RESEARCH
POSTER
GUIDELINES
CONTENTS
Our image
1
Approvals process
2
ACU logo suite
2
ACU Shield
3
Colours
3
Corporate ACU colours
4
Reccomended sizes
4
Clear space & incorrect use
5
Co-branding
5
Typefaces
7
Photography and imagery
9
OUR IMAGE
Our visual image has evolved to better
reflect our vision and corporate identity
(who we are, what we do and how we
communicate).
Our visual image is one of the most
important features of our branding
initiative. Our brand is our signature, our
distinguishing mark of quality and our
signpost in a cluttered marketplace. The
Australian Catholic University (ACU) visual
image is a way of combining all of what
we do under one national brand.
The logo along with typefaces, colours,
font and style make up our ACU visual
image.
This guide is intended to assist in the
appropriate usage of the ACU visual
image.
1
ACU BRAND GUIDELINES
APPROVALS PROCESS
This visual identity extends to research
posters presented externally on behalf of
ACU. When creating your poster, please
ensure that it adheres to the following
guidelines.
• The ACU logo must be clearly visual on
all posters, with clear space around it to
maximise the visual impact.
• The logo must be present at the top
right of the poster.
• Where co-branding is required, the
ACU logo remains at the top right, with
other logos placed as required.
• The logo must never be reproduced in
different colours or distorted in any way.
Please contact Natalie Sanders at natalie.
sanders@acu.edu.au or on 02 9739 2221
if you have any questions about the
branding of your poster.
• Arial is the preferred font for posters.
Arial may be used in a variety of weights
and styles.
• Where possible, use the ACU colours as
detailed on page 4.
THE LOGO SUITE
These logo suite guidelines outline the
precise use of the University’s logos, their
application to stationery and enhanced
use when promoting the brand in
competitive environments.
The ACU corporate logo suite is made
up of the University badge and the
primary typography for the name of the
organisation.
The logo is never to be typeset, redrawn
or distorted in any way. The colours are
never to stray from these examples.
When reversing the corporate logo,
please ensure only the typography is
white. The default positioning for the
ACU corporate logo is top right.
logos, all approved artwork files can be
downloaded from the University’s MER
site. Only logos from this source are
approved. Visit www.acu.edu.au/mer
To ensure that there is no future
misapplication of old or incorrect
Preferred
corporate logo:
1
Corporate logo monochrome
In addition to the coloured logo version
above, the ACU logo can be produced in
black and white (monochrome) and 50%
grey.
1 Preferred
corporate logo
60% grey version:
Preferred
corporate logo
monochrome:
1
ACU BRAND GUIDELINES
2
ACU SHIELD
The ACU shield is unique to the University
and has been specially designed to
represent ACU nationally. The logo may
not be redrawn or altered in any way.
Approved graphic design and advertising
suppliers or signage/manufacturing
suppliers must reproduce the ACU shield
exactly to this format for all requested
items for one colour production.
single colour is PMS Reflex Blue,
otherwise PMS Black to exact below
configuration.
1 Four colour
process:
2 Monochrome
version:
The ACU shield must always sit to the
left of the primary typography. The ACU
shield should also never be separated
from the primary typography (except ACU
plaques and as approved by MER).
For stationery the preferred reproduction
The ACU shield always sit to the
left of typography.
The ACU shield should never be
separated from the primary typography.
The ACU shield should never be
used separately.
COLOURS
The ACU corporate colour palette
is a fundamental component of the
University’s identity. ACU colours are
vibrant and aesthetic to the eye.
The University colours can only be
reproduced in the PMS, CMYK and RGB
colours specified in this manual. No other
colours are approved.
It is important to consult with your printer
or manufacturer when creating University
material. Please ensure colour accuracy
by referring to your PANTONE Colour
Matching System and paying special
attention to all colours produced in four
colour process (CMYK).
!
PMS Reflex Blue
C:100 M:72 Y:0 K:6
R:0 G:83 B:159
PMS 871
C:27 M:28 Y:62 K:3
R:173 G:159 B:109
PMS 185
C:0 M:91 Y:76 K:0
R:224 G:0 B:52
BLACK
WHITE
3
ACU BRAND GUIDELINES
Important:
Four colour process breakdowns on this
page are indicative only and may change
over different printing methods. We
advise that in all cases, match to the spot
PMS colour. Please note that the RGB
colour specifications are amended for
accurate website usage.
CORPORATE ACU COLOURS
The corporate red and blue colour
scheme of ACU should be applied to
all central departments and units of the
University (as distinct to the faculty and
course areas), which will tie them back
to the core ACU brand. By applying a
corporate colour scheme across all central
areas of the University, external audiences
will see ACU as a single cohesive brand,
instead of separate business areas or
entities with potentially contrasting
identities. Please note, however, this does
not prohibit the use of separate logos in
addition to the ACU logo.
The aim of establishing a simple colour
palette for the central areas is to establish
an easily recognisable brand and build
upon our reputation in the marketplace.
By applying the corporate colour scheme
to all internal and external publications,
including online and printed material,
the ACU brand will remain consistent,
professional and easily identifiable.
The corporate red and blue will become
the primary branding colours for all
printed materials by central departments
and units – these include but are not
limited to brochures, pamphlets, posters,
advertising, banners and reports. They
will also become the primary branding
colours for all online and website
presence, in addition to PowerPoint
presentation slides.
Application
RECOMMENDED SIZES
To ensure logo legibility in all media, ACU has restrictions on the minimum size reproduction for the logo stacked and horizontal
logos which should be adhered to at all times.
1 Minimum size
This is the recommended minimum size
for logo reproduction.
40mm
2 A4 size
This is the recommended size for logo
reproduction on A4 size print collateral.
60mm
3
A3 size (standard poster size)
This is the recommended size for logo
reproduction on A3 size print collateral.
80mm
ACU BRAND GUIDELINES
4
CLEAR SPACE
As the most valued visual symbol, the
logo must be clearly identified on all
material. When used, the logo must
have clear space around it to maximise
the visual impact. The guide below
demonstrates the minimum amount of
surrounding space. This rule does not
apply to stationery.
INCORRECT USE
The ACU corporate logo is a unique design that has been specially created for the University.
The logo is never to be typeset, redrawn or distorted in any way.
Never use any other colour than
what is stipulated.
Never use the logo out proportion
or in a distorted way.
CO-BRANDING - INTERNAL ACU UNITS/DEPARTMENTS
Several units/departments within ACU
have established logos as distinct to the
ACU preferred logo. These are only ever
to be used in conjunction with the ACU
preferred logo – ie, the preferred logo
must always be present on marketing
materials.
Co-branding is allowed in various
formats: posters and promotional flyers;
PowerPoint presentations; marketing
brochures and reports, etc. A variety of
examples below demonstrate how this
could be implemented.
5
ACU BRAND GUIDELINES
POSTER
ACU BRAND GUIDELINES
6
TYPEFACES
The preferred ACU corporate typeface
is Arial. It is to be used in all formal
communications, such as letters and
presentations, as well as in emails and
email signatures, to achieve consistency
across the University.
1
Arial
Arial, a sans-serif typeface, has been
selected for its superior legibility. It is
available in numerous weights and styles.
For printed publications, such as annual
reports and brochures, the preferred
typeface is Myriad Pro.
!
A range of fonts can be utilised for
marketing purposes but all materials
produced for an external audience must
be approved by MER prior to production.
Arial
A B C D E F GH IJK LM NOPQRSTUVW XYZ
ab cd e fg h i j kl mn o pqr stuvwxyz
Arial Bold
A B C D E F GH IJK L M NOPQRSTUVW XYZ
ab cd efg h ijklmn opqrst uvwxyz
Arial Italic
A B C D E F GH IJK LM NOPQRSTUVW XYZ
ab cd e fg h i j kl mn o pqr stuvwxyz
Arial Bold Italic
A B C D E F GH IJK L M NOPQRSTUVW XYZ
ab cd efg h ijklmn opqrst uvwxyz
7
ACU BRAND GUIDELINES
Important:
2
Myriad Pro
Myriad Pro
A B CD EF GHI JK L MNO PQ RSTUV WX YZ
a bcdefgh i jk l mn op q r st uv wx yz
Myriad Pro Semibold
ABCD EFG H IJKL M NO PQ R STUV WX Y Z
abcdefghijk lm no p q rstu v wx yz
Myriad Pro Bold
A B C DE FGHI J K LMN OP QRSTUV WX YZ
ab cd efghij k lm no p qrstu v wx yz
Myriad Pro Italic
ABC DEFGHI J KLMNOPQRSTUVW X YZ
ab cdef gh i j k l mn op qr st uv w x y z
Myriad Pro Semibold Italic
A B CD EFGHIJKLMNO PQ RSTUV WX YZ
a b cd e fg h ijk lmn op qrst uv wx yz
Myriad Pro Bold Italic
ABCD EFG H IJKL M NO PQ R STUVWX Y Z
a b cdefg hijk lmn op qrstuv wx yz
ACU BRAND GUIDELINES
8
PHOTOGRAPHY AND IMAGERY
Photography is a powerful tool that
can highlight who ACU is, the values
we espouse and the culture of our
organisation. Please note: only ACU
produced/authorised images of people,
where appropriate consent has been
obtained in writing from the subject/s,
should be used.
Credits
Before publishing any image or
photograph (online or print), ensure that
you have included the relevant artist
credit, and that the credit is featured in
the required fashion. For example, you
may need to feature the photographer’s
credit immediately alongside the image
instead of at the end of the document,
and the artist may require the credit
to be worded in a specific way. Please
consult with MER if you have any queries
regarding credits. Please note: it is illegal
to publish (online or print) any image
without crediting the artist in the required
way.
Professional photography
For all your photography needs, we
recommend staff contact a professional
photographer. Details of our preferred
photographers for each campus are
listed on the MER website - www.acu.
edu.au/mer. MER provides a limited free
photography service. Bookings must be
made with MER at least two weeks in
advance, please contact MER for more
information.
Photography and film talent
We would prefer to feature our own
students and graduates wherever
9
ACU BRAND GUIDELINES
possible. If selecting talent, consider their
academic or professional achievements,
their overall suitability and their
availability for the photo shoot and/or
interview.
The person you select will represent ACU
to the wider public, so it is vital that they
are briefed prior to the photography
shoot on suitable presentation. Ideally,
talent should:
•
dress in a neat, professional style
•
not wear clothing with strong
patterns or writing/large logos
•
only wear jeans and/or sneakers that
are neat and clean
•
have neatly groomed hair and
suitable make-up
•
not wear beanies, caps or sunglasses
for profile shots
•
when photographed for
international publications, talent
should be dressed in a manner
suitable to a broad international
audience
Subjects are to be photographed
candidly for a natural look – posed or
formal photography set-ups are to be
avoided. The images should evoke an
inspired mood, employing warm and
friendly tones that convey the ACU story.
This can be achieved through: lighting,
which should be flat and not harsh; the
use of happy and positive subjects that
endear the audience to ACU; and clean
backgrounds.
Anyone who will appear in ACU
photography and film footage must sign
a Consent and Release Form (available via
www.acu.edu.au/274307). Please send
a scanned copy of each form to MER for
the University’s records.
Copyright
NOTE! It is illegal to reproduce images
in any format that we do not have
copyright authority to do so. For example,
copying images from other websites to
feature on the ACU site, without seeking
written permission, is an illegal and
fineable offence. If you are unsure about
the origins of the image, whether it is
owned by ACU or who took the image,
avoid employing it in any materials you
produce. As stated above, only ACUapproved photographs are acceptable for
use.
Editing images
Be careful when editing an image to
retain its original quality. Stretching and
bad contour are common examples
of mistakes made during editing. For
print publications, a high resolution
image (300dpi) is best. For the web low
resolution (72dpi) is preferred. Collage
and montage are examples of digital
photo manipulation. Photographic
collaged or montaged imagery is not part
of ACU’s photographic style.
Please contact MER to source a variety
of images from the ACU photography
database. NOTE: MER is currently working
on an online image library which will be
available to all staff in early 2011.
Stock images
The main issue when using stock
photography is the lack of exclusivity. As
royalty-free stock photography is readily
available to buy and download, it is much
more likely you may accidentally use an
image already prominent in marketing
materials issued by another university, or
perhaps a bank or supermarket chain.
When choosing images for an important
marketing campaign or publication,
MER strongly advises staff to use
original images taken by a professional
photographer and/or images from the
MER image library. Using stock imagery
will dilute the uniqueness of your
message and can cause confusion with
other marketing campaigns employing
the same imagery.
photo usage.
When employing stock images, always
adhere to the usage requirements and
regulations in the terms and conditions
for each stock image.
Below are some guidelines around stock
AVOID at all times:
1 Close-up stock images of people
It is important that ACU portrays a genuine and authentic
image at all times. As such, stock images featuring closeups of people are not permitted (where the subject’s face is
clearly recognisable and the person/people form more than
25 percent of the image content). At all times, avoid overtly
American imagery. Stock images of objects or landscapes are
to be used sparingly.
2 Using stock images when you could easily have the
images shot by a professional photographer and/or MER
staff
Often employing a professional photographer is more costeffective than purchasing stock images for each publication/
marketing campaign. Professional shoots allow you to build up
your own image library and can be used in a variety of ways,
while a stock image can often be purchased for one-time
usage only. MER also offers a limited photography service –
visit the MER website to find out more.
1
6
7
Using pictures that don’t relate well to your content
Use photos to reinforce your message, not to simply decorate
your page: hence, your content should precede your design.
3
4 Buying the low-resolution version of a stock image
because it’s cheaper
What determines the size of image you purchase is the size
of the area you will be placing the photo in to. If you cannot
afford a photo that meets your size requirements, find a new
photo.
5
Using imagery that looks outdated or unprofessional
6
Using pictures that look too posed or stiff
7
Unnatural cropping
8
Blending (integrating) or collaging images
1
2
8
1
6
ACU BRAND GUIDELINES
10
3
5
1
11
4
6
ACU BRAND GUIDELINES
ACU BRAND GUIDELINES
12
Compiled by Marketing and External Relations, Australian Catholic University
For more information, visit www.acu.edu.au/mer
13
ACU BRAND GUIDELINES