NSU Brand Book 2015

The Nova Southeastern University Brand | 9 On the heels of Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU) golden anniversary, an exciting future awaits our respected institution. As we enter our sixth decade, it is the perfect time to unveil NSU’s new brand strategy, identity and graphic standards, and tone of voice. Since 1964, NSU has been at the forefront of higher education innovation, growing from our first graduating class of 17 Ph.D. students to what is now the largest private, not-for-profit university in Florida. While many individuals and organizations have their ideas of who we are, for the first time we have a set of standards to unify university messaging and graphic representation to our publics based on who we truly are. This is the NSU Brand — and each of our 4,500+ faculty and staff members serve as ambassadors of that brand every day. Each time one of us communicates with the public, it shapes someone else’s opinion of NSU. Our publications, websites, newsletters, social media posts, and even conversations at the coffee counter, all contribute to building a brand that makes us proud to be SHARKS — Fins Up! A university’s visual identity externally reflects not only its style and character, but also its traditions, strengths, and values. Internally, the visual identity helps build a sense of pride and commitment to a common mission. We are not talking solely about a logo and a color palette, but a comprehensive visual identity program that projects a message of cohesiveness — One NSU . Lack of consistency and synergies between and among colleges, schools, institutes, centers, and departments makes it difficult to position the university as a single, unified organization. As a result, our collective strength and capabilities often go unrecognized or undervalued by future students, their family members, current and prospective donors, alumni, and the general public. The goal of our brand strategy is to convey a harmonious, consistent image, which will enable us to create a larger, more powerful position within the higher education space. We present this toolkit to you “the NSU Community” to help you communicate your unit’s unique NSU story to the world in a united voice. These guidelines will help you consistently and accurately apply visual elements, editorial style (see the NSU Style Manual,) and messaging. If you have questions about the materials included here or how to apply them, please contact the executive director of University Relations, the director of marketing communications, or the director of Publications. If you have suggestions on items to be included in future editions of this guide or have a project that could be featured as a best practice, please send them to University Relations at nsubrand@nova.edu And be sure to visit our brand web page for the most up-to-date information, resources, and best practices: www.nova.edu/brand Go Sharks and Fins Up! Sincerely, George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D. President and CEO Nova Southeastern University WELCOME TO THE NSU BRAND THE NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY BRAND / MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT