UB Visual Identity Guide
The University at Buffalo Visual Identity
Given both the multifaceted nature of the University at Buffalo and the wide array of the university's publications—utilizing print, Web, and other visual media—it is important to maintain a strong, consistent visual presence for the university and create an integrated look and feel to UB publications.
The Guide to Visual Identity is the university's way of creating a strong, unified set of visual standards for representing UB's multiple schools, departments, programs, and offices. By prescribing standards for all uses of school colors, fonts, and the official university seal—and thus influencing everything from campus signs to high-tech digital media—the guide creates a visual identity that unites the university community. This visual identity gives our institution a familiar and welcoming public presence, immediately recognizable to the many people we serve, while enabling UB's schools, departments, and other units to communicate their unique identities within the overall University at Buffalo brand.
Elements of the Visual Identity
The University at Buffalo visual identity comprises the different versions of the university's name, the university logo, the official UB colors, and the university seal. For each of these elements, acceptable practices of presentation are outlined in this guide. The names, logos, colors, and seals in this guide are the only ones that may be used for communications in print or electronic form and on other materials. If you have questions or would like to request an exception to the approved usage presented in this guide, please contact the Graphics Review Panel.
University Names
There are three acceptable nomenclature options for our university:
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York. This is our full, most formal name; it is used on all communications intended for national audiences.
University at Buffalo. This is our less formal name, and it may be used to communicate internally and with external groups who are familiar with our university and its stature within the State University of New York system.
UB. This is our most informal name; it is our preferred casual name.
Although State University of New York at Buffalo is still an acceptable name, it is reserved for those instances in which the communication is directed primarily toward an international audience; as the international audience becomes increasingly familiar with our formal "University at Buffalo, The State University of New York" name, the "State University of New York at Buffalo" name should no longer be used.
University Logo
The interlocking UB logo with supporting typography (also known as a logotype) is the keystone of the University at Buffalo’s visual identity.
The combination of these elements makes the identification of our university striking, dramatic, and immediate. The interlocking capitals U and B are hand-drawn and are therefore unique from commercially available fonts. The bold (Frutiger Ultra Black) and italic (Minion Display Italic) fonts used in the logotype work together to blend modern and traditional images. The weight of the bold font is designed to emphasize our University at Buffalo name and to stress our local roots, while the more delicate italic font dignifies our stature within the State University of New York system.
Official University Seal and Palm Leaves Crest
Official University Seal
The official university seal is reserved for formal uses, such as authenticating diplomas, transcripts,
Description
The official university seal is a circular plaque, with "University at Buffalo" and "The State University of New York" surrounding an inner plaque. On the inner plaque is a bison, signifying the university's local origin, mounted on an escutcheon that is supported by the palm leaves of victory. The escutcheon itself contains two inescutcheons, bearing the initials U and B, and 1846, the year of the university's founding. A chevron separating the inescutcheons is charged with the flames of wisdom.
History
Before 1922, the university's official seal represented only the medical, dental, and law schools. In 1922 the University Council commissioned Lucius Bartlett to design a new seal that would represent the entire university. This seal, cut by Tiffany and Company and officially adopted by the university on September 18, 1923, featured the university's name in Latin. The official university seal adopted in 1982 showed the university's name in English. The seal was revised slightly in 2001 to feature our formal University at Buffalo, The State University of New York name in the outer ring. (For more details of these changes, visit the University Archives.)
Palm Leaves Crest
A more stylized version of the official university seal, the palm leaves crest consists of an inner plaque only.
The palm leaves crest appears as a watermark on university stationery. Since the palm leaves crest does not include the University at Buffalo name, it must always be used in conjunction with supporting typography except when it is used as decorative art (i.e., the watermark is considered decorative art). Any questions about the appropriate use of the palm leaves crest should be referred to the Graphics Review Panel.