Graphic Identity Review

Reminders and ExplanationsSept. 2013 – David Wenger

Who oversees the school brand? See: www.mccombs.utexas.edu/communications/

Where do I find graphic identity information? See: www.mccombs.utexas.edu/communications/branding

Why have school-wide graphic guidelines? From: www.mccombs.utexas.edu/communications/branding/brand-standards

Before graphic standards…

After graphic standards…

Yes, there is flexibility…

No, really.

…for different audiences…

…or really different audiences.

After a nuclear annihilation only two things are guaranteed to thrive.

This little fellow, and your McCombs Alumni Network.

But…doesn’t a new font add interest?

Don’t fall into the design trap that mistakes a new font, color or paper style as a fresh idea. A new font does not constitute a powerful marketing concept. A new color does not substitute for a carefully worded, appealing headline executed with a strong marketing theme.

Put creative effort and thought into audience-targeted concepts, differentiating ideas and striking visuals. All of this can be done without using a font that isn’t part of our graphic identity.

Do our audiences need to see more variety? From: www.mccombs.utexas.edu/communications/branding/brand-standards

EXAMPLE: Apple packaging and advertising. Fun, always fresh, yet consistently true to the graphic identity standards across products and channels.

Can I never use a different font?

Stylized fonts may be used as part of a design element that conveys a particular message relative to the communications piece. The specialized font must be used as a stand-alone element, not as a substitution for the normal Interstate and Century fonts throughout the piece. Examples:

From the UT home page. Stylized font used as part of a design element that suggests a newspaper headline. Rest of the article adheres to the university’s design standards.

From McCombs TODAY. Stylized font used for heading, to suggest the creepy nature of computer spam. Rest of piece adheres to standard font guidelines.

These specialized treatments should be treated as unique instances meant to convey a specific idea, not as variations to differentiate a communications piece from other McCombs materials.

What about colors?

All the principles that apply to fonts also guide our use of colors. Remember, our audiences are NOT overexposed to our standard colors, regardless of how many times people in your office have seen them.

Graphic Guidelines ReviewDavid Wenger512-471-3314