Reed College

Official Websites

• https://www.reed.edu
• http://www.reed.edu/public-affairs
• http://www.reed.edu

Brand Guidelines

2024

Brand Summary

Mission

• To inspire every individual to reach their full potential by owning their learning journey. Our mission is to help you accomplish yours.

Core Values

• Be Bold
• Be Human
• Be Inspiring

Target Audience

• Individuals seeking upskilling, career growth, and recognition for their skills regardless of background. The platform connects learners to opportunities and is positioned for professionals, organizations, and anyone interested in skill development.

Personality Traits

• Candid
• Straightforward
• Jargon-free
• Humorous
• Warm
• Elevating
• Inspiring

Visual Identity Overview

• Degreed’s visual identity is bold, modern, and flexible, featuring iconic glasses, a strong color palette led by True Blue, original illustrations, distinct typography (Antonia and Inter), and a collage style with patterns, shapes, and color blocking. The brand emphasizes clarity, accessibility, and a cohesive story across all assets.

Categories

Brand Voice

• BE BOLD. Our mission has always been to provide others with better opportunities based on what they can actually do — not where they went to college or what bullet points they have on their resumé. Our brand embodies this by being candid, straightforward, jargon-free, and always willing to gently poke a bit of fun at ourselves.
• BE HUMAN. We should always look and sound like humans communicating with other humans (because we are). We avoid jargon. And we embrace humor and warmth — both in voice and visuals.
• BE INSPIRING. We look for the bigger stories, the different angles, the better questions to ask. We seek to elevate the conversation and raise the bar for our industry.

Brand Imagery

• Glasses have long been a symbol of nerds, mad scientists, and superheroes in disguise. We like them for those reasons, but they also represent a core part of our mission: the sunglasses John F Kennedy wore during his famous May 25, 1961 “moonshot” speech. Gender-neutral, elegant, and balanced, the Degreed glasses are iconic and look great at any size. They may appear without the Degreed wordmark in a finished asset only as a rare exception. Use the full logo lock-up whenever possible. P.S. You may see an old version of the Degreed logo with an asterisk and period. Using this version of our logo is FORBIDDEN. Kidding, but not. Who wants to be outdated anyway?
• The primary Degreed logo is made up of two parts: the True Blue glasses icon and the Moonshot Degreed wordmark. Use this version whenever possible.
• True Blue # 0062E3 Moon Shot # 0F1F2C
• The Degreed glasses should only be represented in True Blue. No other color is allowed without written permission from the Brand Team. To repeat ourselves, the glasses icon looks great at any size, but should only be used on its own as a rare exception or if the full logo lock-up appears elsewhere in the finished asset. Use the full logo lock-up whenever possible. The glasses trio represent the three product offerings of Degreed. The fry sauce and gold glasses can only be used in combination with the true blue glasses to encourage brand recognition. Do not use them on their own. If a single pair is preferred in a design, utilize true blue or white only.
• PRIMARY These are the only official versions that can fly solo. True Blue White
• SECONDARY The glasses in three colors should only be used together. Don’t use the Fry Sauce or Gold glasses on their own. True Blue Fry Sauce Gold Medal

Color Palette

• True Blue is part of our legacy and continues to be our main brand color. It should play a dominant role in every asset.
• True Blue PMS 2388 C CMYK 90, 60, 0, 0 HEX #0062E3 RGB 0, 98, 277
• Sky is a tint of our primary color, True Blue.
• Sky’s the Limit PMS 290 C CMYK 23, 0, 1, 0 HEX #E9F7FE RGB 233, 247, 254
• Our three secondary colors should be used sparingly for emphasis. You can add approved tints as a “secondary palette,” but don’t make up your own tints. You can find the PMS and CMYK values here. PMS and CMYK values should only be used in assets for print. For all other use cases, use hex codes/RGB for the truest representation of the palette.
• Fry Sauce PMS 2344 C CMYK 0, 63, 49, 0 HEX #FF7F64 RBG 255, 127, 100
• Think Pink PMS 9286 C CMYK 0, 9, 4, 0 HEX #FFECE8 RGB 255, 236, 232
• Gold Medal PMS 122 C CMYK 0, 11, 80, 0 HEX #FED141 RGB 254, 209, 65
• Champagne PMS 9160 C CMYK 0, 4, 27, 0 HEX #FFFAEC RGB 255, 250, 236
• Moonshot PMS 7547 C CMYK 99, 74, 31, 84 HEX #0F1F2C RGB 15, 31, 44
• Karl the Fog PMS 7541 C CMYK 5, 1, 3, 3 HEX #F3F4F4 RGB 243, 244, 244
• Combining our colors can be tricky. Things can go from fun to funky in the blink of an eye, so exercise restraint when possible. Contrast and readability should be considered when layering any kind of text elements on a colored background. Illustrations, patterns, and other “decorative” elements can be treated with a less critical eye, but they should always be complimentary to the message without overpowering it. In general, combine colors that have opposite values for maximum readability.
• Colors with values that are too close tend to be hard to read or compete for your attention, especially on backlit screens.
• Colors with very different values provide suitable contrast for optimal legibility.
• Degreed is working to ensure our web assets follow AA level Web Content Accessibility Guidelines when it comes to color contrast. Any headline, body text, or essential navigational elements (like buttons and important icons) should also follow this standard.
• Gradients should be used sparingly as backgrounds or shape fills only when they don’t clash with illustrations or photography. If an illustration has heavy gradients, keep the background simple.
• Gradients play best with our assets when used in strokes, accents, and background shapes. We also use them as shading in illustrations. Never use gradients on text that also uses a gradient background. Remember: less is often more.
• Always use True Blue, Sky’s the Limit, Gold Medal, and Fry Sauce (in that order) on a four­color stripe. Or remove Sky’s the Limit if a three-color combo is preferred.
• DON’T change to unauthorized color(s).
• DON’T add any off-brand colors.

Typography

• Strong and distinct typography is a key aspect of the Degreed brand. We searched high and low for a typeface duo that checked all our boxes and came back with a pair that feels fresh and versatile. After the logo and color palette, typography is one of the most identifiable facets of a strong brand. It can make or break an identity system. However, type should never be so distracting that you pay more attention to design over the message. These two work together to keep our style relavant but always timeless.
• Antonia is a retro-inspired serif font that we use for all of our headlines and big ideas. Antonia feels tidy while having a sense of intricate detail — it can be spiffed up and informative or warm and fun. It’s taken seriously by professional academics and still looks fresh to end-users. Buy a license here to use Antonia.
• The medium weight should be used for subheadlines and body text. Headlines are typically set in Antonia Black, but Bold is also an option.
• Antonia may not look best in all caps, but Inter, on the next page, definitely does.
• Inter is a versatile workhorse font that was designed specifically for readability at small sizes on digital screens. We picked it so we could unify the Degreed Brand with the App. It’s accessible, friendly, and is free for public use as part of the Google Fonts family. Download it here.
• The regular weight should mostly be used for body text with Inter. When using white type on a bright background, Inter Medium provides better contrast, especially in digital assets. The Bold weight looks great in all caps as a sub-headline next to Antonia.
• When combining fonts in an editorial piece, use bolder type for important details like headlines and sub-headlines and more readable weights for body copy. When only system fonts are an option, the approved alternatives are Georgia Bold and Arial Bold. Below are a few tried-and-true combos.
• TITLE/HEADLINE: Antonia Black, INTER BOLD, Antonia Black, Georgia Bold SUB-HEADLINE: INTER BOLD, Inter Regular Italic, Antonia Medium, ARIAL BOLD BODY COPY: Inter Regular, Antonia Medium, Inter Regular, Arial Regular
• Use color, size, and weight to make sure your message is coming through intentionally. Ask yourself, “where does my eye go first? second? third?”
• It is possible to use a fun aesthetic to com­municate serious topics as long as the integrity of your message isn’t lost in unnecessary or unclear design.
• Contrast and readability should be considered when layering any kind of text elements on a colored background.
• Any headline, body text, or essential navigational elements (like buttons and important icons) should also follow this standard.
• Never use gradients on text that also uses a gradient background.
• Start with a riveting brand approved headline and set it in Antonia Black. Look how spicy Antonia looks on her own!

Logo Usage

• They may appear without the Degreed wordmark in a finished asset only as a rare exception. Use the full logo lock-up whenever possible.
• P.S. You may see an old version of the Degreed logo with an asterisk and period. Using this version of our logo is FORBIDDEN.
• The primary Degreed logo is made up of two parts: the True Blue glasses icon and the Moonshot Degreed wordmark. Use this version whenever possible.
• True Blue # 0062E3 Moon Shot # 0F1F2C
• The Degreed glasses should only be represented in True Blue. No other color is allowed without written permission from the Brand Team.
• The glasses icon looks great at any size, but should only be used on its own as a rare exception or if the full logo lock-up appears elsewhere in the finished asset. Use the full logo lock-up whenever possible.
• The glasses trio represent the three product offerings of Degreed. The fry sauce and gold glasses can only be used in combination with the true blue glasses to encourage brand recognition. Do not use them on their own. If a single pair is preferred in a design, utilize true blue or white only.
• PRIMARY: These are the only official versions that can fly solo.
• SECONDARY: The glasses in three colors should only be used together. Don’t use the Fry Sauce or Gold glasses on their own.

Tone And Messaging

• Our mission has always been to provide others with better opportunities based on what they can actually do — not where they went to college or what bullet points they have on their resumé. Our brand embodies this by being candid, straightforward, jargon-free, and always willing to gently poke a bit of fun at ourselves.
• We should always look and sound like humans communicating with other humans (because we are). We avoid jargon. And we embrace humor and warmth — both in voice and visuals.
• We look for the bigger stories, the different angles, the better questions to ask. We seek to elevate the conversation and raise the bar for our industry.
• Use this if you’re a lawyer or talking to the press. Degreed is the upskilling platform that connects learning to opportunities. We integrate everything people use to learn and build their careers — skill insights, LMSs, courses, videos, articles, and projects — and match everyone to growth opportunities that fit their unique skills, roles, and goals.
• When writing about Degreed in any text or copy that isn’t a URL, use a capital D. Degreed is our company, degreed.com is our URL.
• Use this one sparingly. It explains our mission and point of view. Our mission is to help you accomplish yours.
• Use this message for advertising, events, and other places where you want to connect the products to a bigger story about the company. From learning to skills to opportunity.

Brand Values

• OUR BRAND PROMISE: What someone feels every time they interact with our brand To inspire every individual to reach their full potential by owning their learning journey.
• OUR VISION: How we see the future A world where everyone is recognized for their skills, no matter how they were attained.
• OUR MOONSHOT: What drives everything we do Power humankind’s future by becoming the way the whole world learns, builds, measures, and puts skills to work.
• BE BOLD. Our mission has always been to provide others with better opportunities based on what they can actually do — not where they went to college or what bullet points they have on their resumé. Our brand embodies this by being candid, straightforward, jargon-free, and always willing to gently poke a bit of fun at ourselves.
• BE HUMAN. We should always look and sound like humans communicating with other humans (because we are). We avoid jargon. And we embrace humor and warmth — both in voice and visuals.
• BE INSPIRING. We look for the bigger stories, the different angles, the better questions to ask. We seek to elevate the conversation and raise the bar for our industry.

Visual Style

• Gender-neutral, elegant, and balanced, the Degreed glasses are iconic and look great at any size. They may appear without the Degreed wordmark in a finished asset only as a rare exception. Use the full logo lock-up whenever possible.
• P.S. You may see an old version of the Degreed logo with an asterisk and period. Using this version of our logo is FORBIDDEN. Kidding, but not. Who wants to be outdated anyway?
• The primary Degreed logo is made up of two parts: the True Blue glasses icon and the Moonshot Degreed wordmark. Use this version whenever possible.
• True Blue # 0062E3 Moon Shot # 0F1F2C
• The Degreed glasses should only be represented in True Blue. No other color is allowed without written permission from the Brand Team.
• To repeat ourselves, the glasses icon looks great at any size, but should only be used on its own as a rare exception or if the full logo lock-up appears elsewhere in the finished asset. Use the full logo lock-up whenever possible.
• The glasses trio represent the three product offerings of Degreed. The fry sauce and gold glasses can only be used in combination with the true blue glasses to encourage brand recognition. Do not use them on their own. If a single pair is preferred in a design, utilize true blue or white only.
• PRIMARY These are the only official versions that can fly solo.
• SECONDARY The glasses in three colors should only be used together. Don’t use the Fry Sauce or Gold glasses on their own.

Iconography

• The Degreed glasses should only be represented in True Blue. No other color is allowed without written permission from the Brand Team.
• To repeat ourselves, the glasses icon looks great at any size, but should only be used on its own as a rare exception or if the full logo lock-up appears elsewhere in the finished asset. Use the full logo lock-up whenever possible.
• The glasses trio represent the three product offerings of Degreed. The fry sauce and gold glasses can only be used in combination with the true blue glasses to encourage brand recognition. Do not use them on their own. If a single pair is preferred in a design, utilize true blue or white only.
• PRIMARY These are the only official versions that can fly solo.
• SECONDARY The glasses in three colors should only be used together. Don’t use the Fry Sauce or Gold glasses on their own.

Layout And Composition

• Gender-neutral, elegant, and balanced, the Degreed glasses are iconic and look great at any size. They may appear without the Degreed wordmark in a finished asset only as a rare exception. Use the full logo lock-up whenever possible.
• The primary Degreed logo is made up of two parts: the True Blue glasses icon and the Moonshot Degreed wordmark. Use this version whenever possible.
• The Degreed glasses should only be represented in True Blue. No other color is allowed without written permission from the Brand Team.
• To repeat ourselves, the glasses icon looks great at any size, but should only be used on its own as a rare exception or if the full logo lock-up appears elsewhere in the finished asset. Use the full logo lock-up whenever possible.
• The glasses trio represent the three product offerings of Degreed. The fry sauce and gold glasses can only be used in combination with the true blue glasses to encourage brand recognition. Do not use them on their own. If a single pair is preferred in a design, utilize true blue or white only.

Swag

• Keep it Classy Before making it, ask yourself: is this something I’ll be proud to show, wear, and use in five years? Great swag is something your customers, prospects, and staff will want to hold onto. So be on brand, on message, and make sure the gift is appropriate for your audience -and always go for quality over quantity.
• Brand Disclaimer Any user outside of the Degreed Brand Team that accesses this guide is subject to follow the rules as they have been listed. If a situation arises where assets are needed that exist outside of what we have provided, you as the user, are required to contact the Degreed Brand Team and obtain written consent to use alternative assets. The Degreed Brand team reserves the right to approve or reject any assets at our discretion. Occasionally, an officially approved asset may be observed that violates the outlined rules of this guide. That does not mean it is acceptable to duplicate whatever the creator did for your use case. Context is important and approvals are subjective based on visibility (i.e. a design that works on a t-shirt may not be acceptable for use on public-facing social channels or in a white paper). Additionally, the Degreed Brand Team may produce assets that occasionally bend (or even break) the rules. Again, this does not mean you can do the same. The Degreed Brand Team are the authority on what is and isn’t “on brand” and will occasionally experiment to remain a disruptive force in our space. The rules of this guide were written based on months of trial and error but that doesn’t mean we’re done pushing the envelope.
• TL:DR Do as we say, not as we do :)

Ada Compliance

• Degreed is working to ensure our web assets follow AA level Web Content Accessibility Guidelines when it comes to color contrast. Any headline, body text, or essential navigational elements (like buttons and important icons) should also follow this standard.
• Not sure if your color combinations pass the test? Check here: WEBAIM.ORG
• Here are some combinations we know pass the test:
• Use simple, linear icons on their own or combined with a blob (don’t forget to check for ADA compliance) to emphasize points in white papers, presentation decks, and web pages.

Additional Properties

Employees History

Total Assets History