Branding

The impressions people develop of SJSU, what they see, hear and experience, all contribute to their perception of our brand. That means it's important that we consistently convey our identity across our channels to support and establish positive recognition of SJSU. The university’s web standards and best practices are designed to ensure recognition in addition to offering a consistent, user-friendly and accessible experience. The templates in place are in line with university branding and include official SJSU marks and colors — the content and assets that users utilize are just as important to remain on brand.

UMC Brand Guide and Resources

Voice and Tone

Carefully consider the brand voice and tone of messages across all platforms to ensure that we are communicating who we are effectively and clearly with our many audiences by following SJSU Editorial Style.

Voice

  • Personal
  • Friendly
  • Inclusive
  • Grounded

Tone

  • Warm and welcoming
  • Educated and curious
  • Honest and direct
  • Confident and open-minded
  • Celebratory and positive

Imagery

Through the use of images and graphics, we establish brand recognition and consistently convey our identity across channels. It is also a powerful way to evoke emotion and deepen the meaning of our stories and messages.

SJSU photo library

Web editors and content creators can leverage a great wealth of on-brand imagery through the university’s official photo library which includes photo assets of our own faculty, staff and students.

Photos in the SJSU photo library are not to be used by any company or organization outside of SJSU without first obtaining written permission from University Marketing & Communications. All rights are reserved and photo assets are the copyright of SJSU.

Stock photography/clipart

When possible, avoid the use of stock imagery/clip art and utilize SJSU photography. This will ensure authenticity which is important to providing a good user experience on the web. 

It is never appropriate — or legal — to use an image from another source in print, on the web or on social media without obtaining written permission from the image’s owner.

Faculty/staff portraits

We encourage the use of professional headshots when available. University Marketing and Communications’ photo services team can provide faculty and staff members with an up-to-date professional portrait by requesting an appointment.

While we are pleased to provide headshots, the turn-around time for completed imagery may take several weeks based on other work in the queue. Please plan ahead accordingly.

Graphics / Motion Graphics

Graphics and motion graphics should tell the story at a glance. The utilization of official brand colors, marks, typography and authentic imagery for the design of these assets will produce a look and feel that is uniquely SJSU.

University Marketing and Communications implemented Templates & Toolkits to help users create assets like presentations, infographics, posters, video and more. The templates provided have been configured to fit the university's branding standards.

Access to UMC's Canva account requires attending a virtual onboarding session, which are held monthly. Access is limited to university employees who have marketing, communication or promotional responsibilities for the university, college, department or official program. Deviating from brand guidelines may result in a revocation of access.

Video and Audio-Only Recordings

SJSU videos and audio-only recordings must embody a clear message, free of distraction and include only essential content. They align with the university’s personality and brand pillars and support our mission, values and priorities. Common types of videos and audio include:

  • Instructional/educational
  • Marketing
  • News/informational
  • Event coverage

Any media, whether video or audio, must have text equivalents.

Social Media

Social media is an important and effective tool used to communicate and engage with our faculty, staff, students, alumni and community. It’s a place of transparency, open conversations and witty commentary. Social media managers can review University Communications and Marketing’s Social Media guide. Those who manage SJSU-affiliated social media channels are expected to follow best practices.

SJSU official Social Media Channels: The university’s official channels are managed by University Marketing and Communications and linked on the global footer of sjsu.edu. Channels include:

Other SJSU-Affiliated Social Channels: If active, departments and organizations may link to their university-specific social media channels in the contact region of their website and other webpages. Other instances can include the use of approved third-party tools to display your social media content on your website.

Third-party Links

Please note that SJSU is not responsible for linked websites or their content, and we provide no warranty regarding their accuracy, reliability, or suitability. The inclusion of links does not imply endorsement. SJSU cannot guarantee the security of personal information on non-CSU websites, and we may terminate links to third-party sites at any time.

Please view SJSU’s full Privacy Notice for more information.