Brand Guide
On This Page:
Introduction
We have rich stories to tell. This guide helps us express them effectively.
Under the direction of U of G’s Communications & Marketing (C&M) department, these guidelines have been crafted for every member of our campus community tasked with telling our story, from communicators, writers to creatives, designers and visionaries.
Our brand is more than a logo. Our brand is who we are and who we aspire to be. It is the feelings we inspire in others through the promises we make to our community. Each of us are storytellers, and each story is an opportunity to inspire current and future generations to choose U of G. Every moment we share with our students, faculty and staff we have a chance to reinforce the sense of belonging that makes the U of G so unique.
So, let’s do this together, as a community, as Gryphons. We hope these insights empower you to harness your creativity and build towards our common purpose to Improve Life.
Our Commitment to Improve Life
The University of Guelph is a leader in Canadian higher education and a destination of choice for students and experts around the world. For over 150 years, we have worked to create a welcoming and engaging environment where learning and discovery can thrive.
Improve Life embodies this sense of identity. It is a promise that speaks to our role as an institution, as educators, as researchers and as a community. Everyone who studies here, explores here, teaches here and works here is committed to the same goal: Improve Life.
Our brand aims to capture this feeling of purpose and to communicate how our sense of community sets the University of Guelph apart. Whether you’re a student building new relationships, a researcher discovering the latest breakthrough, a faculty member enriching young minds or staff supporting our community, we are all contributing to improving lives and making a positive impact.
As you look to develop content for U of G, we invite you to keep the concept of Improve Life in mind and use its positive outlook to inspire you.
Accessibility
AODA Guidelines
An important aspect of these brand guidelines is to ensure our branded materials are accessible to our diverse audiences.
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) addresses barriers to achieve widespread accessibility for all Ontarians. There are five main standards for which legislation has been applied:
Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presented to users in ways that they can perceive. For example, non-text elements must include alternative forms of consumption such as captions for video projects or alternative text for embedded images.
Operable: User interface components and navigation must be functional for users in ways they can operate. For example, time-based media must be able to be paused to accommodate the varying times needed for proper comprehension.
Understandable: Information and user interface operation must be understandable. For example, information should be clear and concise, while avoiding jargon or unexplained abbreviations.
Robust: Content must be robust enough so that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of users and types of assistive technologies. For example, published PDF documents should be easily read and navigated by screen readers.
For a more complete understanding of these guidelines, visit www.aoda.ca.
On campus, you can seek help through The Digital Accessibility Resource Centre (DARC) which provides multi-media accessibility support to members of the U of G community through a variety of help services. You can visit Digital Accessibility Help Services for more information about the services they provide.
Accessible Branding
While the impact of high-quality branding cannot be understated, it is also important to note that many of these brand guidelines are intended to address both brand and accessibility standards. Some guidelines may feel restrictive when viewed solely in the context of brand performance but are required to ensure optimal and equitable access to all members of our community.
Brand Governance
Oversight
C&M is responsible for the management and protection of the U of G brand, utilizing the standards established in these guidelines to ensure integrity and consistency across all branded materials. If you are tasked with using or representing the U of G brand in any way, you are expected to thoroughly understand these brand guidelines.
The U of G brand and visual identity can only be utilized by university approved affiliates. If you are not an approved affiliate with the University of Guelph, you must receive explicit permission from brandguide@uoguelph.ca to utilize our brand assets or name within any context.
Violations
A brand violation can be identified in any print or digital materials that are intended to represent and/or communicate our brand. Any content that fails to align with the standards outlined in this guide is considered a violation. This applies to any misuse of brand assets, but may also include using language that does not align with our writing style, creating customized brand assets without C&M oversight or any other action with the potential to undermine the strength and unity of our brand.
If a brand violation occurs, the unit responsible will assume all costs associated with correcting the issue. C&M will work in collaboration with the unit to help determine necessary corrective actions, including the removal and/or redesign of branded materials.
Brand Support
C&M manages and controls the University's paid, earned and owned media. We are always willing to collaborate on branded projects and can support your next project from brainstorming concepts to final delivery. With our team of internal experts and network of trusted external vendors, we can execute across several mediums.
What We Do
- Market Research
- Marketing Strategy
- Social Media Strategy
- Graphic Design
- Writing (copy, story, news release, etc.)
- Photography & Videography
- Print & Publishing
- Web Design
- Campaign Management
- Advertising
- Media Relations
- And more!
Whether you are looking for direct support to start a new project or simply looking for an extra set of eyes before sharing your latest work, please connect with the C&M team. Contact C&M as early as possible to ensure the best allocation of resources and optimal results.
Contact Us
Please direct any questions about these guidelines or requests for support to brandguide@uoguelph.ca.
