Request a Brand Review
To ensure the highest possible consistency and quality of Elon’s marketing and communications materials, the Office of University Communications supports campus units with brand and marketing guidance. If you are designing or creating materials that will represent your school, department or program, we are here to help.
The goals of the review process are to strengthen the reputation of Elon University by aligning marketing materials from all academic and administrative units with the university brand; fostering greater connectedness of marketing activities across the university; and identifying opportunities for collaboration and potential cost savings through collaborative efforts and economies of scale.
Submitting Work for Review
Marketing and communications materials designed for external audiences, as well as highly visible on-campus materials such as banners and signage, must adhere to the university’s brand guidelines and should be reviewed by University Communications.
- All external advertising placed on behalf of the university or its individual units — including video, digital and online advertising, sponsorships, billboards, broadcast and print advertising — must be submitted for review to the Office of University Communications prior to placement. University Communications will ensure that visual presentation and messaging is consistent with Elon’s brand identity. Examples of projects that should be submitted for review include: graphics and marks; print materials (brochures, newsletters, postcards, invitations, posters, programs); pole and building banners; permanent building signage; apparel, merchandise and promotional items such as clothing, drinkware and collectibles.
- Internal units of the university or external vendors who develop marketing and communications materials are strongly encouraged to submit those materials for review to ensure alignment with the guidelines in the university’s brand manual and to maintain the quality and consistency of our communications. If submitted materials are inconsistent with brand guidelines and best practices, the Office of University Communications will outline appropriate modifications and work with you to produce the best outcomes.
- Apparel, merchandise and promotional items produced for sale by external vendors are managed through the university’s licensing and product review process. Please visit the Auxiliary Services website for information.
- All contracts and agreements with external marketing and communications freelancers or agencies, and all marketing and communication materials produced by freelancers or agencies, must be submitted for review.
What's Exempt from Review
- Instructive materials exclusively for internal audiences (students, staff and faculty) do not require review, but should follow applicable brand guidelines.
- Scholarly work of university faculty, including but not limited to publications (such as academic articles, books or other writings) or presentations, whether aimed at professional or academic audiences, are exempt from review.
- Informational signage, including parking and route directions, do not require review but should follow relevant brand guidelines.
Rubric for Review
When reviewing your materials, University Communications staff will consider the following:
- Is the application of brand consistent with Elon’s brand guidelines?
- Is the content of the materials in alignment with brand positioning and messaging?
- Is the overall presentation (specifics will vary per medium) in alignment with Elon’s standards and expectations of quality?
Here is a general guide of what we will be reviewing.
External Materials
- All materials must include an official university signature.
- Messaging is consistent and in alignment with the university’s brand platform and brand pillars.
- Official brand typefaces or an alternate digital typeface must be used.
- Primary brand colors must be used; secondary colors optional.
- Editorial style guide must be followed.
- Materials are accessible in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Internal Materials
- University signatures/wordmarks or academic and administrative marks are not required, though we encourage use in secondary location when possible.
- Messaging is consistent and in alignment with the university’s brand platform and brand pillars.
- Official brand typefaces or an alternate digital typeface must be used.
- If using primary or secondary brand colors, they must match the official brand color palette (i.e. if using maroon, it must use the correct Pantone, CMYK, RGB or HEX values to match Elon’s official maroon).
- Editorial style guide must be followed.
- Materials are accessible in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Event Materials
- All materials must include an official university wordmark, an academic mark or an administrative mark.
- Messaging is consistent and in alignment with the university’s brand platform and brand pillars.
- Official brand typefaces or an alternate digital typeface must be used.
- Brand color palette encouraged but not required.
- Editorial style guide must be followed.
- Materials are accessible in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Student Org Materials
- University signatures/wordmarks are not required, though we encourage use in secondary location, with approval.
- Materials are accessible in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
What We are not Responsible for
University Communications will not check, nor be held responsible, for the following items, so please be sure your submission is clear of these errors, and you are knowledgeable of these processes prior to submission:
- Accuracy, grammar and punctuation errors. While our team will do their best to identify and notify you of errors of this nature, you should ensure that your submission is proofread prior.
- Copyright. Proper permission for photos, artwork, images, external logos or intellectual property of a third party or that does not belong to Elon University.
- Accessibility. You are responsible for ensuring that your submission is accessible to users who require content readers and other adaptive forms of media. This requirement includes ensuring that print materials follow accessible design principles, digital documents are remediated, and videos include closed captioning. Read more about accessibility at Elon.
- Prepress requirements. Please consult with your vendor to ensure your documents are correctly preflighted for production and in the desired final file format.
- Approval of licensed products. Auxiliary Services is responsible for the licensing process. If you are purchasing a licensed product, you should submit the artwork for brand review, and then work with an official university licensee to procure the product.
Review Process
After you have submitted the review form, a member of the University Communications team will provide feedback, generally within two to three working days of your request for review (longer documents may take up to five working days to review). The turnaround time for each collateral submission varies depending on staffing and the length or scope of each piece. Please plan accordingly and build 10 working days into your marketing timeline to account for this review process.
Should your material be approved, you will receive approval via email from a member of the University Communications team. If your material is not approved, a member of our team will notify you via email with a list of recommended revisions. Once revisions are made, you will need to submit another review form. Please select the “re-submission” option and follow the instructions. Expect another two working days for review.
To avoid delays, we encourage you to submit all external advertising materials for review at the concept stage. All other marketing and communications materials can be submitted as a final draft. You should receive feedback within two to three working days.
Ensuring a Quick Review Process
To best ensure your submissions are approved within the outlined timeframes, please consider the following actions.
- Create Brand-Aligned Content: Use appropriate branding and messaging and follow our brand guidelines and best practices.
- Consider Inclusivity: Your piece should be equitable and an authentic representation of our campus and all its communities.
- Plan Ahead: Submit your materials to be reviewed sooner rather than later. While the team will review all submissions within two to three working days, you’ll need additional time to work through any pre-production needs with your vendors. Note that if your submission needs to be altered, it will need to re-enter the brand review process. It is your responsibility to ensure your production or delivery deadlines are met.
- Be Patient: Upon submission of your materials, you’ll receive an automatic reply that we’ve received your form. You’ll receive formal notice of approval or if your submission needs attention within two to three working days.
What We Mean When We Say ...
- External Materials: Prospective student recruitment, family engagement, fundraising, alumni engagement, government/community relations, peer communications
- Audience: Prospective students, prospective/current families, alumni, donors, government/community officials, higher ed institutions, general public
- Internal Materials: Department/office communications such as newsletters and special events
- Audience: Faculty, staff, current students
- Event Materials: Internal-only promotions for one-time events
- Audience: Faculty, staff, current students
- Student Organization Materials: Officially registered student organizations through the Office of Student Involvement
- Audience: Current students