- Author: Linda Forbes
In the toolkit, you will find SAREP's new logo with and without text, in English and Spanish:
Brand consistency is important
UC ANR logos visually communicate our brands, and our brand promotion efforts seek to positively influence people's perceptions and awareness of UC ANR's value throughout the state. We do this by presenting consistent, credible and authentic messages and visuals about how we benefit California. Consistency is key to building awareness and understanding, because communicating a fragmented or overly complicated brand confuses audiences and makes it hard for them to understand both what we do and the value we bring. Simply stated, that means every type of communication we craft – presentations, web pages, publications, social media posts, etc. – is an opportunity to grow brand awareness and positive sentiment for UC ANR.
To that end, please be sure you are using the current version of the UC ANR logo and/or sub-brand logos on your materials – presentations, email signatures, flyers, posters, social media profiles, etc. We recognize that physical signage is costly to update, but if you are creating new signage or replacing old signage, please be sure to use the proper logos. For specific branding or logo questions, contact Linda Forbes.
Learn more about UC ANR branding and messaging in the communications toolkit.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
When ANR employees attend meetings via Zoom, now they can use blue backgrounds that feature the UC ANR or UC Cooperative Extension logos. The images serve to remind your associates who you represent as well as mask distracting objects around you. The professional images were designed by Will Suckow, senior artist in Communication Services.
The files can be downloaded from the Communications Toolkit in the ANR portal. To download the UC ANR Zoom background, click on UC ANR under Logos and Templates Downloads.
To download the UCCE file, click on UCCE under Logo & Templates Downloads.
In Zoom's video settings, it is important to make sure the camera is set to 16:9 so the video format will fit the background.
- Author: Wendy Powers
I suppose it seems like I am on vacation this week given my lack of posts until now. But, no, it's been super busy and I am way behind on responding to emails. Any trace of a summer slowdown is clearly behind me. I'm hoping to be caught up on email by the end of the weekend and have some projects with strong progress by this time next week.
I had a chance to visit with the Stanislaus office and the Santa Clara office this week – more on some specifics from those visits later. In Santa Clara, I had the chance to meet Lucy Diekmann. Lucy is a CE Advisor in Urban Agriculture and Food Systems, based in San Jose, CA, with programmatic responsibilities in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Lucy has been in the Bay area for a few years so I have no doubt she will be off to a fast start. If you get a chance, please welcome Lucy to UC ANR!
One of the topics that's been floating around in my head lately is the UC ANR logo. In part this is because there have been discussions about getting branded clothing. Admittedly, I need to enhance my own UC ANR wardrobe a bit. From what I hear, there's a place in Davis where you can order just about anything and have it embroidered. They have the logos on file and have a number of items to try on. I'm sure someone out there can remind me of the name of the place.
The other aspect of the topic is the use of ‘UC ANR' versus ‘UCCE'. I've always considered CE as an important component of all that UC ANR is. Maybe it's the result of my experience in other states but county offices across California are far more than CE. The office in Stanislaus County, for example, has a fabulous lab space and Daniel, a Staff Research Associate. This isn't uncommon in CA yet is rare, if not unheard of, in other states. In addition, UC ANR includes statewide programs that are not found in other states (IGIS, SAREP, IPM, NPI, Water, AIC). And then there are the RECs. While other states have similar facilities that are associated with departments and colleges, the 9 RECs are a key component of UC ANR. So here's how, in my mind, it all adds up:
CE + applied research + Statewide programs and institutes + RECs = UC ANR
This is what makes UC ANR all that it is, and it is exceptional. So why not own it all?
- Author: Cynthia Kintigh
This multi-level brand approach is not unprecedented. A good example is how UC Berkeley handles their brand package. There's a high-level brand for the campus and other sub-brands, like the script Cal and iterations of the Golden Bear. Each has a place in the brand family. This is especially applicable for well-recognized, even well-loved brands with a lot of brand equity—like the script Cal, the vintage bear, or even 4-H, UCCE, Master Gardener and others in our own brand package.
- Author: Robert W. Sams
Yesterday, I got an email from a county advisor with an excellent question. The question was, "Can I post a PDF file from another site if they insist that we post their logo, too? They don't charge anything?"
There were other requirements as well, but most were not a problem, such as no changes to the file, full credit to the source, no commercial sale, etc.
The logo requirement was a major problem.
The company required that their corporate logo appear close to the item on our advisor's web site. In addition, they required either a link to their site or that the logo itself be a click-through button to their site.
While there is vigorous discussion at many levels in UC and in ANR about logo's on our web sites as recognition for our cooperators and sponsors, the current situation is pretty simple.
Don't do it.
Text acknowledgments are okay, but no logos and no links.
This might change soon, but for now, UC legal folks are concerned that in some cases, links with logos have been found to constitute paid advertising and that puts the tax status of UC at risk.
We realize that this seems arbitrary and are working to expand policy and establish guidelines for when and how this can be done.
One very cogent comment on this problem from a specialist was, "What's the difference between a line of text and a logo?"
It's a great question and worth discussion.
The simple answer is.....
Companies wouldn't spend millions on logos and branding if there was no difference between their brand and a line of text.
What do you think about logos on ANR websites? What about links?
Bob Sams