The Brand

We're still fascinated by that page on the UC website that provides "brand guidelines" so that we can all "speak UC." You can find it at http://brand.universityofcalifornia.edu/. Clicking around and you will learn that "University of California" is actually a "wordmark." And you probably thought it was just the name of the UC system!  In fact, the “University of California” wordmark serves as the primary graphic identifier of the university for systemwide communications. However, the visual identity is more than just the wordmark. Photography, other graphics, typography, color palettes—all these elements help form the "visual ecosystem" for the name of the university. In addition to the visual guidelines, these guidelines also provide examples of the tone editorial content should express.

Among the photographs that are part of the "visual ecosystem" is that mysterious figure shown above on the webpage looking over San Francisco Bay from a high balcony.  Is he planning to jump?  Is he taking a smoke outside, since UC prohibits interior smoking?  Or is he just contemplating the "tone" of UC brand?

There are so many brands out there, so we guess it's understandable that UC should have one, too.  For example, below is Brand Boulevard in Glendale:

And, some old timers will recall folksinger Oscar Brand below:

Of course, that Brand was known for some off-color ballads (and thus probably not the right "color palette" for us) - link below - so we guess he wouldn't be part of the UC brand: