The Western Logo
The Western Washington University logo is the simplest and most recognizable representation of our identity.
In order to build a strong and cohesive brand, it's important that the logo be used consistently across media.
Western’s logo consists of three parts:
- The graphic element, which is the stylized representation of Mount Baker and the waves of Bellingham Bay.
- The wordmark, which is the name of the university.
- The institutional tagline, "MAKE WAVES." This is our rallying cry, meant to inspire students, alumni, donors, and faculty to make their mark on the world.
The University Marks are registered trademarks and cannot be altered in any way. This includes separating out and using any graphic elements of the logo on their own or in combination with other graphic elements.
Logo Use
All materials from the University should bear the logo and comply with the standards outlined in the Brand and Communication Guide.
Please review the following guidelines carefully before adding the logo to your project. After you have read through these guidelines, you can download the logo for use in print or on the web.
General Guidelines
The "stacked" Western logo, with the MAKE WAVES. lockup, is the institutional logo, and should receive primary consideration when making branding decisions. Place the logo on the front page or first screen of all official print and electronic communication materials.
If you have any questions about logo usage, including when and where you should use the Western logo, reach out to Creative Services.
Size and Space Requirements
Minimum size for the Western logo is 1.25 inches, or 90 pixels, wide.
Space Requirements
The clear space around the Western logo ensures the integrity and impact of the mark. This clear space should be equal to half the height of the capital “W” in Western.
No other graphic element should touch, overlap or be combined with the Western logo.
These rules also apply to sub-brand identity marks for colleges, departments, and institutes and centers.
Use Outside of the University
University Marketing must provide written consent for non-University logo use. All external entities must obtain this consent, including those in partnership with on-campus units.
Exceptions
The logo is not required for communication that is strictly internal. This includes communication between faculty, staff and students. For example, email about classes, memoranda, draft paper, and meeting notes do not need the logo. University Marketing must approve any other exceptions for logo use.
Variants
There are two variants for the Western logo–one for full color and one for greyscale.
Full Color
Grayscale
The Stacked Logo and the WWU Logo
There are situations where the Western logo will need to appear smaller than 1.25 inches or 90 pixels (i.e. specific digital uses like social branding spaces, lapel pins, small promotional items, etc.) due to readability. In these use-cases, the "stacked" and WWU variations of the logo are options. Grayscale options are also available upon request. If you’re not sure if it’s appropriate to use one of these variations, please connect with University Marketing.
The WWU Watermark
The horizontal, WWU watermark version of the logo is for specific space-restricted applications, such as pens and lanyards, where the wordmark of the other logo options is too small to read.
Use of the horizontal logo is by approval only, through University Marketing.
Social Media
Western's main accounts are to use the WWU logo on the blue background. Other units who choose to maintain their own social media platforms are to use the WWU logo with a white background, as to differentiate sub-accounts from main accounts.
For more information and guidance on using social media on behalf of Western, read the social media guide.
Logo for Main Accounts
Logo for Sub Accounts
Logo Usage Don'ts
Please observe the following "don'ts" when applying the brand to your marketing or communications.
Don't change the logo colors.
Don't distort the logo.
Don't add drop shadows, bevels, or other effects.
Don't change the positioning or size relationship of the logo.
Don't change the stroke width of the line rule.
Don't change the orientation of the logo.
Sub-Branding
To maintain the integrity of our brand, use only these sub-brands in your university communications.
The following brand identity constructions are for outward-facing offices and units only. No individual program, college, or department logos should be created or used.
Identity marks must be developed and approved by University Marketing prior to use.
Campus Units
Western's offices and units, such as colleges and departments, have been authorized to use a unique identity mark construction (see below example using a fictitious department) to enable them to use Western's logo in their own brand identity.
Department Identity Marks Available
Reach out to University Marketing - we have built identity marks for all colleges and departments, and can provide new identity marks in a variety of formats.
Institutes and Centers
Western's institutes and centers have been authorized to use a unique identity mark construction (see below example using a fictitious institute) to enable them to use a version of Western's logo in their own brand identity.
In this example, the blue dot to the left of the institute title is a placeholder for an illustrative mark that helps define the identity of the institute or center. See examples below.
Size and Space Requirements for Sub-Branding
Identity marks for individual units can vary in width, so the guiding dimension for minimal size is the height of the mark. Minimum size for identity marks is 1.125 inches, or 80 pixels, high.
Other University Marks
The Western logo is often used with other official and affiliated university marks. All marks are trademarked and enforced through the State Office of Trademark Licensing. See Athletics and Associated Students for examples.