From: Administrative E-Memo (memofrom@Colorado.EDU)
Date: Wed Jan 12 2011 - 14:44:24 MST
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:44:24 -0700 (MST) From: Administrative E-Memo <memofrom@Colorado.EDU> Subject: President's Letter on Branding
TO: Boulder Campus Teaching & Research Faculty, Staff,
Deans, Directors, Dept Chairs
FROM: Office of the President
SENDER: Office of the President
DATE: January 12, 2011
SUBJECT: President's Letter on Branding
Dear Members of the University of Colorado Community,
Today we are embarking on a journey that will allow the University of Colorado
to present itself more effectively to its key constituents. As you may know, we
have been engaged in a branding process to bring clarity, consistency and
coordination to the way the university presents itself in our messages and
visual communications. The effort will affect all areas of our operation.
While the process has taken longer than we would have liked, it has led to a
good result. It will allow us to communicate more effectively, to make better
use of scant resources, to build on our heritage and existing brand equity, and
to gain momentum for our fundraising efforts.
Our goal is to present CU in coordinated, consistent ways to convey how our
collective strength advances the economy culture and health of Colorado and the
nation. Currently, we have hundreds of different and competing messages and
visual images that represent our university. These not only confuse our
audiences, which are already overwhelmed by a tremendous volume of images and
messages, but also are an inefficient and ineffective use of resources. We will
no longer use alternate logos or sub-identities for schools, colleges,
departments, programs or units (with limited exceptions such as donor-named
entities or laboratories operating jointly with federal partners).
Branding is more than logos. It is the emotional feeling our key constituents
have about CU as a result of their perceptions and interactions with us. We can
help shape that feeling by being consistent in how we present ourselves with
messages and visual images.
The effort will help us convey our strengths and value in our primary areas of
excellence and impact: learning and teaching, discovery and innovation, health
and wellness, and community and culture.
While we will work to implement the brand as soon as possible, doing so will be
a process, not an event. There will be a transition period for units to use up
old stock of letterhead, business cards, etc. We will begin using the new
identity on electronic materials as soon as possible. We will establish a Brand
Identity Standards Committee (with representation from my office, campuses and
the CU Foundation), augmented by similar campus boards, to guide implementation
and answer questions. You can review the University of Colorado Identity
Standards and get other branding information at https://www.cu.edu/brand/ .
Campus standards will follow soon. For immediate needs, communication staff
members are prepared to help.
A project of such scope will naturally elicit questions and concerns. Campus
leaders and communication staff will meet with key groups in the near future to
answer questions and provide direction. In the meantime, feel free to provide
feedback to officeofthepresident@cu.edu
I have every confidence that branding will enhance our critical efforts to
effectively engage our audiences, promote our value and attract funding. Thank
you in advance for your work in making this effort successful.
Sincerely,
Bruce D. Benson
President
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