Brand FAQs

In short, our brand = our reputation.

 

Branding is the process of strategically presenting and promoting our university through every point of internal and external contact, including message, tone, culture, opportunity, promise, and visual representation. Our brand is about much more than images, messages, and logos. It is the promise of who we are, what we do, and why it matters.

Internally, branding provides a foundation and focal point for effective communications, regardless of source, tactic, or content owner. It helps distinctive units and speakers share their message more quickly, efficiently, and coherently.

 

Externally, great brands build a loyal following by being intentional and consistent. They are instantly recognizable everywhere. They stand for something. They use a common language, despite having many speakers and voices. 

 

Actively supporting our brand standards enables each campus unit to work more strategically and achieve a greater impact and reputational lift with a smaller investment.

Use by students is limited. Students may use university logos on posters for presentations and conferences, as long as the work being presented was conducted/researched/completed at the university. 

 

Recent graduates may also use the marks on poster presentations recounting work they did while a student at the university.

Students employed by the university may incorporate university logos as needed for any official university-related communications or purposes.  

No. The university seal has been reserved for official Board of Regents and commencement-related uses, including official university documents such as transcripts and diplomas.

 

Please visit CU System brand standards for more information on approved uses of the university seal.

No, we do not allow external companies to use our registered trademarks in their recruiting.

CU’s official colors are black and gold.They are required in all visual communications and must be featured more prominently than any other colors. 

 
Learn more about our colors.

CU Denver’s official typeface is Helvetica Neue. It is a highly legible, classic typeface, suitable for all size placements. Helvetica Neue can be found on fonts.com

 
Learn more about our brand typefaces.

Current university employees—including faculty, staff, and students—do not require permission to use approved logo artwork for official university purposes. Use for other professional purposes, including any personal uses, requires prior written permission from University Communications.

 

All third-party entities (individual, corporate, nonprofit, vendor, agency, peer, etc.), must obtain written permission from University Communications prior to any use of the university’s logos or identifying marks.

In all cases, uses must comply with current brand standards.

Current students may order predesigned business cards from Printing Services. Students may not create their own business cards using university marks or alter the standard business card design in any way.

 

No. The CU logos may not be altered in any way, including changing the color or rearranging its components.

 

Yes, we will grant permission for a single use and ask that you abide by the logo usage policies and guidelines of the university. Please fill out the Other Request option on our Brand & Design Request form. 

 

Approval will apply to a single request only. For any future or additional use of the logo, permission must be requested again. 

Institutional consolidation refers to the administrative merger between CU Denver and CU Anschutz Medical Campus, which was approved by the CU Board of Regents in 2004. 

 

This merger increased administrative efficiencies and created economies of scale, by allowing certain administrative-focused groups—facilities management, information technology, human resources, etc.—to support both campuses, versus maintaining identical (and redundant) infrastructures at each.

 

Despite this internally focused merger, each campus maintains its own brand, personality, strategic priorities, and goals.