HELLO, WELCOME
Thank you for taking the time to review this guide.
These standards are intended to guide and inspire those responsible for creating communication materials for the University of Utah Health brand. Working on this brand is an opportunity for you to take part in something big. The messages you create will help U of U Health impact lives and improve health care for the world. Just as U of U Health is an innovative, forward-thinking institution, its brand should come to life through innovative executions.
Why Is A Style Guide Necessary?
The tone of our words and the way we tell our story visually—these elements combine to communicate the U of U Health brand. And each is an integral part of our identity. So it’s important that every facet of the brand conveys the same sentiment, to ensure consistency and recognition for everyone who comes in contact with it.
Please exercise good judgment in all creative executions and strive to use the brand effectively for your audience. With this style guide as a tool, you can generate bold, engaging communications, build strong bonds with internal and external audiences, and protect the future of University of Utah Health’s brand vision and voice.
Questions
If you have any questions as you help craft our brand, please contact:
Lori B. Williams
Brand Manager
801-587-1645
Guide Sections
Brand Positioning
Through in-depth qualitative research, we aligned on a foundational principle for U of U Health, with guiding tone words to address different audiences.
Brand Copy
The U of U Health voice is direct, confident, and optimistic. Just as the brand's visual elements feel clean and forward-thinking, the copy must convey this tone as well.
Writing Guide
The writing guide helps writers and editors adhere to our established standards in grammar, syntax, and punctuation meeting expectations as a major academic health care institution and the state of Utah's flagship university by focusing on issues specific to U of U Health and our enterprises in health care, research, and teaching.
Social Media Guidelines
Whether you’re a physician using social media as a part of the patient experience or a staff member who’s been charged with the exciting task of growing a social media presence for an administrative unit, you’ll find these guidelines helpful in navigating the quickly evolving world of social technologies.
Social Media Directory
We also invite you to browse the university’s Social Media Directory to see what is already happening on the U’s social channels. If you are creating new social accounts on behalf of the university, please advise our social media manager so you can be added to the directory. Please also reach out if you have questions about these guidelines or if you discover inappropriate behavior on a University of Utah-managed social media accounts.
Typography & Color
Find the appropriate version of Sofia Pro, font size, etc. for use in headlines and body copy, appropriate substitutions when Sofia Pro is unavailable, and more. Also get the CMYK, RGB, or Hex code for the official brand colors and background gradient.
Photography
Photography should focus on people living well. Call these "captured moments." This guide outlines some principles of photography for our brand for shooting head shots, group shots, and videos. Learn lighting, contrast, composition...
Visual System
Our visual system is based upon the block U. We have distilled it to three approaches for assorted communication channels: "Slices" (primary creative), "Rising" (advertising creative), and "Simplified U" (brand-specific creative).
Logo System
Our logo is the flag we fly over all the exceptional work we do. This guide will help you use the logo correctly and consistently so that your unit both enjoys and contributes to the excellent reputation of University of Utah Health. When you use the logo you instantly establish...
Exterior Signage Standards
Download the 2019 Standards for Exterior Donor Signage pdf (opens in a new window) for current University of Utah design standards, sign placement, naming conventions, etc.