Stay on Brand: Fall Semester Reminders

As we dive into another bustling school year, it's essential to keep the Driven to Discover brand sharp and consistent. Here are some key reminders to keep you on track and ensure branding is aligned with our current standards.

Reminders

• The double-outline Block M should not be used for academic purposes. This mark is used primarily for athletic activities across the University and should be reserved for those purposes only.
• Get to know your campus/college/unit brand leader. Your campus/college/unit marketing communications leader is an important point of contact as you align your communications with brand standards. University Relations collaborates closely with the marketing communications leaders in our shared work as brand advocates.
• Please ensure you have all the required header and footer elements on your websites. The University web header and footer (and the umn.edu domain) cannot be used for personal websites.
• Ensure proper buffer space around University trademarks so other elements don’t appear combined with University marks. What does that mean? Generally, more space is better than less, but we recommend taking a look at the guidelines for specifics.
• Ensure brand colors, maroon and gold, are prominent in all UMN materials and licensed products. This helps audiences quickly recognize that the message, product, or presence is related to the University of Minnesota. When you want to include a secondary color, apply the 80/20 rule. 80% of the design should look like the University—be maroon and gold—and 20% can use secondary colors. This also applies when you are selecting apparel color. The primary colors should be the first choice when designing or purchasing merchandise. Avoid color combinations that might be confused with another university (such as black and gold, blue and gold, etc.).
• When ordering licensed products, be sure to use a licensed vendor. Visit z.umn.edu/licensees for the latest list, or visit z.umn.edu/UMNLicensing for more information.

If you have any questions about the University’s brand standards, contact brand@umn.edu.