Our brand — “University of Southern Maine” — is the perception people have of us based on their direct experiences or the experiences others have shared with them. 

Our logo is the visual representation of our brand.

Our collective goal is to create communications that consistently reinforce the University of Southern Maine (USM) brand to outward-facing audiences:

  • Prospective students from in-state and out-of-state 
  • High school students getting a head start on college
  • Undergraduate students transferring to us from a different college 
  • Working adults wishing to pursue a degree
  • Parents and family members of current or prospective students
  • Community members
  • Alumni
  • Donors

The value of branding

Every communication piece we create — from advertisements to flyers to tablecloths to campus signage — is an opportunity to visually promote the University and show our University pride.

A brand is a perception that constituents and the public develop through their experiences with an organization, company, product, or service.

In higher education, the word “university” has a strong meaning. Whenever we can use the word “university” — with our logo and/or full name in text — we convey academic strength.

People are more likely to engage with a brand they recognize and trust. Using our logo correctly ensures the consistency and recognition of our brand, which in turn, instills confidence in our brand.

Our logo is a visual representation of our brand attributes, which are outlined on this page.

Our University — our brand — is very much dependent on positive interactions and experiences with people seeking an affordable, quality undergraduate and/or graduate education. We recognize the importance of fostering a campus environment conducive to learning and our brand pillars emphasize this.

Brand pillars

As an academic institution of higher learning, we all thrive when we:

  • Embrace diversity and belonging
  • Pursue academic excellence and impactful research
  • Foster deep connections
  • Get involved and advocate for others

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion speaks to our University being a place where students will have access to a high-quality education — one that is student-focused and combines academic excellence with real-world experience — no matter their age, background, or experience.

Our actions and voice, in service to our students, should focus on and reflect our commitment to their success.

Our principles are based on the following:

A logo serves as a graphic representation of a brand. When perception through experience is positive and the visual representation is consistent, our constituents and the public immediately recognize and respond favorably to our brand — the University of Southern Maine.

There is only one official logo/graphic representation of our University of Southern Maine brand: the University of Southern Maine logo (with the column), which is available in a horizontal or vertical format.

Our Athletics teams are represented by our Husky mascot, Champ, and visually represented in several graphic variations outlined on this page. These variations can also be used to promote school spirit for events or other initiatives. Read more on this topic.

Our named Dr. Alfred & D. Suzi Osher School of Music is visually represented by a custom graphic. Read more on this topic.

IMPORTANT: The Athletics, Osher School of Music, and event or initiative graphics must always be accompanied by the University of Southern Maine logo. This allows our communities to visually associate the University with all the awesome services and opportunities we offer!

Instead of a logo, we will work with you to create an event or initiative graphic as a way to graphically represent your University event or initiative (such as our Safe Zone initiative).

Our University of Southern Maine logo should also appear on any materials promoting your event or initiative. This benefits the event, to have the power of the University brand behind it, and it strengthens the brand by showcasing the variety of events and initiatives at the University.

University logos

USM name usage

USM colors

University descriptions

Photo library & video

Logo lockups & custom graphics

Branded templates

Typography standards

Social media at USM

Writing standards

Photography resources

Writing

The purpose of all written communication is to provide our audiences with clear, error-free information about the people, places, and events occurring at and relating to the University of Southern Maine.

Writers should pay particular attention to voice, audience, and creating an effective call to action (or CTA) — the action your readers should take (e.g., “register today” or “apply now”) — in all written University communications. There are also specific considerations for print and digital communications outlined below.

Who are you trying to reach? There may be many different audiences who will interact with your print piece, webpage, or email, but you should direct your copy toward one specific group — your primary audience.

Primary audience

The key group of people you’re trying to reach. Your copy should present clear, concise information that will lead your audience to take the action you desire.

Points to consider:

  • Why is your primary audience interested in your copy?
  • What does your primary audience need to learn or accomplish?
  • What are the top five questions your primary audience may have?
  • What action do you want your primary audience to take after reading your copy?

Secondary audience

Your copy may include some information beneficial to an additional group of people outside of your primary audience. For instance, a print or digital piece with a primary audience of alumni may also include relevant information for a secondary audience of local businesses.

Examples of University audiences:

  • Internal
    • Current students
    • Faculty
    • Staff
  • External
    • Alumni
    • Donors
    • Prospective students
    • Parents and family members
    • School administrators, teachers, coaches, etc
    • Local businesses

There may also be other audiences or specific segments of audiences you need to reach.

As our audiences engage with our brand, we’d like to ensure that they encounter a clear, consistent voice no matter the medium.

The University of Southern Maine voice:

  • Is familiar and personable
  • Speaks directly to the reader (second person – external link)
  • Uses “you,” “we,” and “our” (first person – external link)
  • Is engaging, lively, and welcoming
  • Is positive and supportive
  • Uses the active voice (not the passive voice – external link)
  • Is formal and scholarly when writing about academics (such as program descriptions)
  • Does not use internal jargon or abbreviations
  • Welcomes diversity of ages, backgrounds, and ideas, knowing that our academic environment is strengthened through engaging and civil discourse

All print and digital marketing communications should compel the reader to complete a specific action, such as:

  • Register today
  • Visit us
  • Call for more information
  • Browse scholarships

Make it as simple as possible for your audience to accomplish the CTA. For instance, on a webpage, once a user selects a CTA of “Browse scholarships,” they should arrive on a page where they can browse available scholarships.

In other words, your CTA should drive your audience to a source with all the details or information related to the topic they were just reading about.

Determine the University staff and faculty who hold the facts about the program or event you’re promoting. Then, connect with those folks (or SMEs) to gather all the pertinent information you need. Finally, craft your copy to communicate that information to your primary audience as clearly and succinctly as possible.

Remember to use CTAs to drive your audience to sources with all the information they need to take action.

Web users do not read websites — they scan or skim, so be brief.

More than 45% of the users on our public website are accessing it on their mobile devices. Keep this in mind as you structure your copy.

Here are some general guidelines:

Communication objective

Each page within a subsite should have one communication objective.

Copy (or text) length

  • Copy should be brief and browsable
  • Limit copy to a maximum of 700 words per page — shorter is better
  • Use short paragraphs with a maximum of 4 sentences
  • Use short sentences

Formatting

  • Use headings, when appropriate, to break up your copy into scannable sections
  • Use bullets whenever appropriate
  • Use bold or italics to emphasize text
    • Do not underline text for emphasis, this implies that there is a hyperlink

PDF use

Avoid using PDFs to share content as they do not meet accessibility standards by default. Most PDF content can easily become a webpage, which is quicker to update and distribute — and, most importantly, can be read by a screen reader.

Review

When drafting copy for the web, resize your application window to the approximate width of a mobile phone screen to determine if the text is still readable and browsable on a small screen.

Links

When including a text link (or hyperlink), avoid using calls to action (CTAs) like “click here” or including the entire URL — these are not screen reader-friendly links.

  • Do NOT use the full web address by itself in any form (with or without https:// )
  • Hide URLs behind descriptive text with action words (CTAs) that describe the link’s destination
    • e.g., “learn more about _____” or “register now”

Correct format:

Incorrect format:

Every link is a chance for your audience to leave your webpage and not return. Consider the following:

  • Does this link pertain to your primary or secondary audience?
  • Does this link support your communication objective and your CTA?
  • If you plan to link to content on another subsite within the University’s website, check with the department, college, or school to ensure that they are regularly maintaining that page.
  • If you must link to a website outside of the usm.maine.edu domain, set the link target to “new window.”

Ongoing maintenance

If a user visits your webpage, they will assume it’s up-to-date. If it’s not up-to-date, that harms the credibility of both your subsite and all other pages on our website.

  • When planning your webpage or subsite, determine who will be responsible for regularly reviewing the content to ensure accuracy.
    • Determine which Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) should be looped in on the process.
  • If your webpage content expires at a specific time, schedule a reminder in your calendar to update the content or unpublish/delete the page.
    • Don’t forget to update any other pages, content, or navigation items that link to this page.
  • News posts: These include a date stamp above the page title, the option to back-date a post, and can remain published at your discretion.

Text in, on, or as images

Avoid using text in an image format (.jpg, .gif, .png, etc.). Due to website accessibility standards, images on any digital platform should not include text.

Screen readers, for example, are unable to distinguish words from other elements in the image — everything blends into pixels, and the copy is essentially invisible.

Before drafting copy for print material, determine the following:

  • Format: Trifold brochure, booklet, postcard, etc.
  • Delivery method: Mail, handout, poster, brochure rack, etc.
  • Size: This affects the amount of space available for text
  • Lifespan: How long will this information be accurate?

While drafting your copy, consider the following:

  • Be clear and concise
  • Include a short URL to your website
    • Readers will not take the time to type a long URL into their mobile device or desktop browser
    • Detailed and time-sensitive information is quick and easy to add or update digitally
    • Request a short URL or redirect (external link) for your print piece
  • Allow for white space — eyes need to breathe

Advertising

All our University advertising is carefully crafted and purposely distributed to communicate specific messages to specific audiences at thoughtfully planned intervals. From radio and TV to online and print, the Office of Marketing and Strategic Communications is responsible for managing all advertising activities for the University of Southern Maine.

Our experienced staff can help you understand specific needs and how best to spend your time and money. Any academic department or administrative office wishing to engage in advertising should submit a marketing request first.

TV advertising is prohibited without involvement from the Office of Marketing and Strategic Communications at the start. This is to ensure we are getting the best costs, reach, and production values. This is also to ensure we do not have a clash of commercials in the marketplace.

Radio advertising is prohibited without involvement from the Office of Marketing and Strategic Communications at the start. This is to ensure we are getting the best costs, reach, and production values. This is also to ensure we do not have a clash of commercials in the marketplace.

Print advertising can be expensive and limited in its reach. A single ad may not be worth the money you spend, especially if it’s small. Please consult with the Office of Marketing and Strategic Communications if you are considering print advertising.

We often can help you achieve better reach for the same budget. Submit a marketing request to get started.

Online advertising consists of many options, the most popular being:

  • Social media
  • Search engine marketing (SEM)
  • Digital display (static or animated)
  • Video

If you are interested in online advertising, we strongly encourage you to reach out to the Office of Marketing and Strategic Communications when you begin thinking about it. We can help you work through what can be a confusing landscape. 

We often can help you achieve better reach for the same budget. Submit a marketing request to get started.

Faculty, staff, and current students: Are you looking for help with our external website, graphic design, email marketing, social media, photography, or public relations?

Submit a marketing request