Find answers to common branding questions below. For questions not addressed here, contact Strategic Communications or Graphic Design.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I have to use UC ANR branding?
The UC ANR parent brand plays an important role in our overall brand equity and awareness. The parent brand:
- Establishes relationships and collaboration with UC researchers, other programs, and the Cooperative Extension network
- Reveals the breadth of programs residing under UC ANR
- Ensures grants, government awareness, and funding
- Provides an umbrella of administrative support
- Distributes UC research with its implied credibility and prestige
What logo should I use?
Use the approved logos in the Logos and Template Downloads section. For guidance on co-branding (using multiple logos or co-branded logos that include your program and UC ANR), contact Graphic Design or Strategic Communications.
Should I create a new or custom logo for my program, event, or project?
The best practice is to avoid creating one-off logos that add to our already cluttered brand family. We recommend designing engaging materials that incorporate existing logos — this helps with brand recognition and brand awareness, and reduces clutter. There is no value to be gained in creating a distinct logo for a group or initiative; the brand of our groups and initiatives is the UC ANR brand or the applicable sub-brand.
If you still believe you should proceed with creating a new logo, contact Graphic Design for consultation.
Do I need to throw away items with old logos?
Please dispose of all digital assets with old logos. You are not required to dispose of printed materials and promotional items, but please use the newest logos for any new materials you create and consider disposing of inexpensive printed items that are out of compliance.
What are our branded colors and fonts?
See the Visual Style Guide for the UC ANR color palette and fonts. See the Program Brand Guide for sub-brand colors and fonts (PDF — remediation required before republishing).
What are the do's and don'ts for logo placement?
Review the Visual Style Guide and Program Brand Guide for guidance. For questions not addressed there, contact Graphic Design or Strategic Communications.
How do I co-brand properly?
Sub-brand logos are co-branded with UC ANR. For guidance on specific designs or including the logos of external partners or funders in your materials, contact Graphic Design or Strategic Communications.
How do I find the branded logos and fonts?
Logos are available in the Logos and Template Downloads section. Fonts are listed in the Visual Style Guide.
Where can I find the university seal and how should I use it?
The University of California seal is owned and managed by the Office of the President and may only be used in communications from the president's direct office, official financial documentation, legal documents, regental communications, and other formal university functions. See the UCOP guidance on using the seal to learn more.
Where can I find the small square UC ANR logo?
The small square UC ANR mark is not a logo. It can be used as a supporting design element but should never be used without the full UC ANR logo. Contact Graphic Design to request the square design element.
Where can I purchase branded promotional items?
Visit the UC ANR Lands' End promotional item shop. Contact Strategic Communications for other suggested vendors.
How do I brand promotional materials like mugs and t-shirts?
We recommend using the UC ANR logo on promotional items because it lends itself well to clean design and promotes brand awareness. For help with logo placement on a promotional item, contact Graphic Design.
Where can I find branded templates such as letterhead and PowerPoints?
These are available in the Logos and Template Downloads section.
Where can I find branded social media icons?
UC ANR does not provide branded social media icons as their use is a violation of trademark law. Please use each social media platform's own trademarked logo to indicate that your program has a presence on that platform.
Where can I find branded video assets such as openings and closings?
These are available in the Photography and Videography section.
Where can I find brand assets in Spanish?
These are included in the Logos and Template Downloads section.
Should internal communications be branded?
Yes — we encourage correct branding on all communications. Presentations and other materials shared with internal stakeholders should be brand-compliant.
How should I brand my e-learning courses?
Branding guidelines for e-learning materials are currently in development with the Communications Advisory Board and will be finalized when the new instructional design program is fully developed. Strategic Communications is available to consult with you on creating your materials until guidelines are finalized.
How can I get training in branding?
Contact Strategic Communications to set up a branding training session.
How long will we use the current branding?
No major rebranding work is anticipated for at least the next six years.
Glossary of Branding Terms
Brand alignment: Consistency in expression, communication, and values across multiple mediums, products, and services (also referred to as brand congruency).
Brand archetype: Based on archetypes developed by Carl Jung, 12 brand archetypes were developed as a way of presenting a brand — its symbology, values, behaviors, and messages — as a persona, making it more recognizable and relatable to target audiences.
Brand awareness: Public common knowledge about a specific entity, organization, or brand.
Brand clarity: The ease and simplicity with which a brand can be perceived and explained to others (also referred to as brand coherence).
Brand experience: The sum of sensations, thoughts, feelings, and reactions that individuals have in response to a brand. Brand experience is not specific to a channel or media type but is the lasting impression that remains after someone encounters or engages with a brand in any environment.
Brand identity: The way an organization presents itself to the public, both visually and in repeated key messaging. Brand identity is made up of several components — a general aesthetic, logo, tone, and more — and is developed with a focus on who the organization wishes to appeal to and the core message they want to communicate.
Brand image: The set of beliefs held about a specific brand by its customers, clients, or partners.
Brand personality: A set of human characteristics attributed to a brand. These traits must be an authentic reflection of the organization and consistent with how clients view it. They are useful in crafting messaging, tone, and look and feel of communication materials (also referred to as brand DNA).
Brand promise: Explains what an organization does, for whom, and why it matters in 25 words or less (also referred to as the offer statement). The UC ANR brand promise is: We share UC research-based information and practices with local communities to improve their lives and livelihoods.
Brand signature: The visual treatment that combines the logo with any additional identity marks or typographic elements intended to illustrate an affiliation with a parent brand (also referred to as co-branding).
Brand value proposition: The specific value of an organization's services or products. Organizations use brand messages to inform existing and potential clients what makes them different from their competitors and what the brand stands for.
Logo: A visual treatment to identify a program, institute, or organization, whether it includes a mark, a typographic treatment, or a combination of both. A logo is one of many components that represent a brand and must be designed to be easily recognized.
Parent brand: The main or overarching brand of an organization (for example, UC ANR).
Sub-brands: Members of the brand family under the parent brand (for example, 4-H, Master Gardener, Master Food Preserver, and the Nutrition Policy Institute).
Photo by Marianne Bird