Brand
Are you looking for brand-related resources? Visit our Brand Resources page.
Together, we can tell the powerful story of what we do and who we are.
The University of Minnesota is large and complex, and our diverse audiences are inundated with marketing and communications messages from all directions. A strong brand helps us break through the clutter and stand out.
Our Mantra
We are all born with a passion to search, with a fundamental need to discover. At the University of Minnesota, this curiosity is part of our collective DNA. We provide a thriving community for those with an overwhelming drive to teach and to learn, to research, and to serve. At the U of M, we continually inspire the next great generation of innovators and empower each other during our search for knowledge
We are Driven to Discover.
Here you will find everything you need to understand our brand and use it in your marketing and communications.
Platform
The brand platform reflects the University’s mission, attributes, and benefits statement.
Attributes
The University’s attributes are the features we offer. They include:
- Academic Excellence
- Big10 University
- Statewide System
- Top public research institution
- Interdisciplinary Research
- Comprehensive
- Diverse Culture and Thought
- Prestigious health system
- Land Grant
- Economic Engine
Benefits
“Benefits” refers to the many ways the University provides value to our community and beyond.
Those are stated as the following benefits:
- We improve the human experience in a multitude of ways
- We are an inspired and motivated community
- We have a sense of purpose
Value Statement
We pursue excellence in education, research, and outreach to produce discovery and innovation that improves the lives of individuals and communities throughout our state and world.
Our Brand: Driven to Discover
Our brand, Driven to Discover, articulates the unique space we occupy in the public’s mind.
All U of M units should use Driven to Discover. By doing so, we collectively convey how we are building a better future through our research, education, and outreach.
Connecting to Our Brand
You can connect your unit to Driven to Discover by identifying an area of leadership or expertise—or even a distinctive attribute or benefit—that you aim to convey in your communications and marketing.
Driven to Discover can be applied to all your communications, marketing, events, presentations, and proposals to help the public see the value we collectively bring to the world through individual efforts.
Voice & Tone
Architecture
A brand architecture is a structure of brands within the University. It helps to define how brand elements are applied at all levels of our organization. The below brand architecture defines how the brand elements apply to individual units and affiliated organizations.
The master brand is the University of Minnesota. The master brand elements include the Block M, wordmark, and our platform - Driven to Discover.
A sub-brand is a brand that connects directly with the master brand identity that helps differentiate it in the minds of specific target audiences.
Sub-brands apply to campuses, colleges, departments, centers, and institutes (academic and non-academic units within the U of M). Sub-brands serve internal and external audiences.
Affiliated brands are legally separate units that support the master brand, but serve unique audiences and fulfill specific business needs. These groups need to connect with the master brand but have some flexibility in its representation.
Independent identities are required to be separate from the University because of funding or other stipulations. A connection to the University brand through text is ideal but unique identities are allowed.
Driven to Discover
We celebrate Driven to Discover in our annual marketing campaigns. These are aimed at building widespread support for the University of Minnesota. While each campaign has its own distinctive look, they all reinforce our brand by showcasing our identity, values, and work to the public.