Brand standards 2.1 October 2017 I II A letter from the president 1.01 Our brand 2.01 Graphic elements 3.01 Spirit mark 4.01 Identity guidelines 5.01 Design system 6.01 Patterns and textures 7.01 Stationery and templates 8.01 Digital standards 9.01 Social media 10.01 School-level branding 11.01 VCU Health endorsement 12.01 Editorial style II PREFACE A letter from the president 1.01 OUR BRAND Our brand 1.02 OUR BRAND Our brand Brand pillars These are the claims and reasons to believe in a brand. A uthentically Intimately A cademically diverse urban rigorous Health driven Ideas One with the Premier public Expansive community research university regional system Culture Dynamism of RVA 225 programs Hospitals, specialty Background clinics and medical Stimulating Faculty awards services Experience creativity and grants Only Level I trauma Global Service learning Experiential center for adults and education children in region Accessible Volunteerism Committed to Population inclusive, innovation and innovative and entrepreneurship pioneering 1.03 OUR BRAND Our brand B rand positioning The distinctive position that a brand adopts in its competitive environment to ensure it is differentiated and preferred. To: Anyone who wants to make their passions a reality, VCU Is a: premier urban research university That: delivers a real-world learning experience Because: we’re diverse, creative and one with our community So that: people with unique perspectives and who are ready for a challenge, can make an impact today while preparing for tomorrow 1.04 OUR BRAND Our brand Brand essence Captures the brand’s heart and soul, its fundamental nature. At VCU, we’re connected with the world around us and are uniquely integrated within our city’s urban culture. The work we do makes a difference because we’re out there on the ground, a part of the community, actively involved in improving lives any way we can. That’s how we make it real. Brand promise An external statement identifying what our audience should expect from our people, products, services and organization. Make it real. 1.05 OUR BRAND • The university’s identifying marks may not be • VCU will not approve the use of its name or altered in any fashion. identifying marks to promote tobacco, illegal General or controlled substances, sexually oriented • The marks should not be used in association products, alcohol, religious products or games with a private business or used in a manner of chance. rules that might associate or imply endorsement by the university with an outside business • VCU will not approve the use of its name or or product. Partnerships can be approved identifying marks with text or graphics that by University Relations. are sexually suggestive, denigrating, profane or racist. Nor can the university marks be used • Schools, centers, departments, offices, etc., with items that infringe on the markets of other should adhere to the brand standards set forth in trademark owners. this document and should not create their own logos or other graphic identifiers outside of the • Email signatures should not include slogans, prescribed VCU brand construction. However, quotes, or religious or philosophical statements there may be certain valid business reasons for as they may be misinterpreted as the university’s a unit to desire its own visual identity outside viewpoint. (See Section 7.08 for more detail.) of the normal VCU brand mark design. In those cases, please contact University Relations • The university reserves the right to prohibit other to begin a discussion regarding a possible uses that it deems inappropriate or inconsistent exception. with the image and mission of this institution. • The marks may not be used in any manner that • Any university department may use university suggests or implies support or endorsement identifiers without being licensed. However, any of any movement, candidate for public office, company that produces merchandise with VCU organization, activity or program not officially identifiers must be licensed by IMG College endorsed by Virginia Commonwealth University. Licensing. Students may not use VCU official brand marks, trademarks, templates and other branding assets without prior written permis- sion from University Relations. 2.01 GRA HI ELEMENTS P C Graphic elements 2.02 Master mark history 2.10 Wordmarks 2.04 Master mark 2.11 Other branding configurations 2.06 Brand hierarchy 2.13 Alternate brand marks 2.07 Primary marks 2.15 Simple seal 2.08 Secondary marks 2.16 Apparel 2.09 Tertiary marks 2.17 Student organization guidelines 2.02 GRA HI ELEMENTS P C Master 1969-2012 1994-2001 mark history 2001-2012 2001-2012 2012-2016 Present 2.03 GRA HI ELEMENTS P C Master T his is the horizontal mark (preferred): mark When using the master mark, adhere to the following rules: • Components are never to be utilized separately. • The VCU horizontal master mark is the T his is the stacked mark and should only be used in extreme vertical spaces: preferred brand mark. • The seal must accompany the VCU logotype and may NOT be used as an independent element unless on diplomas, regalia or official business from President’s Office or Board of Visitors. • Please note: The “Virginia C ommonwealth University” text bar has been omitted in this new version of the master mark. • Master marks are available for download from identity.vcu.edu/downloads. N ever use the seal alone unless for official business from President’s Office/Board of Visitors, diplomas or regalia. 2.04 GRA HI ELEMENTS P C Master mark • The lockup is the area containing the master mark, and it may not be altered or manipulated. • The clear zone around the master mark is at least equivalent to half the size of the seal in the lockup. • The master mark should be at least 0.325” high, as long as seal is still legible. lockup clear zone minimum height 0.325” 2.05 GRA HI ELEMENTS X P X C Do not use the seal alone, unless for official business or diplomas. Do not flip or reverse. Master X X mark Do not use incomplete marks. Do not use unapproved color combinations. Improper usages X X Do not alter or manipulate the seal. Do not use a low-quality graphic. X X Do not stretch, squash or otherwise distort the mark. Do not alter the typeface. School of Business X X VCU Do not outline the mark. Do not add unit names outside of the brand architecture. X X Do not resize individual elements. Do not use within text. 2.06 GRA HI ELEMENTS P C Brand MASTER BRAND: VCU hierarchy PAR RIM Y UNIT (example): College of Humanities and Sciences SEC ONDARY UNIT (example): Department of Psychology Classification The brand standards guide comprises three TERT IARY UNIT (example): Center for Psychological Services and Development classifications into which all constituents fall: Master brand – All VCU entities Co-brand – VCU Health Master mark Level I position Level II position Remote position Wordmark Sub-brand – Special services, programs and/ or initiatives that have a need for marketability to the VCU community (subject to approval by Enterprise University Relations) L evel Primary unit Applied nomenclature based on organizational hierarchy Secondary unit Enterprise – All VCU entities Primary unit – Schools, divisions, depart- Tertiary unit ments, offices and programs Secondary unit – The second level within schools, divisions, departments, offices and programs Tertiary unit – Sub-level of a secondary unit 2.07 GRA HI ELEMENTS P C Horizontal Primary College of Humanities unit marks and Sciences Only approved primary units are eligible for these marks. S tacked M inimum stack heights Units (or vendors) should not create their own brand marks. University Relations will supply all One line brand marks. 0.54” NOTE: The stacked master mark is not used in unit marks. Also, the “block” unit mark is available upon request for narrow widths. College of Humanities Primary unit marks are available for download and Sciences Two lines from identity.vcu.edu/downloads. 0.7” Three lines S pecial block version on request 0.89” College of Humanities and Sciences College of Humanities and Sciences 2.08 GRA HI ELEMENTS P C Primary with secondary (#RF1) Secondary College of Humanities unit marks and Sciences College of Humanities Psychology Only approved secondary units are eligible and Sciences for these marks. These are typically depart- Psychology ments or sub-units that hierarchically fall directly under major business units. Units (and vendors) should not create their S econdary with primary (inverted mark #RF2) own brand marks. University Relations will supply all secondary brand marks on request that fall within standards. Tertiary units cannot appear within a brand Psychology mark or alone. Psychology College of Humanities and Sciences Depending on context and priority, the College of Humanities and Sciences primary and secondary units are inter- changeable. The primary unit is not always required. Options S econdary alone (at primary unit’s discretion) The secondary unit can take the primary unit’s position in the brand mark while the primary unit remains as the anchor Psychology in the mark. Psychology Secondary unit marks can be requested College of Humanities and Sciences at identity.vcu.edu/requests. NOTE: While University Relations recommends omitting “Department of”, “Office of” and “Division of”, it is optional nomenclature that can be used at the discretion of the secondary unit. 2.09 GRA HI ELEMENTS P C Tertiary unit, E xamples remote Center for Psychological position Services and Development While tertiary units do not receive their own brand marks, they can still be named in Center for Psychological headlines and titles and staged remotely from a brand mark lockup. Services and Development 2.10 GRA HI ELEMENTS P C Wordmarks E xamples The wordmark is set in Univers LT Std 45 Light.