UCL’s visual identity
(or: ‘why it doesn’t matter if you don’t like the UCL logo’)
What is a ‘brand’?
Then…
Now: “The public face - usually carefully constructed - of
a marketable product, service, organisation or body.”
Melissa Davis – The Fundamentals of Branding
Terminology:
UCL’s brand:
UCL’s reputation, public image and what is said about UCL
UCL’s visual identity:
UCL’s banner & logo = a visual ‘stamp’ for everything UCL does
UCL Banner
UCL logo
Why is a consistent UCL visual identity important?
UCL does not have the luxury of a large brand management team or a specific tone
of voice or image style, due to the sheer scale and diversity of the organisation.
ALL WE HAVE IS THE UCL BANNER.
Issues with a mixed and inconsistent visual
identity:
•UCL materials look different and lack any consistency
•UCL stops looking like ‘one’ organisation
•Leads to a lack of clarity that research and teaching comes from one organisation
•Recognition slips and student recruitment is affected
•Partner organisations dominate (and get the credit)
•Legally, UCL is at risk as only the core visual identity artwork is protected
Advantages of a consistent and strong visual
identity:
• UCL distinguishes itself visually from increasing competition both in the UK and
overseas
• the institution presents itself as a professional, high quality university to prospective
students
• we appear solid and trustworthy, somewhere that deserves an individual’s (or their
funder’s) significant investment in time and money
• the prestigious nature of UCL and its degrees is communicated from the first point of
contact and throughout all subsequent communications
• the high quality of our research and teaching is embedded within the look and feel of
our communications
• the impression of the quality of the UCL student experience is embedded within all
communication materials
There are only three key ‘rules’ to the UCL
visual identity:
1. All UCL materials / websites should carry the UCL banner at the top
2. All UCL materials / websites should use either Arial or Helvetica font
3. Only colours in the UCL colour palette should be used
The main question when producing materials or
communications should be:
“Is this obviously produced by UCL?”
Further information:
email: neil.rodger@ucl.ac.uk
website: www.ucl.ac.uk/visual-identity