What is the official U red again? When should I capitalize “university”? Does the U have slide templates I can use? And do I need permission to take photos of people at events? These are just a few of the questions you’ll find answered on brand.utah.edu—the U’s new hub for design, branding and editorial best practices. University Marketing & Communications (UMC) recently launched the site with fresh and vastly improved resources.
“We looked at best practices in the industry as well as analytics on our previous site to determine how to design the new pages and what to offer to our users,” said Scott Troxel, director of digital strategy at UMC. “The purpose of the site is to provide guidelines and assets that help ensure that marketing and messaging from all areas of campus is consistent, clear, engaging and in line with our U brand.”
Usage and grammar geeks on campus will be pleased to know that the Editorial Style Guide has been expanded considerably and updated to include new centers, institutes, buildings, etc. And a comprehensive Inclusive Style Guide is in final approval and will be added this summer—it is designed to educate, answer common questions, and provide thoughtful insight on language around equity, diversity and inclusion. The Social Media Guide is completely revamped, offering updated information on requirements for official U accounts, social strategy tips, and advice for managing both institutional and personal accounts.
“We’re thrilled to roll out the new brand site that consolidates practical tools for our campus community—especially for our marketing and communications colleagues,” said Melody Murdock, director of editorial and content strategy at UMC. “We plan to continue to evolve the site as we recognize emerging needs and tools to strengthen our campus-wide communication and branding efforts.”
So, what’s on the site? See below for highlights.
- Boilerplates—about the U copy, both short and long
- Colors—primary and secondary (Pantones, CMYK, RGB, HEX)
- Email signatures—no more wonky formatting
- Editorial style guide—much more comprehensive than before
- Indigenous Land Acknowledgment Statement
- Logos and marks—plus guidelines for college and departmental usage
- Presentation templates—easily customizable for your needs
- Typography—the U’s preferred fonts for web and print
- Photos—style tips and link to image library
- Photo/video permission—guidelines, forms and signage
- Social media guide—completely revamped to include loads of useful info
- Social media directory—explore official U social accounts or add yours to the list
- Virtual meeting backgrounds—keep switching up those Zoom backdrops