UC Alumni Association Brand Guide

UC Foundation Vision
Igniting passion to transform lives.

UC Foundation Mission
To inspire a community of UC and UC Health supporters through the power of philanthropy.

Brand Promise
“Thy Loyal Children” of the University of Cincinnati — its living alumni — are 350,000+ strong and growing. These alumni represent a diverse group of global citizens who have the shared experience of attending the University of Cincinnati. The UC Alumni Association unites alumni worldwide, connecting them to our university and their fellow Bearcats. In doing so, we steward alumni on their lifelong journey, maximize the quantity and quality of engagement and positively impact alumni success.

Brand Strategy
Focus on narrative, highlight our strengths, and tailor the brand to the needs of our alumni. The guiding fundamentals herein serve as the foundation for all UCAA communications and design.

Alignment with the University of Cincinnati (UC) brand
As an affiliated organization, UCAA has a brand framework and assets that reflect and complement the UC brand and affirms our collective principles and values. View UC’s brand guidelines.

Goal
Grow brand awareness and identity, ensuring UCAA communications are instantly recognized and infallibly associated with quality, professionalism and value by constituents and partners on campus, among the university community, in our industry and beyond. Elevate reputation and drive sustainable, long-term engagement for the mutual benefit of UC, UC Health and their alumni students and patients.

Since 1907, UCAA has filled a vital and unique role by offering opportunities for alumni to meaningfully engage with the University of Cincinnati and each other.

Through impactful engagement that honors the past, elevates the present and bends the future, UCAA shines a light on the history, spirit, voices and connections that have propelled UC; empowers our alumni, near and far, to celebrate and promote UC’s legacy and impact; and inspires alumni to strive for a culture of excellence and action — to learn more, to be more, to do more.

In countless ways, the entire UC family benefits from the energy, passion and involvement of our loyal alumni. 

The deeds of alumni are primarily responsible for our practical understanding of UC’s 200+ years of excellence and will similarly fuel the next 200 years. They serve as both ambassadors and examples, boldly defining next.

UCAA’s historical and future excellence is built principally upon the work of two primary constituencies: Students prepare and aspire; alumni achieve and inspire.

Our alumni create and sustain an extended UC community as workplace and co-op employers, societal and business leaders, healthcare heroes, dedicated educators, visionary trailblazers, committed philanthropists, passionate advocates, innovative entrepreneurs and more.

Alumni’s presence and influence are seen in many ways — hiring co-ops and fellow alumni; showcasing industry expertise and innovation; mentoring students; displaying great passion and pride in support of UC’s student-athletes; uplifting their fellow Bearcats; and giving generously to support, elevate and transform their university.

It is the unique role that only alumni can play, and without their example, energy and engagement, the university’s impact would be largely theoretical instead of tangible and lasting.

The UC Alumni Association’s tone of voice aims to be:
Inclusive
Engaging
Optimistic
Informative
Educational
Compelling
Nostalgic
Passionate
Appreciative
Proud

Loyalty is our legacy.

To honor the past and propel forward with confidence, we connect the dots between our storied accomplishments and dynamic present.

With hope in possibility, we align and galvanize our diverse community of 350,000+ University of Cincinnati alumni — thy loyal children.

Amplifying Excellence

Catalyzing Human Potential

Bending the Future

Together, we ignite passion to transform lives, boldly defining next.

The UCAA logo includes both the UC symbol and the words “University of Cincinnati Alumni Association,” locked together as shown below.

The only approved way for a network or program to display its name as a logo is as part of a “lockup” (see page 11). The logo is staged on white, red and black. When placing on photography, find quiet areas within the composition that provide contrast and legibility.

Note: Iterations shown above are for illustrative purposes only. To visually reflect the UC and UCAA brand, positioning the logo inside a static box or confined rectangle is prohibited.
 

The usage of secondary and informal logos is allowed. Seek guidance from the Integrated Marketing team.

Secondary Logo:

Informal Logos/Cincinnati Alumni Marks:

Proper incorporation of safe space protects the integrity of the UCAA logo. A clear area or “safe space” free of copy, graphic elements, inset imagery or color must be maintained around the UCAA logo. No visual elements may violate the safe space. An area around the UCAA logo equal to the width of “AL” in the word “ALUMNI” is the minimum required safe space.

Maintaining the integrity of our logo is critical, and it must be legible in any instance of use.

The UCAA logo should always appear prominently and never be purposefully minimized. In most cases, the logo will be larger than the minimum.

The primary logo may not be scaled below 150 pixels (px) width in digital applications or 1.75” width in print. The secondary and informal logos may not be scaled below 80 px width in digital applications or 1” width in print. This sizing applies to the UCAA logo portion of lockups and co-brand examples.

“Lockups” connect network and program names to the UCAA brand. Seek approval from the Integrated Marketing team.

Lockups are not always appropriate or necessary. Please review the following guidelines before considering a lockup.

Network Lockups
Formal and informal lockups have been created for all networks.
In most cases, the network lockup or the UCAA logo alone will be the most appropriate mark for communications.

New Program Lockups
In most cases, the UCAA logo alone is the most appropriate mark. Non-signature events do not merit a lockup. Custom lock-up for signature events must be developed with Integrated Marketing and approved by the VP/AVP.

Do’s and Don’ts
It is never wrong to use the UCAA logo alone, with the network name elsewhere within communications.

If more than one network or program needs to be acknowledged in communications, use the UCAA logo alone. Do not use two network lockups in singular communications.

Lockups must follow the prescribed template for font, type size, spacing and color.

Network and program lockups may not be used on standard business communications such as letterhead, business cards and forms. Standard business communications use the UCAA logo alone.

Affiliates
College, special interest/affinity and national networks follow UCAA guidelines.

National Network Branding
National Networks have designated lockups. The lockups are intended for digital use and must always be paired with the formal or informal UCAA logo. Network lockups may not be utilized on premium promotional items.

Email the UCAA Integrated Marketing team for the full suite of lockups, if needed.

Example of a national network/digital use lockup.

Special Interest and Affinity Networks
Special interest and affinity networks (the UC African American Alumni Affiliate, the UC Latino Alumni Network, UC Young Professionals, etc.) may or may not have their own lockups or visual identities. Please connect with the corresponding staff liason to review visual identities for each group.

Our Colors
When used consistently, color is a powerful brand identifier. Our UCAA colors are bold, strong and attention-grabbing.

Our Colors: Expanded Palette
An expanded color palette helps marry hierarchy and accessibility. Secondary colors complement our primary colors and bring additional flexibility into our artwork. In particular, our secondary palette is recommended for data visualizations.

Use color expression to provide depth and dimension within a layout. The desired effect is a sense of movement and space.

Approved Fonts
Typography extends the visual expression of our brand character and supports our tone of voice in text form.

Open Sans and Gentium Book Basic are preferred typefaces for the UCAA brand. They are free and web safe, and can be accessed at google.com/fonts.

Secondary Fonts
Martens Sans, Martens Script and Rift require approval from the UC Alumni Integrated Marketing team.

GT Eesti Pro Text Regular is only used for university lockup. Please contact Integrated Marketing team for inquiries about using this font.

Photography demonstrates alumni and campus experiences in action. Our graphic elements and photography bring activity and dimension to our primary visual assets, further unleashing the UCAA brand. Setting, lighting and activity express:

Boldly Defining Next
Thy Loyal Children
Next Lives Here

Proper Usage of ‘Alumni’ and Related Words

Do not use terms such as ‘alum,’ ‘alums’ or ‘alumnis’ in official communication.

Use of Commas with Colleges/Grad Years
Commas separate names from college(s)/year(s), but when a grad year is used without the college abbreviation, no comma is used. It is as if the UC grad year is part of their name. Commas would of course be used to separate multiple grad years.

Name Format with College and Graduation Year
When listing an alumnus by name, please include college(s) and grad year(s) for all UC degrees. An individual who has attended UC but did not graduate will have “att.” in place of the college name, then a range of years of attendance. (See Sandy Koufax example below.)

The college name should be abbreviated per the chart provided.

The graduation year should include an apostrophe that is facing out (“opening” away from the numbers). The apostrophe appears as it does within a contraction. (It is referencing the “missing” text of the century.)

Examples: 
Kathleen Battle, CCM ’70, ’71, Hon ’83
Dean J. Kereiakes, MD, PhD, A&S ’75, Med ’78, Hon ‘14
Sandy Koufax att. ’53-’54
Marian Spencer, A&S ’42, Hon ’06

Dates
For dates, use the full day of the week and abbreviated version of the month. Do not include ‘st,’ ‘nd’, or ‘th’ after dates. Do not include the year unless the date falls outside of the current calendar year.

The university owns all trademarks, service marks, trade names, logos, seals, symbols, mascots and slogans associated with or referring to the University of Cincinnati. The Office of Trademarks & Licensing protects and controls the use of our marks on merchandise and licensed goods, and oversees the quality and appropriateness of products, promotions and sponsorships for which the marks are used.

All uses of UC’s name and trademarks on products require prior approval from the Office of Trademarks & Licensing, even if the proposed uses do not involve the sale of a product.

All products bearing UC’s trademarks must be produced by companies licensed by the University of Cincinnati through our agent, the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC).

Additional information is available on the Office of Trademarks & Licensing website, uc.edu/licensing.

The C-Paw is never permitted to represent academic or administrative units and programs of the university.

Further, staff not employed directly by the Department of Athletics are never permitted to use the C-Paw or athletics logos in their individual communication.

The use of the C-Paw is subject to approval by Trademarks and Licensing. Seek guidance from the Integrated Marketing team.