A brand reflects the organization, a representation of its reputation. The SC State Brand Guidelines encapsulate the image, primary messaging, and various ways we represent the university.
Consistency among all units of SC State University solidifies name recognition, a fundamental element of institutional positioning. We strive to uphold this brand of SC State and continually inform and engage our audiences about the SC State brand in an increasingly diverse and competitive higher education marketplace.
Brand guidelines encapsulate the image, primary messaging, and various ways we represent SC State.
Download the Brand Style Guide
Download Standard Email Signatures
Marketing and Design Assistances
President and Vice President stationery must be request by emailing marketing@scsu.edu. If you need business cards order, please download the business cards order form below and send to marketing@scsu.edu. Order form must include purchase order number before order is processed.
Using color appropriately is one of the easiest ways to make sure our materials reflect a cohesive SC State brand. Our university colors are burgundy and navy. Adding a secondary palette increases flexibility for many different communication styles, while creating connections among all our materials.
The SC State color palette has two layers: primary and secondary. Our primary palette will always include burgundy and navy. These colors should be present in most marketing and communications materials. The secondary colors should be used as accents or to represent different moods. Below are the tools and information you will need to make the right design choices and sample color palettes that can be used by sub-brands and programs to create visual distinction while still maintaining the integrity of the university brand. TIP: When using color builds, always use the color values listed below. They have been adjusted for the best reproduction on screen and in print.
[Color Swatches]
[Color Swatches]
TIP: For digital use, RGB, HEX values, and CSS variables should be used. Special consideration should be given to accessibility whenever possible. When printing, consideration should be given for paper stock, printer type, and printing process. PMS and CMYK values may need to be adjusted to reproduce properly based on these considerations.
The Licensing and Trademarks office promotes and protects the SC State brand including the name, nicknames, logos, and other identifying marks.
SC State is committed to promoting and protecting the university’s brand standards.
University Licensing Liaison
Carl A’See, General Manager, WSSB 90.3FM I WPJK 1580AM & 92.9FM | cdasee@scsu.edu
SC State University bookstore: https://www.bkstr.com/southcarolinastatestore/home
President and Executive Brand The president, executive vice president and provost uses the SC State university brand in his communications. This includes the use of the Stylized logo and University Seal on stationery and other important documents. Must contact University Relations and Marketing to request the vector graphics each logo.
The primary brand extensions are the university-level colleges, research institutes, and divisions of the university, as well as some units that report directly to the top leadership of the university. Brand extensions are not named for the lead administrator of the unit, rather, they are named for the unit the administrator heads up. The preference is to omit “division of, office of, etc.” in logo lockups so that the logo will be as concise and clean as possible without creating confusion. Primary brand extensions must use SC State brand style guidelines and licensing guidelines. Must contact University Relations and Marketing to request the vector graphics each logo.
The secondary brand extensions are the units that report up to the primary brand extensions. Examples of secondary brand extensions are schools and departments within a college, departments or offices within a division, or centers within research institutes. Secondary brand extensions receive logo lockups that almost always includes the primary brand extensions name. Secondary brand extensions must use SC State’s Brand Guidelines and licensing guidelines.
Partnership logos are approved only when SC State and an external entity create a new, permanent entity that, if owned solely by SC State, would be eligible for a brand extension lockup logo. Requests for partnership logos must be made by email to marketing@scsu.edu. Partnership logos use the SC state stylized logo and the other entity’s main logo only. Temporary partnerships, such as events and grant funding, do not rise to the level of a partnership logo. Each partnership logo must be approved by University Relations and Marketing team and the lead administrator in the SC State unit forming the partnership, and the partner institution. The entity that the two brands create together is written under the partnership logo in text to become part of the overall logo. When the college, program, or department name is part of the entity that is created by the partnership, it will not appear in the partnership logo but will be included in editorial content.
TIP: All lockup logos must be created by University Relations and Marketing team. To request a lockup logo, send a message to marketing@scsu.edu.
