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Logo and Marks

IU’s marketing lockups

The IU brand has a system for marketing lockups that provides marks identifying our brand at a university, campus, school or department, and unit level. All of the lockups stay true to our university’s brand identity, but are customized to represent your sub-brand.

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The informal system for branding marketing and communications

Our university marketing lockup provides a consistent and easily identifiable mark that represents our institution. It can be used on all marketing materials, both on screen and in print.

For design flexibility, the lockup has horizontal and vertical options, and either black or white text depending on background image or color. The key is making sure the lockup is distinguishable and legible.

Using the lockup

Primary usage on background image

The other primary option for the lockup is the crimson tab with white text for darker backgrounds and images.

Reverse-tab lockup

The reverse-tab lockup can be used only when placed on a Crimson (PMS 201) background. The only option to reverse the tab other than on crimson is black and white prints.

Black and white prints

The lockup may show up in full black or full white for black and white prints only.

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Campus marketing lockups

Campus marketing lockups have a flexible structure that allows for a broad range of use. They can be used across all of your marketing efforts, creating a consistency that further aligns all IU campuses as part of one institution.

Download campus marketing lockups
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School and department marketing lockups

Marketing lockups help schools, departments, and other units stay true to the Indiana University brand.

While official IU signatures are used for letterheads, envelopes, business cards, official documents, and ceremonial materials, lockups are used for all marketing channels—digital, print, web, and virtually everything else.

Logos and lockups for centers and institutes

Almost all centers and institutes at IU must use the trident and a marketing lockup. You must leverage the brand if:

  • Your website URL ends in .edu
  • Your funding comes primarily from IU
  • You are identified as "The Indiana University _________"

Exceptions

There are a few exceptions to this rule. Your center or institute may qualify for an exception if:

  • You receive funding outside of the university
  • You function as part of a multi-institution partnership
  • You focus on other colleges and universities as your target audience

For help determining whether or not your center qualifies for an exemption, contact us.

 

Student organization marks

If you are part of an academic or professional organization that’s affiliated with the university (university student organizations), you should use the official Self-Governed Student Organization (SGSO) mark on your marketing materials. It’s designed to be used with your organization’s logo, not instead of it.

For your logo, you are free to use the marketing lockup tool or create your own.

All other organizations can create their own logos—but should not use the official SGSO mark.

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Never alter the lockup

Always use approved master artwork to maintain consistency and to retain the integrity of the Indiana University identity.

Although here we’re demonstrating improper use of the marketing lockup, this rule applies to all university art (the trident, tabs, and signatures, included). 

There is no need to recreate university art. The IU logo and all brand marks are available for download here.

Create your marketing lockup

There’s no need to design your marketing lockup on your own. Our online tool makes it fast and easy to create a lockup with vertical, horizontal, and centered versions.