Cork University Business School

Official Websites

• https://www.ucc.ie/en/business-school

Brand Guidelines

2016

Brand Summary

Mission

• The Cork University Business School (CUBS) brand is an endorsement and guarantee of the unique personality and values that define our organisation. Our brand is a major competitive differentiator and an integral part of our offer, setting our school apart. It is the big idea driving the CUBS brand: Learning Applied [^1].

Core Values

• Bright
• Connected
• Independent
• Smart

Target Audience

• Students, teachers, industry peers, and clients seeking a unified, professional, and forward-thinking business school experience [^2].

Personality Traits

• Relevant
• Empowered
• Progressive
• Responsive
• Ambitious

Visual Identity Overview

• The visual identity is clean, modern, and geometric, featuring a strong graphic style with contemporary elements such as a red and black color palette, Gotham and Montserrat typefaces, and a logo composed of four squares with the letters C, U, B, S. The brand emphasizes consistency, clarity, and professional presentation across all materials [^3].

Categories

Color Palette

• CUBS Red and CUBS Black are the Primary Cork University Business School Brand Colours.
• It is essential that these colours are used accurately and consistently whenever our brand is reproduced.
• Pantone® 1795 Print: CO M100 Y100 K5 Screen: R224 G27 B34
• Pantone® 426 Print: CO MO YO K90 Screen: R64 G64 B65
• The Supporting Colour Palette features complementary colours that help communicate the Cork University Business School Brand and can be used across the full range of communications (print, screeen, environments, etc).
• Pantone 423 Print: CO MO YO K45 Screen: R159 G161 B164
• Print: CO MO YO KO
• Screen: R255 G255 B255

Typography

• The Cork University Business School brand font is Gotham. Modern, crisp, clean and legible, this typeface has been selected to build a professional and consistent typographic style across all our print communications. Gotham is also part of the UCC Brand Guidelines.
• Gotham comes in a variety of weights and is available to buy from: www.typography.com
• Montserrat is the preferred alternative typeface for on-screen use (web / documents / presentations / emails) when Gotham is not available.
• Montserrat is available in 2 weights (Regular & Bold) from Google Fonts for use across all applications and platforms (Macs / PCs):

Logo Usage

• The Cork University Business School Logo consists of the CUBS Icon and Logotype set within specific proportions and relationships.
• For the brand to communicate coherently it is essential that the Logo is reproduced correctly and consistently.
• The Logo should never be altered or recreated in any way either by manual or electronic methods.
• Please ensure you only use the master digital artworks.
• Our master brandmark is at its most effective when it appears in full colour.
• When using the full colour version of the Cork University Business School brandmark it should always appear on a white background.
• The reverse colour version of the brandmark should be used when placing the logo over dark colours or imagery.
• Whenever possible the colour version of the Cork University Business School brandmark should be used. However, there are some applications where use of the preferred colour Brandmark is not possible. On these occasions, please use the single colour versions indicated on the right.
• When applying any version the Cork University Business School brandmark a minimum clear area should always be maintained.
• The minimum distance is the ‘X’ height of the logotype characters as illustrated on the right.
• When applying any version of the Cork University Business School brandmark it should not appear at a size of less than 15mm high, as indicated on the right.
• The logo size should always be specified by its height, as measured by the top to the bottom of the CUBS Icon.
• The minimum size for reproduction of the CUBS Icon in marketing materials (print, web or digital) is 10mm in height.
• Please use only master digital artworks when applying the Cork University Business School brandmark to avoid the mistakes illustrated on the right -and to ensure consistent brand recognition and integrity.
• Do not change the proportional and positional relationships of the Brandmark.
• Do not alter the Logotype & Icon lockup, the angle or colours of the Brand mark.
• Do not place the colour version of the Brandmark over a colour background or a busy image.

Tone And Messaging

• Our brand is a major competitive differentiator and an integral part of our offer, setting our school apart.
• In order to deliver on our brand promise, we must present a unified, professional and focused brand at all times.
• Our brand reputation is primarily informed by people’s experience of our Business School, but it is also influenced by what and how we communicate.
• These Guidelines assist us to manage the communication of our brand.
• As a new brand, it is important that the visual and verbal expression of CUBS is accurate and consistent.
• our proposition expresses what we offer that is unique and of value. it informs all of our communications.
• it is important that our brand triggers the right associations in each of the programme areas.
• We cannot afford to look at any one department in isolation as communications in each will directly or indirectly influence the perception of the business school in the minds of our various audiences.
• While Cork University Business School comprises four departments, it is the application of learning to life in business that is the main focus.
• It is important therefore that the Cork University Business School brand has values appropriate to both learning and business.
• The Cork University Business School brand provides the common link not only between the four departments of the school, but also with the unique experience of studying within a unified school of thought; (Learning applied, research led education and industry linked experience.)
• Brand values guide and motivate our attitudes, actions and relationship with both our clients and each other.
• The Cork University Business School brand personality reflects the way in which we act and informs all aspects of what we do.

Brand Values

• Brand values guide and motivate our attitudes, actions and relationship with both our clients and each other.
• BRIGHT CONNECTED INDEPENDENT SMART

Visual Style

• The Cork University Business School Logo consists of the CUBS Icon and Logotype set within specific proportions and relationships.
• For the brand to communicate coherently it is essential that the Logo is reproduced correctly and consistently.
• The Logo should never be altered or recreated in any way either by manual or electronic methods.
• Please ensure you only use the master digital artworks.
• Our master brandmark is at its most effective when it appears in full colour.
• When using the full colour version of the Cork University Business School brandmark it should always appear on a white background.
• The reverse colour version of the brandmark should be used when placing the logo over dark colours or imagery.
• Whenever possible the colour version of the Cork University Business School brandmark should be used. However, there are some applications where use of the preferred colour Brandmark is not possible. On these occasions, please use the single colour versions indicated on the right.
• When applying any version the Cork University Business School brandmark a minimum clear area should always be maintained.
• The minimum distance is the ‘X’ height of the logotype characters as illustrated on the right.
• When applying any version of the Cork University Business School brandmark it should not appear at a size of less than 15mm high, as indicated on the right.
• The logo size should always be specified by its height, as measured by the top to the bottom of the CUBS Icon.
• The minimum size for reproduction of the CUBS Icon in marketing materials (print, web or digital) is 10mm in height.
• Please use only master digital artworks when applying the Cork University Business School brandmark to avoid the mistakes illustrated on the right -and to ensure consistent brand recognition and integrity.
• Do not change the proportional and positional relationships of the Brandmark.
• Do not alter the Logotype & Icon lockup, the angle or colours of the Brand mark.
• Do not place the colour version of the Brandmark over a colour background or a busy image.
• The Cork University Business School brand font is Gotham. Modern, crisp, clean and legible, this typeface has been selected to build a professional and consistent typographic style across all our print communications. Gotham is also part of the UCC Brand Guidelines.
• Gotham comes in a variety of weights and is available to buy from: www.typography.com
• Montserrat is the preferred alternative typeface for on-screen use (web / documents / presentations / emails) when Gotham is not available.
• Montserrat is available in 2 weights (Regular & Bold) from Google Fonts for use across all applications and platforms (Macs / PCs): www.google.com/fonts
• CUBS Red and CUBS Black are the Primary Cork University Business School Brand Colours.
• It is essential that these colours are used accurately and consistently whenever our brand is reproduced.
• Pantone® 1795 Print: CO M100 Y100 K5 Screen: R224 G27 B34
• CUBS BLACK Pantone® 426 Print: CO MO YO K90 Screen: R64 G64 B65
• The Supporting Colour Palette features complementary colours that help communicate the Cork University Business School Brand and can be used across the full range of communications (print, screeen, environments, etc).
• Pantone® 423 Print: CO MO YO K45 Screen: R159 G161 B164
• Print: CO MO YO KO
• Screen: R255 G255 B255
• Each piece should engage with a strong graphic style using contemporary elements from the Cork University Business School identity (colour, type, graphics, imagery), ensuring our brand is represented clearly and consistently.