Design & Visual Guidelines

Visual Strategy & Core Philosophy

Design choices must directly reinforce the campaign's human-first, "outside-in" storytelling approach. Lead visually with the tangible, human experience before introducing institutional context or technical discovery details.

• Prioritize full-bleed, authentic imagery of real people in relatable environments (a patient returning home, a student mentoring, a community project) over abstract renders or empty facilities.
• Layout Decisions

  Campaign Tone Test	Layout & Visual Checklist
  Can people experience it?	Primary visual focal point must be an active, human experience—not an empty building, an abstract pattern, or isolated gear.
  Is it relevant vs. impressive?	Headline size and color story should draw eyes to the outcome first, placing technical specs or university jargon in smaller secondary copy.
  Writing from the “outside-in”	Visual hierarchy follows: Real-world imagery/headline Gradient bridge/circle transition. University discovery context.

Typography Rules

• Primary Display Headline: Montserrat Black
  you can download Montserrat on the Typography page.
  • When to use: Main covers, hero graphics, primary campaign headlines, and major impact statements.
  • Tracking/Leading: Keep tracking tight (-10 to -20 pt) and leading tight to create strong visual blocks.
  • Case: Sentence case or title case for primary headlines. All-caps should be reserved strictly for short 1–3-word callouts.
  • Layout: Pair with generous white space and uncluttered backgrounds to maintain readability.
• Subheads & Body Text: Montserrat Regular
  • Rule: Never use Montserrat Black for body text, bullet lists, or secondary captions. Keep body copy crisp and legible over neutral backgrounds.

Color Stories & Gradient Application

Color gradients physically represent movement. They bridge behind-the-scenes work to real-world impact. Select the color story that directly matches your content area; do not mix color stories within a single asset. Use gradients as accent framing, image border crops, typography highlights, or soft background glows.

Innovation & Research

Engineering, technology, cross-disciplinary discovery, entrepreneurship, and basic research.

Community & Health

Clinical care, health sciences, regional outreach, public health, and human-impact stories.

Student/Academic Success

Academic achievement, student affairs, advising, student life, mentorship, and milestone events (e.g. Commencement).

Circles of Impact

The circle of impact represents continuous movement—from curiosity to consequence.

• Use the circle element to help frame human-centric photography (e.g. researchers in action, students, community members).
• Place impact circles along margins or anchoring key data callouts to guide the reader’s eye.
• Limit circle elements on design piece to avoid overcrowding the visual field.

Direct Application: Dos and Don’ts

Do

• Match the color story directly to your core narrative (Innovation, Health, or Student Success).
• Use authentic human photography in real relatable environments.
• Use authentic human photography alongside the circle motif.
• Maintain clean white space around Montserrat Black headlines.

Don't

• Stretch, alter, or recolor the impact circle elements.
• Obscure photos with impact circle elements.
• Set subheads or long body copy in Montserrat Black.
• Apply solid gradient fills behind dense body copy