Our brand architecture provides structure and clarity to our university's brand, and helps standardize its application.
Our colleges, divisions, departments, organizations and programs have their own unique traits, attributes and goals but we are united under one common identity. St. Edward's strives to be a branded house, which includes a strong primary brand with divisions underneath that are unique but still prominently connected to the primary brand.
Primary Brand
All parts of the university inherit strength from the primary brand, the St. Edward's logo. In communication, the primary brand is more important than any other identity element and represents our brand at the highest level.
Core Identity Logo Lockups
Core Identity Logo Lockups represent an extension of the main St. Edward’s brand. These include schools of study, individual undergraduate and graduate degree programs, research opportunities, student/campus services and facilities.
A lockup is a design that visually indicates the relationship between your unit and the larger university brand. Rather than creating a unique “logo” for your unit — which can lead to confusion and a diluted brand image — use a provided brand logo lockup to “lock up” your unit with the St. Edward's logo.
When to Use a Logo Lockup
With a variety of options within a brand architecture system, it can be difficult to know which logo or mark to use to promote your organization, department or program. Like the primary St. Edward's brand, logo lockups should be used more prominently than other identities (such as Topper or spirit marks) to establish brand equity and consistency, particularly with new audiences. When distributing materials that are more promotional and internal in nature (such as using Topper or the LiveWellSEU identity on a stress ball for distribution to current students at a wellness fair), it is appropriate to use other marks in lieu of or in conjunction with a logo lockup.
Lockup Treatments
The name in the lockup should meet the appropriate clear space around the primary logo. Lockups should never be recreated or typeset and only official logo files should be used in communications and follow the same usage guidelines as the university logo.
Left Aligned
Used when the lockup is a secondary element, such as in a corner space of a brochure layout.
Vertical
Used when the lockup is the primary element within vertical space, such as on a pull-up banner.
Centered
Used when the lockup is the primary element, such as in promotional items and signage.
Department
Used when promoting a smaller subset of a main entity, such as an academic department within a school of study.
If you're in need of an official logo lockup, please submit your request and files will be sent to you in 5–7 business days.
Sub-brands
Collaborations and partnerships are essential to our reputation as a destination university. Unlike academic departments, schools, services or programs, these have their own distinct missions, audiences and goals. Therefore these sub-brands have their own distinct marks. Sub-brands include:
- The Alumni Association
- Mary Moody Northen Theatre
- The Kotzmetsky Center of Excellence
- The St. Edward’s Fund
- Wild Basin
- Holy Cross Institute
While the St. Edward’s primary logo acts as the primary endorser of sub-brands, a specific wordmark treatment has been developed for use on traditional visual identity vehicles, such as letterheads, business cards, websites and publications. Adherence to other visual standards apply, and these identities must be subordinate to the primary brand.
Athletic Identities
St. Edward’s University Athletics has its own set of symbols and marks to represent varsity athletic programs and promote school spirit.
Athletics identities should never be used in place of the university logo in any academic application, nor should they be used in other capacities, such as to promote student groups or events that are not approved by Athletics. Like the primary logo, St. Edward’s University Athletics identities are protected marks of the university.
For detailed information and guidance, refer to the St. Edward’s Athletics Style Guide, which includes specific guidelines for co-branding, typography, color, graphics, apparel, web standards, communication, environmental graphics and templates.
Besides the assets available here, no other versions of goats should be used for your materials and communications. There will be additional versions of Topper available soon so check back for updates. Please reach out to us to discuss options if the available versions of Topper do not meet your specific needs.
Topper
Athletics' Use
The Topper identity is used for official athletic programs. Used on uniforms, athletic apparel, varsity sports promotional materials and field signage, this identity should never be used in place of the university logo in any academic application.
Campuswide Use
The Topper Spirit Mark can be used campuswide to promote school spirit. The mark is available in a variety of different formats, including editable lockups to promote your organization.
Use of a spirit mark should constitute more casual uses, such as promotional items (swag, shirts and apparel), event banners, etc. The Topper Spirit Mark should not act as the primary brand, particularly when promoting any academic departments or programs. First and foremost, a logo lockup should be used instead.
Before using the spirit mark, please consult the included style guide and adhere to the same guidelines for size, proportion, etc. as the St. Edward's logo. As always, reach out to us if you have questions.
Any combination of design elements and text used in marketing materials, apparel, merchandise or promotional items is considered a graphic and not a logo. Many times university groups require a graphic treatment to represent their campaign, initiatives or event. A few examples of these branded graphics include LiveWellSEU, advancement campaign identities (such as the Faculty & Staff Campaign) and Young Austinite Civic Summit.
A Branded Graphic Identity must be accompanied by the St. Edward's logo or a Core Identity Logo Lockup however these do not need to be in the same imprint area. For example:
- Brochure — Since a brochure is multiple pages, a Branded Graphic Identity may be on the front cover and the primary logo on the back cover.
- Poster — A poster is a single-sided marketing piece therefore a branded graphic could go at the top of the poster and the primary logo at the bottom.
- Social Media Post — Posted images do not need to include the primary logo since the social avatar serves as a representation of the primary logo.
- Apparel, Merchandise, and Promotional items — A branded graphic can be the only mark used on apparel, merchandise and promotional items as long as the primary logo is also represented in some way. For example, giving out LiveWellSEU stress balls that are set out on a table with a table cover prominently featuring the St. Edward's logo.
When creating Branded Graphic Identities:
- Use brand fonts and colors
- Consider incorporation of other brand elements
- Align the graphic to the core brand
- Create a scalable design system with versions for a wide range of spaces (signage, mobile, app icons, etc.)
