, a suite of logos, a flexible colorway palette, and distinct photography style. Individual design elements came together to create a distinct brand system that elevated the profile of the Dukes and showcased the strength of the athletic program.

Like the award’s name itself, the Duquesne Athletics rebrand was a complete transformation, elevating it from outdated to a world-class identity.

“It’s like the basketball team put on their new superman shirts and have played a nearly undefeated season,” says ChangeUp Executive Creative Director Ryan Brazelton. “And they’re having a very successful season despite being homeless while we’re rebranding and renovating the arena on their Pittsburgh campus.”