We understand the resistance and controversy that can often surround brand redesigns. This is not a petition against change, it's a petition against what we believe to be a bad brand decision, specifically with respect to the choice of colour scheme.

We completely acknowledge and understand the need to simplify the shield for scalability in branding and introduce accessible fonts to meet modern accessibility standards, however the new colour scheme (violet/purple) is just a replication of so many other (mainly northern) universities across the country. Examples include Manchester University (purple), Leeds Beckett (purple), Loughborough (purple), Durham (purple), etc. 

The Sheffield “blue” means so much to so many (past and present) and the new brand identity instantaneously removes any individual identity or sense of ownership students, staff and alumni have over their much loved institution. 

We request that similar to Cambridge, St Andrews, Bristol and Edinburgh, you retain the colours of the original shield, default to a black font and use the original (or a minor adaptation of the) “Sheffield University” blue, and reconsider this drastic colour change. 

For further information on the branding changes, see: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/brand-toolkit/colour#our-core-colours