Brand Updates

What’s in the name?

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Missouri State recently strengthen its logo package by registering its primary marks. The move adds a layer of protection to the university’s name and official logos.

Do you see ®?

The Registered symbol ® is now a part of the Missouri State University wordmark and Bear head logo. These updated logos are rolling out in digital, print and wearable examples.

You may access Registered primary and standard unit logos from the brand website.

As you produce office or department collateral items, please use Registered logos. Materials with the ™ symbol are still representative and do not need replacement.

For more information, please contact the editorial and design services office.

 

 

 

 

 

Recap: Making Your Statement in a Digital World

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Marketing and communications staff members Kevin Agee and Erika Brame delivered a half-day training session on digital marketing Aug. 30. Whether you attended or couldn’t make it this time, here’s a recap and a chance to download slides from Making Your Statement in a Digital World.

Key takeaways

Accessibility

  • Accessibility helps people with disabilities or limited abilities better use the web.
  • There are legal, ethical and beneficial reasons to maintain an accessible website. Accessibility makes your website better.
  • Three staples of accessibility: alt text, headings and descriptive links.
    • Alt text is the text equivalent of a photo. Imagine you were describing the image to someone via text message or phone call.
    • Headings are vital for screen readers and give all visitors an easy outline of your website.
    • Descriptive links explain what the link offers. You shouldn’t have to read surrounding content for context. Don’t write “click here” for your links.
  • Use tools like WAVE and the Web Press accessibility checker. They’ll find accessibility issues on your website.
  • Follow our ongoing Accessibility blog series for the latest tips and strategies.

Download accessibility slides (PDF)

Readability

  • Write less. People will read more. Focus on short paragraphs, sentences and words.
  • Remember that 70 percent of Americans read at an intermediate level, and 97 percent can’t understand 11th grade-level text.
  • Use the Hemingway App and install Yoast SEO on WordPress to gauge how readable your content is.
  • Know that readable content can help you:
    • Reach more people
    • Increase what they understand
    • Get them to act
    • Save money
  • Don’t assume your CEO, vice president or dean wants hard-to-read content. (They don’t.)

Download readability slides (PDF)

Social media

  • Photos and videos drive Instagram. Use this platform if your department has a visual story to share.
  • Casual, quick, coffee shop conversation drives Twitter. Loosen up and engage with your audience. Talk to them.
  • Stories about people drive Facebook, which remains king of all social media networks. Use it to share photos, videos and links to tell your story.
  • Customer service is one constant across each platform. Be there to help your customers and stakeholders when they ask for it.
  • Be true to your brand. Know who you are, and be consistent with that story.

Download social media slides (PDF)

Video

  • Video is a great way to engage your audiences and tell a story in a new way. It doesn’t have to be complicated or scary. But, first ask yourself:
    • Does this story have visuals?
    • Are the visuals interesting enough to engage my audience
    • Decide where, when and how you want to capture the visuals.
  • Figure out where you get the best light, make sure you can hear your subjects well and keep the video short (less than 60 seconds for Instagram publishing). Don’t forget to add captioning or text overlays to help increase your views.
  • Before you livestream think about the purpose, engaging the audience and focus on the what’s happening not the person talking.
  • You don’t have to be a major videographer with lots of equipment to tell a visual story. All you really need is a cell phone​ or video camera​. Here are some extras to get you that Scorsese look.
    • Gimbal​ camera stabilizer
    • External microphone​
    • Tripod
  • Here are some online resources to help you get started making engaging videos of your own.

Download video slides (PDF)

University advancement sub-brand finds its voice

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With the launch of the university advancement sub-brand, special focus is given to messaging to ensure maximum readability when writing for alumni, donor and friends of Missouri State.

Below are some of the best practices being executed in the development of sub-brand text to boost comprehension, retention and action.

Contributed by Michelle Rose

Shorter is better

  • Shorter paragraphs
    • One to three sentences. Three is max. 25 words max for lead, i.e., first paragraph.
  • Shorter sentences
    • Eight words is perfect sentence length; occasionally longer is OK; 21 words should be max
  • Shorter words
    • Goal is five characters; one syllable or two is ideal

Be visual

  • Use large images
  • Break up text with infographics/numbers/timelines

Ellis Hall

More entry points

  • In text longer than 250 words, ensure there is at least one overall headline, and a minimum of two subheads
  • Create infographics
    • If something is a number, date, fact, timeline, etc., pop it out in a large box rather than keep it in paragraph or narrative-style text
  • Use more “chunks” of information
    • For fact-based stories that don’t have a natural story arc (nonprofiles, nonnarratives), break out each “thought” or thesis into its own chunk, complete with a mini headline or subhead
  • Break out all calls to action

Flex voice to connect with readers

  • Ask more questions (How will you inspire others? Etc.)
  • Be personal by using more us/you/we language (i.e., not “The university will endeavor to accomplish the goals” but “we will reach our goals.”)
  • Don’t use passive sentences
  • Focus on MSU pride and more use of the words from the overall university branding campaign

How students can get brand swag

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Welcome back to campus! We’re launching our new look to students on the first day of classes the best way we can: With free stuff that celebrates our brand refresh and the start of the 2016-2017 school year.

Students can pick up Missouri State gear, popcorn and Andy’s Frozen Custard from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 22, 2016 at three campus locations.

What students can pick up

Pennant

All hail maroon and white. What better way to celebrate being a Missouri State Bear than with this classic decoration, which can go on a stick or even on your wall.

MSU pennant

Stickers

Perhaps our favorite part of the giveaway, these stickers are perfect to decorate your notebooks, phones and more. You’ll notice a pair of Clif Smart stickers are included with each set, so your favorite president can always be with you in spirit.

Brand stickers

Sunglasses

The forecast is calling for sunny skies on Monday, so these Missouri State shades will come in handy. These fashionable sunglasses come in Bear Hug, Boomer Sky or May Day colors.Missouri State sunglasses

 

Inspiration: series of four billboards

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In this series of posts we focus on effective uses of our branding strategy. We offer these examples to inspire you in your own branding efforts.

Who caught our attention

Marketing and Communications created new billboards across Missouri to tell a story. These four are located along I-70 eastbound near Warrenton.

4billboards

Why it captures the brand

These new billboards replaced those that were completed in 2012. Although those were well received, they were updated in response to requests from the university community. This reflects a willingness to engage with various Missouri State audiences.

Creative platform

These four phrases emphasize the creative platform of the brand.

  1. When you have your chance to be heard.
    This communicates that you, as a representative of the university, will have an opportunity to speak up at some point. This prepares the viewer to consider herself in context of wider community of Missouri State.
  2. What statement will you make?
    Now that you are aware of the broader context, what will you say? How has university prepared you for global conversation?
  3. Find your voice and –
    decide what you believe, but be willing to listen to new ideas and change your mind.
  4. Make Your Missouri Statement.
    Considering your experience and growth at the university, decide how state your ideas and listen, integrating your experience with that of others.

Visual identity

  • They include the design element of Make Your Missouri Statement, which is an influential way to emphasize the university brand.
  • This element must be coupled with the Missouri State wordmark, that is, the university’s name written in a specific font, which it does.
  • In addition, the Bear Head can be used with the wordmark, so this billboard presents a powerful series of images that consistently use proper design elements.
  • It includes correct primary brand colors: maroon, black and white. These should be used in all communications. It also includes the secondary color of brick city red to to entice the viewer, then uses maroon to emphasize Missouri State.

Space limitations meant the message had to be concise, so Marketing and Communications used these statements. This is based on the recommendations that the the Make Your Missouri mark be used when the audience is already aware of the Missouri State brand. This is effective in this scenario due to placement of the billboards all over the state.

How it meets Missouri State’s goals

Marketing and Communications used the new branding phrase to connect with travelers who are familiar with the university. Following the creative platform guidelines provides an opportunity to encourage the audience to consider the university’s impact on them.