These brand guidelines exist as a resource for members of the WashU community. They have been informed and validated by research and are designed to help us make choices in communicating with our audiences. Communicating clearly, consistently, credibly and compellingly will help us better define WashU’s place among top-tier universities.
Assets for WashU Communicators and Marketers
Pixel is MarComm’s digital asset library, which houses WashU images and brand assets. WashU staff needs a license to access them.
Public assets
We have a limited number of brand assets available to non-Pixel users.
Our brand
Within higher education circles, WashU has long been regarded as a top-tier university. We are renowned for excellence in research, education and patient care.
Those most familiar with WashU also cite our distinct culture. WashU is warm and welcoming. We rely on collaboration as a critical skill and an essential ingredient of maximizing impact. People believe WashU to be a place where the impact of their contributions can be seen, heard and felt.
Among the broader population though, WashU remains something of a hidden gem. Our goal is to increase awareness of WashU’s standing among top-tier universities, expanding what people know of WashU and clarifying what they can expect from us. Doing so will require enhanced cooperation and collaboration between WashU’s many communicators.
Together we will tell WashU’s stories of mission, community and impact. Together we can bring WashU to the world.
Using our brand
Review our guidance for integrating the brand into your communications.
Visual identity
Like many universities, WashU is a large, complex organization. That makes it challenging to present a clear, definitive picture of what it means to “look like WashU” in all circumstances. A visual vocabulary of consistently employed elements — logo, color, typography and photographic style — are significant contributors to our story.
These elements of visual identity and the way they are combined are more than just aesthetic choices. They are intended to strategically support the key attributes of the university. A strong visual identity system builds recognition of a brand’s reach, scale and impact. Consistent use of these visual cues will increase our audiences’ awareness of, familiarity with and favorability toward WashU.
Logos
We are all WashU.
Every department and unit of WashU should use the WashU logo for communications.
Implementation
A strong brand is one of an organization’s most valuable assets. Clear, consistent use of the WashU brand allows us to speak to different audiences with a unified voice.
Maintaining a brand takes discipline. Thoughtful consistency of messages, tone of voice, and visuals help to establish and reinforce emotional connections with our audiences. Disciplined and effective communication can support WashU’s success in recruiting students, faculty and staff; cultivating donors; and engaging with partners locally, nationally and globally. Learn more about communicating effectively with the MarComm Editorial Style Guide.
Questions?
If you have any questions as you start to implement the new brand on your channels, please don’t hesitate to reach out.