Our seal and marks are visual representations of our brand. They act as our official signature and are the common thread across all forms of communication. It is essential that we treat them consistently across all media.
Use only the official university seal and marks files: do not change them in any way.
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Official UMass Typefaces
The three primary UMass Amherst typefaces are Minion Pro (serif), Frutiger or Frutiger Neue (sans serif), Lyon Text, and Lyon Display (serif). While there are three primary typefaces, only two (Minion Pro and Frutiger) are designated official university fonts. They are suitable for a wide range of reproduction methods and communication materials and may be purchased online at Fonts.com™ (Frutiger) and Commercial Type (Lyon).
University Relations has purchased licenses for a limited number of sets of the official university fonts. They are being distributed free of charge to employees who are directly involved in the creation of marketing and communication materials. All others, including external consultants, may purchase the font directly. Please contact @email for more information.
Official UMass Digital/System Fonts
Using the official UMass web fonts will ensure that your final product follows UMass Amherst brand guidelines.
Open Sans and Lora are the official university fonts because of their clean lines and readability. They have versatile weights and styles available and complement the UMass print typefaces.
Open Sans and Lora fonts are licensed through Google and free to use.
How do I obtain font licensing?
University Relations has purchased licenses for a limited number of sets of the official university fonts. They are being distributed free of charge to employees who regularly create marketing and communications materials. Contact @email or (413) 545-0123 to request one of these licenses.
Open Sans and Lora web fonts are licensed through Google and free to use.
Official UMass Colors
Color evokes an emotional response to a communication and acts as a unifying visual component. The official colors of UMass Amherst are maroon and black. These colors play a vital role in establishing a clear and powerful image and in defining the UMass brand.
* For web accessibility reasons, it’s important that highly contrasting colors be used with text that overlaps color. Please note that not all combinations of the secondary colors shown above will provide a sufficient degree of contrast when overlapping.
Photography
Every picture tells a story.
Photography is about visual storytelling. It helps support and convey the brand message by capturing and showing the essence of UMass Amherst—its people, symbols, and campus. Photos speak volumes and are a key component to creating successful brand communication.
Photography used in UMass Amherst communication should feel authentic, warm, inviting, and aspirational. We want to engage readers and viewers whenever possible and truly capture everything UMass Amherst has to offer. Photography shouldn’t feel staged, unreal, cold, or stock-like. Vary your depth of field. Try to take an action shot as opposed to a static one with no energy. A photojournalistic approach is always best.
A consistent editorial style is essential to effective communication. This style guide for University of Massachusetts Amherst communications suggests word choice, tone, and usage to ensure style consistency while supporting the university brand.
UMass Amherst primarily follows The Chicago Manual of Style. Those writing and editing periodical copy or press releases may also rely on The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual. For all spelling and definition guidance, communicators should use Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.
Since language is always changing, this guide is meant to be fluid and will be updated often. Check back from time to time to make sure you’re using the most current editorial style to promote clear, concise, up-to-date communication.
Digital and Web
Most of our communication, especially at the university, is now conducted through digital technology. There are significant differences in how we consume print versus digital media, and these differences need to be taken into account as we create our communication.
The need for the UMass Amherst brand to be consistently applied, from type treatment to photography to tone, is as critical in an email, social network, or website as it is in print.
Websites
All official UMass Amherst websites must adhere to the guidelines for: responsive design, top banner, favicon, page title, and page footer. Learn more about our web brand guidelines.
Accessibility
In order to uphold its values of diversity and inclusiveness, UMass Amherst is committed to making its website accessible to all. All new websites hosted on umass.edu are reviewed for ADA and brand compliance.
For more information about accessibility best practices and to obtain additional assistance, visit the University Accessibility website.
Email is an essential and important form of communication. Email sent from UMass Amherst should adhere to university brand guidelines. Please remember this is not your personal email, and anything sent out should keep in line with the brand voice UMass Amherst has established.
Find a sample UMass Amherst email signature and learn more about the tone for emails and the recommended format for a UMass Amherst email signature.
For any questions or concerns about proper use of any digital elements, contact University Relations at 413-545-0123 or by email at @email.
The University Relations Social Media Team is the official voice of UMass Amherst on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok, and on other platforms. We help set the tone and establish community guidelines, whether for communities on campus looking to grow their social media presence, students promoting an activity or idea, or faculty using social media as a teaching tool.
Social media can be a great tool to help promote your office, department, major, or organization. We do our best to post your photos, videos, or other content as often as we can.
Beyond that, we can also help by providing resources for you to create or maintain social media accounts for your school, college, department, office, or other campus organization. Our guidelines and policies can help get you started, and we encourage you to schedule a meeting with our team.