Frequently Asked Questions: Help: Visual Identity: Indiana University

Help

Frequently Asked Questions

History, Purpose, & Deliverables

What prompted the Integrated Image Initiative, and what does IU hope to accomplish with this initiative?

The Integrated Image Initiative grew out of concerns expressed by the IU Board of Trustees and former President Brand that IU was not communicating its mission with one voice. During the summer of 2002, Bruce Hetrick of Hetrick Communications, Inc., and Marcia Stone of Free Range Consultancy conducted an audit of IU's “brand identity.” Their findings indicated that IU's image is being compromised by the use of a wide variety of unrelated marks and messages.

The goal of the Integrated Image Initiative is to bring cohesion to the messages and visual identity of all the campuses and units under the IU umbrella, while maintaining the distinctive character of each campus or unit.

Why does this effort matter?

However we describe a brand—as something that exists in the collective mind of the consumer, as an organization's personality, or as a promise to customers—branding can be a valuable asset. One aspect of an organization's brand is its visual identity. To achieve brand recognition, IU must have a distinct, consistent, and memorable identity in place. Over time, this will translate into more loyalty and understanding from students, alumni, donors, legislators, and even the Hoosier public. That's why IU has invested, and will continue to invest, significant resources in this effort.

Is there top-level support for this effort?

Yes. The trustees initiated the effort and approved its outcome in a resolution favoring the new visual identity system and guidelines on June 9, 2006. The president, chancellors, and other key administrators secured the necessary funding for the project. This process also included representatives from across IU, many of whom have been stewards of aspects of IU's identity for years.

What are the major deliverables in the coming year related to this effort?

Release new guidelines for IU centers, institutes, and auxiliaries. (January 2008)
Conduct workshops through the Human Resources training program to assist affected units. (As needed)

What if my unit's communications officer is telling me I have to do something that isn't addressed in the university-wide guidelines?

Parent units may choose to complement any guidelines created for the Integrated Image Program. For example, the IU School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation might determine when any units within its purview should emphasize the school name over the department name. Provided that unit guidelines are not in competition with our university-wide guidelines, complementary guidelines are acceptable.

Should I contact the media with my new unit signature, or will that be handled by a central office?

The Office of University Communications has established relationships with media contacts and will keep them informed of locations where they can download the latest university and campus signatures. Any questions about the Integrated Image Program and the media should be directed to sulwilli [at] indiana [dot] edu (Susan Williams) at (812) 855-8773.

Merchandising

My unit routinely prints our unit's name on promotional T-shirts and backpacks. May I still do this? Do I have to use the official unit signature?

The medium really doesn't impact the golden rule: If you're specifically promoting your unit (e.g., College of Arts and Sciences) and not a temporary campaign (e.g., “A World of Opportunities in the College of Arts and Sciences”), then you should generally use your official unit signature. However, promotional and merchandising items are two areas where stylized unit names will be permitted on a limited basis and you're not required to use your official unit signature.

What do you do? If you develop a stylized label for your unit's name to be used on a promotional T-shirt or backpack, please limit it to a one-time application. If you repeat your stylized IU unit label in multiple places (e.g., T-shirt, Web site, and publications), you are building an awareness for that “look” to represent your IU unit. This tactic competes with the objectives of the Integrated Image Program. Again, if your IU unit is conducting a recruiting campaign or special initiative, consider using a temporary theme for your identification (e.g., “A World of Opportunities in the College of Arts and Sciences” or “Aiming High at the Hutton Honors College”), and use that theme across all collateral and promotional items.

Will merchandising reflect the new guidelines?

Not at this time. External vendor merchandising is driven by fashion trends, and it's impossible to monitor the color and style of every T-shirt that's sold in a bookstore or sports shop. We're concentrating our efforts primarily on official communications on behalf of Indiana University. In the meantime, you should continue to contact the Office of Licensing and Trademarks at (812) 855-8830 for any merchandising approval.

Student Groups, Athletics, & Deans

Many student groups are currently using the academic seal and other IU marks. What should they do to be in compliance with the new guidelines?

Student groups should do the following as soon as they make any new investments in materials:

Discontinue use of the academic seal. In the future, the only approved uses of the seal will be for permanent building insignias, diplomas, and university ceremonies, as well as stationery, presentations, Web sites, and invitations for the president, vice presidents, provost, chancellors, and trustees.
Use the new version of the block IU. Student groups can continue to use the block IU without our specific approval of collateral, but those groups will need to follow the guidelines that every other IU unit uses for the block IU. In other words, the mark requires a certain amount of space around it, it cannot be altered in any way, it cannot be paired with other graphic elements, etc. Review Integrated Image Guidelines.

Why can't all student groups use the official IU signature system?

Student groups are not official IU entities approved and directed by the Trustees of Indiana University, and therefore some of our external audiences will assume that an official signature means official sign-off on the collateral. For now, we are concentrating our efforts on official communications on behalf of Indiana University.

I'm a campus athletic director. May I use my approved mascot in lieu of the block IU?

Because official stationery materials represent the official voice of Indiana University, a mascot cannot replace the block IU on those materials. A spirit mark is promotional and should appear only on promotional materials.

I'm a school dean and want to use my school crest or another affiliated mark (e.g., an association or accrediting mark) in conjunction with the block IU. May I do so?

You may not do so at this time. The next iteration of the guidelines will address co-branding opportunities.

Design Rules & Exceptions

When can my unit use the block IU alone, without an official campus or unit signature?

Your unit is free to use the block IU anytime, as long as you follow the Integrated Image Guidelines (see page 74). In other words, the mark requires a certain amount of space around it, it cannot be altered in any way, it cannot be paired with other graphic elements, etc.

What if multiple units sponsor an annual event? Do we have to use all the unit signatures in a string at the bottom of all promotional materials for the event?

In situations such as this one, we recommend that you use the appropriate parent signature and highlight the unit names in a font that is consistent with the rest of the piece. For example, a jobs fair flyer acknowledging the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Informatics, and Kelley School of Business as co-sponsors could use the Bloomington campus signature and the school names in a font that is consistent with the rest of the flyer copy.

Is the block IU or unit signature required to be a minimal percent of the whole?

The guidelines indicate minimum sizes for the block IU and/or signature. At this time, these elements are not required to be a minimal percent of the whole. We simply ask designers to use good judgment to ensure the elements are legible for large-scale media like billboards and plasma television screens.

Unit Costs, Signature Packages, & New Marketing Materials

Will IU purchase a group license for Trade Gothic, IU's recommended secondary font? Is Trade Gothic Web-friendly?

Good questions. A university-wide license for the Trade Gothic font is cost-prohibitive, but other secondary fonts have been added to the guidelines. At least one Web-friendly font will be an option for Web designers. At least one font will be readily available in IU's standard font package.

Who is going to pay for any changes to individual units' printed materials, signs, and Web sites?

Changes can be implemented by individual campuses and units on a gradual basis, coinciding with normal schedules of updating, revising, and redesigning communication materials. This will minimize extra costs associated with compliance to the initiative. Units will, however, have some initial costs for their signature packages.

How do I order my signature package? What exactly do I get for $115 in my signature package from the Office of Creative Services? Will I get my own unit name in the primary field as well?

The ocs [at] indiana [dot] edu (IU Office of Creative Services) will provide you with a package containing your unit's vertical and horizontal eps and tif files that will work across media. If you need to change the order of your signature fields, each new configuration will require a new signature package order. Thus, “Indiana University” in the primary field with “School of Medicine” in the secondary field constitutes one signature. “School of Medicine” in the primary field with “Indiana University” in the secondary field constitutes a second signature.

Request Signatures

Will the Office of Creative Services offer priority and/or discounts to units that batch their signature orders?

Orders will be processed in the order they are received. Now that the overall price has been reduced, there are no longer discounts for batched orders.

Can our unit's designer prepare our signature files? If so, how?

Yes. If a chancellor or dean would prefer to have an in-house graphic designer prepare a unit's signature files, that designer can request the instructions, fonts, and templates. Please note that this requires using CS2 on a Mac platform. All signatures must be approved before use. To request permission to use the IU font family and create your own files, contact the ocs@indiana.edu (IU Office of Creative Services).

Will Web headers be part of the signature package?

Campus Web banners are offered on the signature downloads site free of charge.

How do I order stationery?

Before you can order stationery with your unit's new signature, you'll need to order your signature package and then provide the necessary files to the printer of your stationery.

Should I postpone the creation of any new marketing/stationery materials while I'm waiting for unit signature packages or image guidance?

Yes, if at all possible. The Office of Creative Services is working hard to quickly produce all signature requests. The production of your signature should not significantly delay your new stationery and marketing materials.

Staying Up to Speed

My question wasn't answered here. What should I do?

If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact the image [at] indiana [dot] edu (IU Office of University Marketing) at (812) 855-7201.