• Section 1 - Purpose
• Section 2 - Scope
• Section 3 - Principles
• Changes to the University’s Brand or Brand Assets 
• Use of the University’s Brand and Brand assets, including for marketing and promotional activities
• University’s Brand family Assets
• Co-branding and Third Party Use
• Authorisation and Use
• Section 4 - Responsibilities
• Section 5 -  Procedures
• Section 6 - Definitions

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This Policy establishes the protocols for the development, authorisation, use and protection of the University of Canberra’s (University) Brand and Brand assets, as well as its application to all marketing and promotional activities.

Section 2 - Scope

(2) This Policy applies to all University staff, all work areas within the University (including Faculties, Research Institutes or Centres), any University controlled or related entity, and any third party. 

(3) This Policy articulates the University’s principles underpinning use of the University’s Brand and Brand assets, noting Marketing's centralised Brand function.

(4) This Policy applies to all marketing materials and promotional initiatives carrying the University’s Brand or any Brand assets across all owned, earned and bought channels. Such channels include online (websites and social media), multimedia (videos and podcasts), advertisements (print, online, broadcast and outdoor) and promotional media (events, print and email), as well as social media apps.

(5) This Policy does not apply to logos or trade marks owned or claimed by the University that are not Brand or Brand assets.

Section 3 - Principles

(6) The University’s Brand and Brand assets are valued and valuable assets used to promote the University’s services, and communicate the University’s mission, strategic direction, competitive positioning and values.

(7) All University staff are responsible for maintaining and using the University’s Brand and Brand assets as approved, and may only use the University’s Brand or Brand assets following consultation and in accordance with the approval of Marketing and the Vice-Chancellor, when needed. Marketing's approval applies to all use of any marketing or promotional activity, whether online (websites and social media), multimedia (videos and podcasts), advertisement (print, online, broadcast and outdoor) or through promotional activities (such as events, print and email).

(8) Marketing has a central role in ensuring the University’s visual identity remains ‘on-brand’. ‘On-brand’ means that the University’s Brand and Brand assets remain professional, relevant, engaging and consistently-used, in terms of visual representation, tone and content; and applied in accordance with the University’s Brand Style Guide. Marketing ensures the Brand and Brand assets are not harmed through inappropriate or unauthorised use.

Changes to the University’s Brand or Brand Assets 

(9) Council is the owner of the University’s Brand and Brand assets and, as such, ensures these assets are and remain fit for purpose in managing the University’s functions. 

(10) In close consultation with the Vice-Chancellor, Marketing monitors use of the University’s Brand and Brand assets for alignment with the University’s strategic directions and is accountable for reporting and making recommendations on any modification or change (and their implications, including any strategic risks) the University’s Brand and Brand assets to the Vice-Chancellor and Council.

Use of the University’s Brand and Brand assets, including for marketing and promotional activities

(11) Marketing centrally develops all marketing and promotional activities that use the University’s Brand or Brand assets, whether in whole or partially.

(12) In so doing, Marketing authorises and centrally manages all external agency partnerships that use, produce or re-produce the Brand or Brand assets, or any components of these, for marketing, promotional or other communication work. Such partnerships may involve third parties, such as graphic design agencies, photographers, video production agencies, advertising agencies, production agencies, media agencies, web and digital, as well as social media agencies. Any such partnership cannot be entered into without the written approval of the Director, Marketing.

(13) To minimise any risk of inappropriate or unauthorised use, Marketing ensures all uses of the Brand and Brand assets:

1. are supported by the Brand Strategy and Brand Style Guide
2. comply with relevant legislation
3. adhere to privacy data laws, and
4. involve a proper use of the University’s Trade mark or other legal protection in partnership with Legal.

(14) The University conducts research and reports on all marketing and promotional activities involving the Brand and Brand assets. This research is managed by Marketing, in partnership with Data, Analytics and Insights.

(15) Marketing also manages activities involving the University’s Brand, Brand assets and Brand family assets in domestic and international pathway or articulation agreements with third parties, as well as commercial partnership agreements related to marketing activity. The base agreements with the third party need to specify the University’s brand policy and approval procedure and be approved by the Director, Marketing, however, the application of the University’s Brand, Brand assets and Brand family assets as a subsequent roll-out of agreed to activity by the third party can be managed by the direct University contact area. For example, the Director, Future Students can approve the use of the University’s Brand, Brand assets and Brand family asset for individual agent contracts under the overarching standard and approved agent contract.

University’s Brand family Assets

(16) Brand family assets are detailed in the University’s Brand Style Guide and include information on the Trade mark ‘c-star’ graphic mark and the typeface ‘University of Canberra’. Brand family assets include Sub-brands.

(17) Sole authorised Sub-brands in the University’s Brand family assets include UCX, UC Sport, UC Stars and UC Caps, as outlined in the Brand Architecture within the University’s Brand Style Guide.

(18) University staff, faculties, research centres, portfolios and units are not authorised to use unauthorised Sub-brands or logos.  Where required, typographic lock-ups with the University’s logo will be made available to each of these areas by the Marketing team after approval by the Director, Marketing.

(19) No new Sub-brands, logos or amendments to existing logos or Trade marks related to the University’s Brand, Brand assets or Brand family assets may be developed or used to represent the University, or any area within the University, without the endorsement of the Director, Marketing. Additionally, changes to the University’s Brand, Brand assets or Brand family assets, require the Vice-Chancellor's support and Council's approval.

Co-branding and Third Party Use

(20) The Director, Marketing can approve the use of the University’s Brand and Brand assets as a co-brand for activities such as acknowledgements, sponsorships, partnerships and joint events depending on the scope of the agreement.

(21) Where an institutional collaboration or joint venture between the University and another entity occurs, a co-brand is permissible in principle, subject to application to and the approval of the Director, Marketing.

(22) Any such agreement, collaboration or joint venture will need to recite and ensure compliance with all co-brand rules and regulations as approved by the Director, Marketing.

(23) All unauthorised use of the University’s Brand by a third party will be managed by the Director, Marketing in partnership with Legal.

Authorisation and Use

(24) The Director, Marketing is authorised to reject the use or proposed use of any Brand element that deviates from the University’s Brand Style Guide and to remove any unauthorised Brand, Brand asset, Brand family asset, marketing or promotional materials from circulation (at full cost to the area or entity concerned) whether developed by the University’s staff or external agencies.

(25) Staff have access to a suite of approved branded corporate assets via the Marketing staff portal including email signature guidelines, Word and PowerPoint templates and approved rankings language. 

Section 4 - Responsibilities

Section 5 -  Procedures

(26)  Refer to the Brand and Marketing Procedure.

Section 6 - Definitions