Blu the Flamingo is the mascot for UB Athletics Mingoes for University of The Bahamas. He is an anthropomorphic blue flamingo with the Mingoes Basketball Jersey, Number 0.
History
The College of The Bahamas earlier athletic names were Flamingoes, as recalled by Athletic Director Kimberley Rolle, then COB Caribs. Although not official adapted by College of The Bahamas, earlier campus newsletters, events and uniforms show that the Athletics Department at the College of The Bahamas and College of The Bahamas Union of Students (COBUS), now University of The Bahamas Student Government Association, utilized the Carib name, Lucayan Head, and arrows within its brand identity. The transition from College of The Bahamas to University of The Bahamas would be the institution first time creating its mascot.
The flamingo was chosen as Mingoes official mascot by Athletic Director Kimberley Rolle, and President Rodney Smith, Ph.D. alongside conceptual designer Renbert Mortimer II in 2016, after a university search committee called for final submissions. After a campus ran competition for $5,000 cash prize for the winner amongst the university's students, staff, faculty and alumni, the college reached out to marketing companies in the Bahamian community for submissions for its new mascot. A condition was set that it must be blue.
RGMII Waynehead Productions CEO Renbert Mortimer II pitched three mascots ideas to Demonstrative Council inclusive of:
- U B Rare Breeds - Flamingo based
- U B Luscas (Half shark and half Octopus)
- U B Chickcharney
After months of consultative meetings with staff, faculty, students, student-athletes and UB Alumni Assocation, alongside market research, ‘U B Mingoes’ became the official name of the brand, derived from the previous ‘U B Rare Breeds’. The choice for the official mascot to be a caricature of a flamingo came from the pitch by Renbert Mortimer II, pointing out the previous logo for College of The Bahamas had a pink flamingo, and the new University of The Bahamas logo, selected separate from the Athletics Brand mark, chose a blue and white flamingo on its shield. To avoid brand confusion, with a flamingo on the official logo of the shield and another animal for athletics, the committee and market research found a flamingo based mascot may be best.
Conceptual renditions were complete by Vashon Smith (San Salvador), Renbert Mortimer II (Nassau) and Lamaro Smith (Grand Bahama), with the final renditions inked by Lamaro Smith. 3D rendition wer completed by Lamaro Smith and Graphic Illustrations and dimension adjusted by Vincent Williams (Nassau). App design for the Mingoes App was completed by Novio Sports, Valdez Willaims and original website by Alumnus Romayne Reid (Jamaica). These 6 creatives concern the fathers of Mingoes from RGMII Waynehead Productions.
The original color of the mascot was white with hints of blue and pink on the tip of the feathers to represent the anthropomorphic flamingo transformation. This along with a short next flamingoes rendition made the original rendition more like a pigeon or seagull rather than a wading bird. It was the decision of Maelynn Ford with the President Smith, who made the final decision to change the mascot fully blue and extended its next. Previous flamingoes design was not conceptualized before, and it became the first athletic brand to carry a flamingo as a mascot.
The original name of the mascot was “Fury” named by its conceptual artist Renbert Mortimer II. The administrative council called for campus consideration and a naming campaign was started in 2018, one year after the launch of the MINGOES brand. These final names are to be sent to administrative team for approval before the November Homecoming 2018 events:
Bey, Bei or Bui (the latter being the Grand Bahama spelling). The use of the word will invite conversations about our culture and dialect.
Mingoe - Houston Baptist University has a mascot named Mingo but our spelling with a 'e' is the difference.
Blu - Blue is the official mascot of the Indianapolis Colts professional American football team and Blü the phone company. Toronto has the Blue Jays and Duke the Blue Devils. Blu is also a nickname for IBM, an American multinational technology and consulting corporation.
Fly or Flight - From the mascot and brand description that advocates the students to take flight and soar.
Fury- Derived from snare shown on our Mingoes logo and shown on the mascot costume (original name).
Blue Fury- suggested by Clubs and Organizations
Blu was chosen after the majority of participants voted for the name.
Chants
The famous “U B, Mingoes” chant was pitched during the initial meeting with the logo and chant inspired by COB CIS Alumni CIS Moss and journalism graduate Kriston Saunders and biology and chemistry graduate Steven Isaacs during a company brain-storming session. The idea of the chant was carried out and made famous by Traven Cargill and UB Athletics Department, who on Charter Day shared the chant before its official acceptance to the campus. The ‘fla’ was removed from flamingoes to for Mingoes to match the syllables of “U B”. The echoing of the sounds of the ‘U B’ during the chant is to mimic the honking sounds and echoes in a flock of flamingoes.