Research and Innovation Style Guide
Table of Contents
Objectives
- Strengthen awareness of University of Georgia research and its impact on communities local, national and global.
- Gain appropriate credit and recognition for the university’s role in addressing global challenges, leading us toward a world with healthier people, a more secure future and stronger communities.
- Generate a coherent messaging platform to express the University of Georgia’s research enterprise in a clear and understandable manner.
- Develop and execute communication elements, based on the messaging platform, to the core audience segments through a variety of targeted media.
Key Pillar Messaging
The messaging derives from and reinforces the University of Georgia master brand positioning.
Core Message
The University of Georgia inspires those who will lead, discover and serve because together we are on a relentless pursuit to improve the world.
Proof Points
- Research that is centered on our impact on humanity
- Competitively funded federal research
- Faculty membership in national academies and other awards
- Innovation District programs and initiatives
- Diverse and inclusive research and innovation opportunities
Audiences
- Donors and alumni
- Members of the AAU and prospective faculty and researchers
- National science and research foundations and academies
- Civic leaders
Voice
Messaging Tone
The personality attributes set the tone for how the Research and Innovation message communicates and reflects how we want our audiences to think and feel about the story as a whole. These six traits drive the voice and image for all communications.
Voice Characteristics
Inspired by elements of the brand personality, voice characteristics define how the brand sounds.
Primary Characteristics
Driven
We are dedicated and deeply invested in our mission. We are driven to succeed and focused on finding solutions.
Inspiring
We are forward-thinking, always innovating and hopeful for tomorrow.
Other Characteristics
- 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. - 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.
Messaging Narrative
This is the core of the Research and Innovation 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 Research and Innovation messaging.
From combating infectious disease and creating a dependable food supply to strengthening cyber and global security, the University of Georgia is committed to resolving the world’s greatest challenges in pursuit of a better tomorrow.
Our focus on human-centered research sets us apart, and our ground-breaking achievements have earned us a spot as one of the nation’s top universities for technology commercialization, with more than 900 products to date derived from university research.
We are committed to improving the state of the world through comprehensive research that ensures a better quality of life for all.
Our research changes lives.
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 Research and Innovation pillar.
Raising a family is a tough, full-time job. But our research on child development, maintaining healthy relationships, and much more is making it a little easier. University of Georgia experts are committed to enriching our communities.
Drones aren’t just popular toys anymore. University of Georgia researchers are using the technology to gather data to analyze the growth patterns and the health and stress tolerance of crops. This innovative approach will help us fast-track research to help increase the world’s food supply.
UGA researchers spend every day tackling the biggest challenges in our society, from world hunger to global security issues to epidemics. Our mission is to use our research to create a better quality of life across the board and instill a more secure future for everyone.
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 Research and Innovation 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 Research and Innovation style has primarily focused on portrait and impact images.
Research and Innovation Assets
Graphic Elements
The Research and Innovation Messaging style uses unique graphic elements to distinguish us visually from other messaging or campaigns. See the examples for usage and implementation suggestions.
Research and Innovation Assets
Examples
The Research and Innovation 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.