Leadership and Vision Style Guide
Table of Contents
Objectives
- Celebrate the impact our innovative thinking has made across the country, throughout history and into the future.
- Showcase the visionary leaders who made groundbreaking contributions to the university, the state and the world.
- Build pride internally and gain support externally for UGA as the birthplace of public higher education in America.
- Strengthen awareness of the University of Georgia’s reputation as a leader since 1785.
Key Pillar Messaging
The messaging derives from and reinforces the University of Georgia master brand positioning.
Core Message
More than two centuries ago, the University of Georgia was founded on the revolutionary idea of public higher education in America–establishing an enduring legacy of transformative leadership.
Proof Points
- The University of Georgia has the first state charter for a public university in the U.S. No previous models existed. So, UGA is a leader in public higher education.
- UGA is the home of the Peabody Awards, which honors excellence in visionary storytelling.
- From the Bulldog 100 to the Entrepreneurship Certificate program, our students and alumni are the business leaders of today and the future.
Audiences
- UGA Family
- Students and their families
- Faculty
- Staff
- Administration
- Extended Family of UGA
- Donors
- Alumni
- Georgia residents
- Civic leaders
Voice
Messaging Tone
Our message includes so much more than what we say; it is also how we say it. Through the words we choose and how we choose to employ them, we can maintain a consistent voice and contextually relevant tone to craft a story that feels personal and real.
Voice Characteristics
Inspired by elements of the brand personality, voice characteristics define how the brand sounds.
Primary Characteristics
Inspiring
We are forward-thinking, always innovating and hopeful for tomorrow.
World-Class
We place a high value on excellence and leading in every arena, setting the bar for others who look to UGA as the gold standard.
Other Characteristics
- Driven
We are dedicated and deeply invested in our mission. We are driven to succeed and focused on finding solutions. - Bright/Smart
We are leaders and world-class researchers. Our ideas change lives. - Confident
We are equipped, optimistic and ready to take on the future. - Sincere
We are all heart at UGA. Our love for students, the state of Georgia and the people of the world make anything possible.
Messaging Narrative
This is the core of the Leadership and Vision messaging. The ideas within this narrative guide our voice, inform the words we use, and inspire communications that resonate with all our audiences. The narrative can help us elevate our strengths and identify what our audiences can expect from us. At its core, the messaging narrative articulates the basis of an ownable, unique identity for the Leadership and Vision messaging.
The University of Georgia was founded on the transformative idea that public higher education is the key to improving lives and shaping societies.
As the birthplace of public higher education in America, the University of Georgia has inspired entrepreneurs, researchers, and informed citizens across the world for over 200 years with our simple mission: “To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.”
Through our relentless pursuit for positive change, we are inspiring students to become effective leaders in their communities.
We commit to teaching the next generation of groundbreakers to address critical challenges.
We commit to leading intellectual, economic, and cultural growth in our communities.
We commit to serving Georgia, the nation, and the world.
Messaging Headlines and Copy
Powerful headlines can do considerable work in carrying out our messaging and personality. Bold and interesting headlines compel our audiences to read further and listen to what we have to say. Use them to command attention and make a strong statement.
These are meant to be thought starters for communicators, so feel free to mix things up, with these frameworks as your guide.
Samples
Pairing strong headlines with compelling body copy is the most effective way we can convey our message and personality. Here are some examples that show how to effectively and powerfully communicate statistics, information and results from the Leadership and Vision pillar.
Color
Our color palette helps people identify us at a glance, and the way we use color sets the mood for each of our pieces, bringing an energy and vibrancy to our communications.
The primary brand palette for the Leadership and Vision messaging uses our main university colors, Arch Black and Bulldog Red.
Typography
When it is used thoughtfully, typography becomes a powerful brand tool that can add visual meaning to what we communicate. Georgia’s typography communicates clearly and cleanly, and is flexible for a wide range of situations.
Fonts
Primary Sans-Serif
Oswald is our primary sans-serif family and a workhorse for our communications.
Secondary Serif
For more sophisticated situations, Georgia, our serif font family, is available. It works best for headlines and body copy.
Photography
Our photography style is bright, warm and intimate, with images that use natural light whenever possible. Light is also an active element in our photography, sometimes to the point of slight overexposure. To avoid unnatural angles, never rotate the camera to an angle other than 90 degrees.
Photography in the Leadership and Vision style has primarily focused on campus and detail images.
Graphic Elements
The Leadership and Vision Messaging style uses unique graphic elements to distinguish us visually from other messaging or campaigns. See the examples for usage and implementation suggestions.
Leadership Assets
Examples
The Leadership and Vision Asset Portal contains examples for using and designing images, graphic elements, and messaging copy. Use these examples to keep the brand voice and style consistent across various marketing elements.