Logos
Usage
An OMC-provided logo must be present on any asset that will largely be seen by an external audience. Examples include:
- Websites with a umd.edu domain
- Magazine publications
- Direct mail
- Letterhead
- Business cards
- Email marketing communications
- External advertising placements
Specific use cases are outlined below, with the corresponding logo. For materials intended primarily for internal audiences, use the logo that corresponds to the level of the university you represent.
- Primary logo: the primary mark representing the university.
- Unit lockup: represents a school, college, administrative or academic unit.
- Subunit lockup: represents a department, institute, center or non-academic program or laboratory.
Subunit lockups are primarily intended for internal communications and on-campus applications. Examples include posters, handouts and on-campus signage. However, subunit lockups that emphasize the unit name are permitted for external use. To help protect the integrity of our marks, do not alter or create your own logos.
External Assets
Magazines
The covers of all UMD-produced magazines must include a university footer. The footer is available for use in red and black.
The postage panel on the back cover of the magazine should include your unit-level lockup.
Websites
All official UMD websites (with a umd.edu domain) must be identified with the university header.
In the website’s main navigation, include your unit’s lockup or your unit or subunit’s name in text using an approved brand font. Do not create a new logo or lockup. In the website’s footer, include your unit’s lockup.
E-newsletters
All UMD-produced e-newsletters must include the UMD header and one of the approved email footer formats, which include the primary logo or a unit lockup.
Stationery
The university logo should be used on letterhead, envelopes, mailing labels and business cards. Department and unit names should be inserted in the designated area for each format. Notecards and notepads intended for personal, handwritten correspondence may use unit-level lockups.
A wide variety of printed materials including stationery, business cards, envelopes, notepads, brochures, flyers and posters can be ordered from UMD Print Services.
Advertisements
Digital and print advertisements must include either the unit lockup or the university’s primary logo. They should include a link to an official UMD website (any site with a umd.edu domain).
Social Media
The University of Maryland name or an approved unit lockup should appear in the social media profile of UMD-affiliated accounts, such as in the profile photo, cover photo or bio.
Other External-Facing Assets
One-pagers, brochures, presentations and other assets with an external audience should include either the unit lockup or primary logo on the asset.
Internal-Facing Assets
Posters, flyers, on-campus signage and other internal-facing assets for a primary audience of students, faculty and staff may use a unit or subunit lockup.
Promotional Items
Unit-level lockups, subunit lockups and, in some cases, athletics marks are permitted on promotional and giveaway items.
Work Apparel
All units that produce, order or distribute workplace apparel must ensure it reflects and reinforces the university's brand identity. Any item featuring university trademarks must be reviewed and approved by the Trademarks and Licensing team before production. A licensed vendor is responsible for submitting your artwork through the university’s trademark licensing portal for institutional approval.
Incorrect Logo Usage
To protect the integrity of the marks, the following treatments should be avoided:
- Do not alter a mark's approved colors.
- Do not tilt or rotate a mark.
- Do not stretch or skew a mark’s proportions in any way.
- Do not place a mark directly over a busy or low-contrast background.
- Do not attempt to manually recreate or redraw a mark.
- Do not apply drop shadows, outlines or other effects to a mark.
- Do not manually reverse a mark; use the approved reversed/white version for dark backgrounds instead.
- Do not rearrange, resize independently or otherwise separate the elements within a mark.
- Do not use the globe icon as a standalone graphic or create a mark or logo incorporating the globe.
Usage for Student Groups, Professional Organizations and Academic Departments
Review Trademarks and Licensing’s group-specific guidelines for using university marks. Contact licensing@umd.edu if your project includes commercial use, co-branding, new logos or logo usage by non-university entities.