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UD leader's son didn't work on new logo [Dayton Daily News, Ohio :: ]
[July 25, 2014]

UD leader's son didn't work on new logo [Dayton Daily News, Ohio :: ]


(Dayton Daily News (OH) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) July 25--The son of University of Dayton President Daniel Curran is an employee of the branding agency that spearheaded the school's recent logo change, but he was not involved with project.



UD's new logo features a "D" with wings trailing behind it in Vitnesse font, which is French for speed. The redesigned logo quickly received widespread criticism across social media from alumnus, students and fans.

Several detractors of the new design say the wings attached to the "D" resembles the letter "V," which then looks like "VD".


Aidan Curran, a 2013 graduate of UD, is an associate producer at 160over90, a Philadelphia and Newport Beach, Calif.-based marketing company.

Aidan is also a former of employee of Cox Media Group Ohio, where he worked as a creative coordinator intern and a part-time videographer, producer and editor from May 2013-April 2014.

Aidan said the beginning of his employment at 160over90 did not coincide with the project to redesign UD's logo, which lasted about 18 months.

"Just to get the record straight, 160over90 has had about a six-year relationship with UD," Aidan said. "I was hired this May, and everything was pretty much done by the time that I was hired on. So, no, I did not have any influence into the logo." Daniel Curran did not return Dayton Daily News' request for comment.

University officials said in a statement, "Aidan's employment with the agency, which started over the summer, has no bearing on the relationship with 160over90 and the university. He was hired based on the merit of his work and recommendations from past employers. Aidan works in video production for the agency and has no involvement with the University's branding work." The newspaper was unable to reach a company spokesperson for additional questions regarding Aidan Curran's employment at 160over90.

"Dr. Curran has never been involved in awarding contracts to the agency," said Teri Rizvi, executive director of strategic communications at UD. "In this case, Tim Wabler, our athletic director, oversaw this contract. In other work with the agency, our vice president for enrollment management and marketing negotiates the contracts and oversees the work." The company said on its blog it collaborated "closely" with men's basketball coach Archie Miller and the UD athletics staff on creating the new logo.

The new logo has already been painted on the school's basketball court and Nike is in the process of designing new jerseys, according to 160over90.com.

160over90 lists American Eagle Outfitters, Audi, Miami University, Mercedes Benz, Nike and Michigan State University among its clients.

___ (c)2014 the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio) Visit the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio) at www.daytondailynews.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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