Early in its history Johnson & Wales used variations of the university seal as its primary identifier.
In 1988, a two-color university logo, known as the step and flame, was introduced with the primary colors of blue and maroon. Shown at right, the step and flame represented the unique qualities of a Johnson & Wales education. The rectangular steps represented the progression of learning, leading to an academic degree. On the right side, the four marks form the symbolic “flame of learning.” In 1998, the step and flame was redesigned using the university gold accent color to form a single-color logo. The typography was also changed to university blue.
Over the last decade, the single-color step and flame logo has been used as the primary identifier for Johnson & Wales University. However, a review of the overall use of the step and flame revealed that a wide range of visual interpretations existed. This disparity weakened JWU’s marketing efforts. It also diluted the overall impression of JWU by prospective and existing students, as well as other key audiences. For all of these reasons, the step and flame logo was retired and should no longer be used on any materials or in any format within the university.