Swarthmore College
BRAND GUIDELINES
Version 1.1 Updated 02/15/2024
Table of Contents
How to use this guide
We are refreshing how we position ourselves in our marketing and communications. These brand guidelines should serve as high-level inspiration to assist in the development and rollout of new branded materials.
This is a living document, meaning these guidelines will evolve and grow as we continue to bring this new look and feel to life.
Missing Something?
Our brand is made up of a lot of pieces. For tutorials on how to create and use specific visual elements and techniques, see the Graphic Elements section.
If you’d like to download our full brand library, you can submit an asset request at the bottom of this guide.
SECTION 1
BRAND INTRODUCTION
Before any creative was developed for Swarthmore, a brand strategy was first developed to determine how we wanted to best position ourselves in the competitive landscape we find ourselves in across a variety of needs as an institution.
This section outlines the foundational elements of this strategy. Although the language and ideas in the strategy are intended to be an internal guide only and are not intended for outward-facing communication, the ideas from our strategy should inform and guide all strategic communications that flow out of it.
1.1
Brand Positioning
TONE WORDS
Strong brands have a personality you get a feel for right away. It doesn’t need to try too hard, but by being consistent with its tone, and how it acts, looks, and sounds, it starts to become distinctive and recognizable.
This is not to say our brand’s personality needs to be rigid and one-dimensional. Good brands are just like interesting people. They can be multifaceted and flexible to adapt to various situations. In the Copy section, we’ll show how these words can be dialed up or down depending on the context and audience we’re speaking to.
1.2
CONCEPT INSPIRATION
In the development of the new platform, we drew inspiration from existing truthful elements of the Swarthmore essence. This excerpt from President Val Smith’s inaugural address was one such example that guided the development of the concept and can be referenced as we continue to create new work to ensure we are capturing the intended spirit of the brand.
“Like all campuses, Swarthmore has many stories.
There is the founding narrative, the story of the Hicksite Quakers
who dreamed this college as a place
where young people would receive a rigorous intellectual and practical education
in the context of Quaker values of simplicity,
thorough examination of conscience,
generous giving,
social responsibility,
and the peaceful resolution of conflict.
OR there is the story of the legacy
of the abolitionists and feminists
who founded the College:
for example,
its association with the women’s suffrage movement and, later,
its opposition to Japanese internment.
And there is the story of the College’s changing demographics:
coeducational from the beginning
but only admitting its first African American students after World War II.
These are all perfectly legitimate ways of telling the Swarthmore story.”
1.3
RATIONALE
Further building off the brand strategy, we look to develop a theme with the ability to guide our creative direction. Although the following idea write-up is not intended to be used for outward-facing communication, its purpose is to help inspire the creation of those materials.
Swarthmore was established in 1864…and many, many times since. New people and ideas are continuously combining in new ways to meet the moment — across generations and sometimes even daily. And each time we do this, we re-establish Swarthmore, for ourselves and for the future.
1.4
Establishing art
The following examples are conceptual expressions of how copy and design come together cohesively to tell the Swarthmore story. They were created for internal purposes only to illustrate how the platform could speak to a broad, general audience.
1.5
MESSAGING CONSIDERATIONS
At its core, this idea is about striking a balance between a) the story of our prestigious, established institution and b) our openness to hearing and evolving based on new narratives begging to be told. These two ideas are not at odds with one another, rather, both are as integral to the College today as the day we were founded.
CONSIDERATION 1
We can highlight the idea of reinvention and new discoveries — a place that is what it is because of its people.
EXAMPLE 1
Just when you thought this place couldn’t get any more beautiful, you make it your own.
EXAMPLE 2
4,000 species of plants, a rich architectural history, and a curiously large Adirondack chair make up our campus. Our community makes it Swarthmore.
CONSIDERATION 2
We can honor our history while celebrating and inviting positive change.
EXAMPLE 1
Here we have been since 1864, but we’ve never for a moment been content with standing still.
EXAMPLE 2
To walk through our door is to step into this community. You have a say in what we become next.
CONSIDERATION 3
We can be overt in the way we reclaim traditional higher ed vernacular.
EXAMPLE 1
Welcome to Swarthmore College. Established again and again. With you.
EXAMPLE 2
As you establish yourself at Swarthmore, you’ll re-establish small parts of Swarthmore in return.
CONSIDERATION 4
We can acknowledge moments big and small as fundamental, defining moments of Swarthmore.
EXAMPLE
Every time curiosities fit together, or a bio professor invites an art history major into the lab, or a first-gen student experiences First Collection firsthand; our ideas blend with others’ in deeply enlightening ways. Ways that, together, we find the courage to explore.
SECTION 2
Copy & Tone of Voice
To effectively communicate what makes Swarthmore special, it’s not just about what we say but how we say it. Good brands have a distinct voice. The Swarthmore voice is the outward expression of that personality as we begin to put the idea of “re-establishing yourself and the College” into words that speak to the many stories we have to tell. The following section will take you through helpful tips and considerations when writing in the Swarthmore voice, as well as successful examples of headlines and body copy.
Remember: it’s more of an art than a science, so try things out, and refer back to the positioning, rationale, and tone words to gut-check that you’re on the right track. Swarthmore contains multitudes and these are only a few examples of how we can write about it. We look forward to seeing what else you create.
2.1
BRAND VOICE OVERVIEW: BODY COPY
copy TIP 1
Show, don’t tell. Instead of always telling people that we are a highly selective liberal arts college on a beautiful campus with incredibly curious students, faculty, and staff who love to think, we can showcase it through the way we write.
EXAMPLE 1
When we say, “We’re excited to be here,” we mean here— at the intersection of each other, surrounded by trees and opinions.
Example 2
At Swarthmore, everyone has something they can’t stop thinking about, wondering about, buzzing on about. Name a topic; your enthusiasm will be matched and your stances challenged. Every time curiosities fit together, or a bio professor invites an art history major into the lab, or a first-gen student experiences First Collection firsthand; our ideas blend with others’ in deeply enlightening ways. Ways that, together, we find the courage to explore.
copy TIP 2
Remember who you’re talking to, and try to put yourself in their shoes. This will change depending on the medium and audience (more on this in the Tone section), but if we’re talking to a high school senior who’s about to make one of the biggest decisions of their life, it could sound something like this:
EXAMPLE
College is an exciting opportunity for you to reinvent yourself as the person you want the world to see, and to continue working on the things that really energize you — and maybe even scare you a little. In the heart-pumping, character-building, “I can’t believe I did that” kind of way.
copy TIP 3
Talk like a person, not an institution. Avoid jargon and acronyms whenever possible. Especially when speaking with younger prospective student audiences who most likely don’t know what “ROI” stands for let alone terms like liberal arts. Rather than blindly touting numbers like the student-to-faculty ratio, try to contextualize them in terms of why that should be exciting for a student.
EXAMPLE
Have real, meaningful discussions in our small Socratic-style seminars. No huge lecture halls, just a group of students who really care. World-class faculty, too. Because undergrads are our sole focus at Swarthmore, the research projects and faculty attention that might normally go to graduate students elsewhere are available to you, a valued collaborator. And when you need a break from the flurry of academic opportunity, you’re just steps away from countless trees (a whole arboretum’s worth) perfect for curling up under with some light, five-inch-thick pleasure reading.
copy TIP 4
Take them on a campus tour with words. While our concept is very people-focused, the Swarthmore environment — both the arboretum and its proximity to Philadelphia — is a big part of what makes us special. Help the reader get a sense of what it might feel like to be there.
EXAMPLE
We’ve thrown a lot your way — even for you, a person who probably enjoys getting a lot of knowledge thrown at them.
Just know that as much as there is to ponder here at Swarthmore, there are even more places to do your pondering. A whole arboretum for you to call home. Follow the meandering hiking trails and creeks in the Crum Woods, gather at the amphitheater, stroll through the rose garden, or feel small amongst the growth of Redwood trees (yes, they live on the East Coast, too — these rugged friends are called the Swarthmore Hardy).
Well, for now, we’ll make like a Quaker in an arboretum and leave you to your thoughts. Nuanced, complex, and ever-flowing as they may be.
copy TIP 5
Strike a balance between quirk and earnestness. We want our audiences to take us seriously as an institution, but that doesn’t mean we have to be overly serious in our copy. In admissions work especially, we strive to capture the joy and charm of Swarthmore, but it must always be reflective of the true experience once they get here. A little sprinkle of quirkiness to keep things interesting will go a long way.
EXAMPLE
Hi xyz,
…
…crickets…
…
In Quaker services, groups of Quakers sit in silence until the spirit moves them to speak. This creates the opportunity for an open dialogue.
…pregnant pause…
…
Swarthmore was founded by the Society of Friends, a Quaker group from Philadelphia. While no longer associated with the Quakers, we at Swarthmore still share some of the same fundamental values: respect, truth, and peace. And of course, the power of open dialogue.
…
…labored breath…
…
*Whispered*
Swarthmore Admissions
copy TIP 6
The proof is in the story. Rather than plainly stating a fact, like that Swarthmore is one of the only liberal arts colleges that also has an accredited engineering department, a vivid example can be a much more memorable way of sharing that information.
When writing to any audience, we look to remind ourselves of the interesting aspects of the story we are telling — whether it’s highlighting a student achievement or building excitement about a Swarthmore tradition. Despite knowing the College and its offerings inside and out, we strive to be surprised and write in a way that imbues the story with that enthusiasm and excitement to connect with new audiences who aren’t as familiar with the subject matter as those of us who write about it more often.
EXAMPLE
Build a small boat out of stuff you find around your house.
This skill will come in handy, we promise. Except instead of building in the comfort of your own home, your engineering prowess will be tested in the fierce waters of the three-foot-deep Crum Creek. Every spring, Swatties compete for glory across 500 meters in boats made of whatever materials they can get their hands on. Sometimes, racers learn too late that their vessels, unlike their spirits, are not unsinkable. But fear not — awards are presented to those who finish last as well as first.
If you were wondering what it’s like to be one of the only liberal arts colleges that also has an accredited engineering department, well, the Crum Regatta pretty much sums it up.
2.2
BRAND VOICE OVERVIEW: HEADLINES
Headlines are often the first thing a person will read in any given piece of work, be it a viewbook spread or an ad on a bus shelter. The more intriguing and impactful they are, the more likely someone is to keep reading and interacting with the Swarthmore brand. Though they’re best kept short, headlines must pack a punch. They should tease the big idea and create a sense of intellectual curiosity.
Keep reading for a variety of examples of headlines and a little description about what makes them work well in the Swarthmore brand.
HEADLINE TIP 1
Talk to anyone at Swarthmore, and you’re bound to be impressed by their vocabulary and eloquence. That can and should certainly make its way into copy, being careful not to sound stodgy or inaccessible. The right word choice can create an energy and a feeling all its own.
EXAMPLE
Emphatic objection, exuberant head nod.
HEADLINE TIP 2
Details paint pictures. And they help you tell stories that couldn’t be said about just any college or university. This line also hits on an important theme to convey throughout our work — that while our campus is one of the most beautiful in the world, it’s the people here that truly make it come alive.
EXAMPLE
4,000 species of plants, a rich architectural history, and a curiously large Adirondack chair make up our campus. Our community makes it Swarthmore.
HEADLINE TIP 3
At Swarthmore, students are expected to come ready to think. Headlines can give them a taste of that by being provocative, asking big questions, and shifting the attention to them instead of always just talking about ourselves.
EXAMPLE
What would you do if you weren’t afraid to fail?
HEADLINE TIP 4
Informational doesn’t have to mean boring. This example from campus construction wayfinding is intended to help visitors find their way, but it doesn’t pass up on the opportunity to give a wink with the personality and pride of Swarthmore.
EXAMPLE
You’re going places. This way to Parrish Hall.
HEADLINE TIP 5
The “re-establishing Swarthmore” concept is all about flipping traditional higher ed ideologies on thier heads and being open to looking at things in new ways. Headlines are a great place to create drama and excitement for the reader by playing with unexpected phrases and juxtaposed ideas. By beginning with a phrase that sounds surprising coming from Swarthmore, it makes the payoff that much more rewarding and powerful.
EXAMPLE
Who cares? Here, we all do.
HEADLINE TIP 6
We love this example because it’s one that was written by your internal Swarthmore team. Right off the bat, the headline makes a bold statement that leaves you hanging and makes you want to keep reading. The body copy then pays it off by building on the idea, saying a lot about Swarthmore without talking directly about Swarthmore and describing liberal arts without using those words. It effectively communicates the idea of “re-establishing Swarthmore” in a fresh, relatable, and inspiring way that doesn’t rely on that explicit phrase.
EXAMPLE
We don't want to change you.
We simply want to amplify what’s already inside of you — whether you’re an engineer with the heart of a poet, a painter who dreams in code, or a film buff with an eye for social justice. You define and redefine what exactly it means to be a Swattie, and you get to create a Swarthmore story that’s entirely your own.
2.3
TONE
Because Swarthmore must communicate across many different messages and mediums meant for different types of audiences, the tone of voice must flex depending on the execution. We’ll show you how to dial up and down the specific tone words to appeal to each specific audience while still sounding like Swarthmore.
2.4
EDITORIAL STYLE GUIDE
With a few exceptions, Swarthmore College adheres to AP style in its communications. This College editorial style guide includes a listing of the places we deviate from AP style, style conventions that are specific to the College, and common mistakes.
SECTION 3
Visual DIRECTION
Swarthmore College's visual direction is made up of many pieces. This section is dedicated to the many tools at our disposal when creating a new composition.
Because there are so many elements, each sub-section has its own sub-directory to help you navigate to exactly what you may be looking for.
In addition to our Primary Color Garnet, Swarthmore utilizes an extended color palette including both Primary and Secondary Colors.
Note that the CMYK values may appear different than these swatches on screen.
Primary Colors
Swarthmore's Primary Colors are the most defining colors of our brand — starting, of course, with our Garnet.
Parchment and Ink serve as direct counterparts to our Garnet in most applications. Use of White and Charcoal is encouraged when more color contrast is needed.
Garnet
Parchment
Ink
White
Charcoal
Secondary Colors
Swarthmore College also employs an extended Secondary Color Palette with the following much brighter, more expressive colors. These colors are inspired by those found on our campus.
These colors can be used as accents in designs that rely heavily on our Garnet, and, when appropriate, they can also be used much more expressively as background colors and with our many Graphic Elements.
Rose
Pumpkin
Sunflower
Cornflower
Spruce
Consistent use of typography is critical to bringing a brand to life. Swarthmore utilizes its four brand fonts to create a wide variety of executions.
Brand Fonts
Our typographic system utilizes four different fonts — each with its own purpose(s). See below for descriptions of each font and its use.
Benton Sans Extra Compact Black is our Primary Display & Headline font. It should always be used in All Caps.
Use this to add maximum visual impact to your big, bold statements.
Benton Sans Extra Compact Black is available from Type Network.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
1234567890!@#$?%&
ITC Garamond Book Condensed is used as our Secondary Display & Headline treatment and is also used for Quotes and Large Body Copy. Use in Title or Sentence Case.
When you want to feature some written content that is longer than a standard headline, using this font will give your content higher visual impact than treating it as standard body copy.
ITC Garamond Book Condensed is available from MyFonts.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890!@#$?%&
PP Neue Montreal is our workhorse font. It is available in various weights and styles and is used to set all standard body copy and long-form written content.
PP Neue Montreal is available from Pangram Pangram.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890!@#$?%&
Luminaire Script should only be used minimally for short, supporting layers of content such as titles, quotes, and featured numerals such as dates. Never use this font for Headlines or Body Copy.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890!@#$?%&
Typographic Hierarchy
The flexibility of our typographic system allows us to shift our visual tone and tailor our look for specific executions according to our audience(s) — all while still retaining a visual consistency across these executions. Think of it as having different outfits for different occasions.
Below are two examples that utilize our fonts to create two different, but related, typographic approaches.
EXAMPLE 1
This first example makes use of our bold display font, Benton Sans, to create a modern, attention-grabbing headline, with the delicate Luminaire Script being used for the title and Garamond Condensed for a quote or large body copy moment. Underlines are another great way we can bring color and attention to a headline.
Body copy should be no smaller than 8.5pt, captions should be no smaller than 7.5pt, and when the type is knocked out (a.k.a. white on a colored background), each of those minimum sizes should go up one point size.
EXAMPLE 2
The second example leans into a more classic look with Garamond Condensed filling in as our headliner.
Body copy should be no smaller than 8.5pt, captions should be no smaller than 7.5pt, and when the type is knocked out (a.k.a. white on a colored background), each of those minimum sizes should go up one point size.
Google Font Alternatives
Below are three free Google Font alternatives to substitute for our primary brand fonts in Google Docs.
League Gothic is a free Google Font alternative to Benton Sans Extra Compact Black.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
1234567890!@#$?%&
Instrument Serif is a free Google Font alternative to ITC Garamond Book Condensed.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890!@#$?%&
Plus Jakarta Sans is a free Google Font alternative to PP Neue Montreal.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890!@#$?%&
3.4
GRAPHIC ELEMENTS
IN THIS SECTION
Our brand utilizes many graphic elements. These various elements exist to create a visual hierarchy in compositions. They should be used in harmony with each other and never be overused. Hover over each image to see examples of each element in use. You'll find additional examples showing how these elements should work together in the Layout Section of this guide.
Grain Texture
Though subtle, the Grain Texture is great for creating depth, adding a warm, lo-fi/tactile feeling to otherwise flat areas of color.
The texture should only be placed on flat areas of color. Never use over photographs.
This texture is only used for on-screen applications. Do not use it for printed executions as the natural texture of the paper is preferred.
Grain is a built-in feature in Photoshop that can be accessed by going to filter > noise > add noise. Swarthmore brand grain texture can be achieved by 10-20% grain, set to monochromatic with uniform distribution. The final touch is making your blending mode "Lighten".
Halftone Texture
Halftone photos are used throughout the Swarthmore brand as a way to add texture or depth to a layout. Layered over photography and colored backgrounds, they are used as borders, accents, or framing devices.
Our halftone images are saved as Bitmap TIFFs. A Bitmap TIFF appears against a transparent background by default in Adobe InDesign and can be easily changed color using your swatches. (Hover over the right image for an example.)
Use Examples
Halftones can be placed along the edges of a layout as an accent or border.
Halftones can be used as frames for photos
How to make a halftone
STEP 1
Open your desired photo in Photoshop and make sure your resolution is set to 300PPI. It also helps to make sure the image is roughly 4000px wide or larger.
STEP 2
In the top application menu, navigate to
Image>Mode. Select ‘Grayscale’ from the dropdown menu.
A window will appear asking if you’d like to discard the color information from the image. Confirm your action by selecting ‘Discard’.
Your image should now be in Black & White.
STEP 3
Once again in the top application menu, navigate to Image>Mode. This time, select ‘Bitmap’ from the dropdown menu.
A Bitmap window will appear. Confirm the number next to Output is ‘300’. If not, type ‘300’. Click ‘OK’.
A Halftone Screen window will appear. Set the Frequency to 15, Angle to 45º, and the Shape to ‘Round’. Click ‘OK’.
Your image should now be a Halftone Bitmap.
STEP 4
You're almost there! Now we just export.
Back to the application menu. Navigate to File>Save As.
In the Save As window, select ‘TIFF’ from the Format drop down. Name your file something clear and descriptive. Click ‘Save’.
In the TIFF Options window, ensure that the options match those in the image to the bottom right to of this page. They should be set to this by default. Select ‘OK’.
And that’s it! You have just made a Bitmap TIFF that you’re ready to use in your work.
Frames
Frames come in handy when we want to add some visual interest to a composition. Using layering, color, or unique shapes can help make a photo stand out from the rest if things are feeling too flat.
Frames can be made from our Halftone Texture, colored borders with our Grain Texture, or you can utilize unique shapes inspired by campus, such as a Gothic arch (shown in the hover example).
Dates & Captions
Dates, locations, and other captions are also often used in our system to label photographs or add an additional layer of detail to a design. These are typeset in Luminaire Script and placed in the corners or along the edges of layouts and photographs.
Dates of establishment — both literal and conceptual — represent the ever-evolving nature of Swarthmore and its community. While Swarthmore was officially established in 1864, every person at Swarthmore has their own establishing moment here.
Glyphs
What are glyphs?
Beyond the practical application of glyphs into a layout, usage is a little more conceptual. Rather than icons meant to represent one narrow area of study or interest, the glyph library was a way to showcase the fact that everybody at Swarthmore has a “thing” (or several) that they’re incredibly passionate about. Much like the liberal arts! Glyphs were designed to be used as complementary accents — a creative way to infuse a core idea from the strategy into the look of the brand: the creation of new knowledge formed by connections across diverse perspectives.
How do I use them?
Glyphs are used as supporting visual elements in a layout. They’re typically placed in the corners of photos or layouts as accents or above/beside text to bring attention to specific copy.
Avoid using the glyphs for things like categorizing areas of study. We do not want these to be mistaken as logos for departments or schools within the College.
In most cases we like to keep the number of glyphs to no more than four in a single layout. We don't want them to overwhelm the content.
Use Examples
Placed as accents in the edges or corners of photos or layouts
Placed above or beside text to bring attention to important content
MAKING NEW GLYPHS
When creating a new glyph, you should keep three words in mind: Bold, Humanist, and Conceptual.
When creating a new glyph, it's best to start with a concept. What do we want to represent? Academics? Campus life? A moment of joy? The goal is to create a representation of the Swarthmore experience.
Glyphs should feel solid and weighty. They are often used in light colors over photographs, so make sure it looks good in white and is solid enough to be stamped on a photo. Avoid delicate line weights.
Lastly, glyphs should feel Humanist — like they were made by a person rather than a machine. Avoid sharp corners and overly simple forms.
Light Bursts
The light burst is the most widely used glyph in our library. It represents an Establishing Moment — or moment of inspiration for an individual or group of people. The light burst has both conceptual applications over photographs and practical applications when used to bring attention to specific content.
Use Examples
Light bursts can be placed over photographs to represent an Establishing Moment — or moment of inspiration for an individual or group of people. Hover for an additional example.
In layout, light bursts can be used to bring attention to specific areas of the layout or specific sections of copy — such as a payoff or a call-to-action. Hover for an additional example.
Photographing People: Lifestyle
When photographing people, keep lighting natural, warm, and soft. We want to capture genuine moments and interactions. Try to avoid moments and compositions that feel too reminiscent of a stock photo.
We also want to avoid over-branding a photograph — like dressing everyone in a Swarthmore sweater. It makes the moment feel staged and unnatural. We want to make sure we are representing people as they are. We aren’t like other colleges, so we shouldn’t try to look like them.
Photographing People: Academics
When photographing students and faculty, we should try to avoid the clichés. The Swarthmore approach to academia is better represented when we are showing the various ways a student can learn and a professor can teach. As a loose guideline, for every photo of a student at a desk, we should have three photos of others doing things outside of the classroom or learning in unconventional ways.
Photographing Campus
Our campus is the setting for the life-changing experiences that happen at Swarthmore — so we want to make sure we are effectively creating a sense of place where using campus photography. This means showing broader shots of campus — but it also means not glazing over the details that one might only notice when they’re here. Using a combination of wide campus shots with imagery of architectural and natural details will give the viewer a better sense of place than just relying on one or the other.
Layout is where it all comes together. In this section, we review our special layouts and dive into how to begin your own layout in our visual system.
Special Layouts
Our broad visual system allows for a large variety of layout executions. In some of our initial work, we developed a few unique special layouts that are great representations of our visual language. These layouts can be used on a plethora of materials for special applications or to break up more standard editorial layouts.
While there are only four here right now, that doesn't mean that's all there ever will be. Don't be afraid to use our toolkit at your disposal and create new, exciting, and expressive layouts to add to our collection.
Diptych
A Diptych layout is defined by its use of two containers to break up a headline or statement into two parts — allowing them to be digested in phases. The typical approach for this layout style uses a single background image with the two containers obstructing some of the image, like the example on the right.
Mosaic
Mosaic layouts are photo-driven editorial layouts in which photos and text fit together like tiles to fill the space in a design. They're incredibly useful for showing different kinds of photography and highlighting the many people, moments, and ideas that make Swarthmore. Glyphs, Frames, Textures, and other supporting elements come in handy to create a visual hierarchy in your design.
This layout approach was heavily inspired by many of the mid-century layouts found within old brochures and booklets in the Swarthmore Archives, so definitely take a visit for some inspiration!
PLace-Setting
A Place-Setting is categorized by its use of photography as a background in place of a solid color. The background image should be a shot of campus that establishes a sense of place from a macro or micro point of view. The layering of containers and other photographs on top gives the audience a peek at what to expect from Swarthmore.
Visual StoryTelling
A Visual Storytelling layout is perfect for highlighting longer headlines or one to two key sentences. It's a playful and expressive approach that is great at visual storytelling and capturing the audience's attention — great for a cover design or hero moment.
Designing a Layout
When creating a new layout, it's important to keep a few best practices in mind. Here are just a few helpful examples to guide you through creating a layout in our brand.
STEP 1: DOCUMENT SETUP
Before you set up your document, you must first determine the type of grid you will need to accommodate the content in your layout. In many cases, the more content you have, the larger the layout grid you will likely need. The goal is to provide yourself with a balance of structure and flexibility when creating a new design.
In most cases, when designing for standard-sized printed layouts, use a 12-column grid. Tall and skinny, vertically oriented layouts may benefit from having fewer columns — don't be afraid to experiment with 10, 8, or 6-column grids if they feel more appropriate.
DIGITAL
When designing for mobile or other vertically oriented screens (except tablets), use a 4-column grid.
Designing for a tablet in its vertical orientation can be done using an 8- or 12-column grid.
For horizontal tablets, desktops, or other horizontally oriented screens, use the standard 12-column grid for the web.
STEP 2: choosing your style
Now that your document is set up, you're ready to start putting things together. The best way to start is by first assessing who your audience is and reviewing the content for your composition. This is an important step because it allows us to determine what the most appropriate approach may be.
Something bright and expressive for a prospective student? Or something classic and esteemed for an alumni donor? As we reviewed in the Typographic Hierarchy section, our design system allows us to tailor our look to each audience and application when necessary.
STEP 3: Building out Your Layout
Once you've determined an appropriate style, we can move on to designing our composition. Build out from your headline and add the additional necessary content such as body copy, photos, textures, glyphs, and other elements — aligning everything to your grid and in relation to one another. Start with larger elements like photographs and textures. Once those have been placed, add your secondary elements such as a light burst, glyphs, or establishing dates. Avoid overloading your design with too many secondary elements. It's best to keep them small and limited to a handful.
Layout Examples
The following images are conceptual executions of how our visual system can potentially come to life. The purpose of these examples is to explore the relationships between color, typography, texture, and photography within the visual system as we prepare to develop real printed and digital materials.
As we develop real materials, this section will be updated to include those examples.
SECTION 4
Athletics Sub-Brand
WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?
Hi, thanks for stopping by. We’re here today to talk about the story, look, and feel of the Swarthmore Athletics sub-brand — and how to use it to create your own materials that feel cohesive and reflect the impressive athleticism of our student-athletes of all levels.
WHAT IS OUR GOAL?
Our goal is to communicate the spirit of Swarthmore Athletics and elevate student-athletes who are at the top of their game. While this sub-brand does draw some elements from the overarching brand, it’s okay for us to look and sound louder, bolder, and more active for athletics.
4.0
RATIONALE
Think of our rationale as our origin story. It’s how we talk about ourselves, and how we communicate our purpose and mission to our audience. When writing, keep the rationale in back of your mind. For each deliverable, ask yourself if it ladders up to the sentiment of the rationale (with a few specific exceptions that we’ll dig into later).
Swarthmore students’ brains never stop, consciously or subconsciously. They’re always active — assessing the world around them in a matter of seconds. Behind every split-second decision or athletic feat is a series of intellectual processes, and that’s the way we like it.
OVERARCHING BRAND TONE WORDS:
Earnest Joyful Curious Authentic Intellectual
Sophisticated Modern Accessible
ATHLETICS BRAND TONE WORDS:
ENERGETIC BOLD ACTIVE
4.1
COPY
LONG-FORM COPY
For longer pieces like letters or fundraising pamphlets, we have the opportunity to use the real estate to play up Swarthmore students’ excellence in not only academics, but athletics. When talking about their passion for athletics and academics, it’s important to note that they don’t exist in a silo. Instead, these passions interact and build off of one another, strengthening students as a whole, and making them more fulfilled well-rounded people in the process.
THAT ALL SOUNDS GREAT, BUT WHAT IF I ONLY HAVE LIMITED SPACE TO WRITE?
Remember those exceptions mentioned earlier? Things like social posts, on-court murals, and announcements need to do more heavy-lifting from a messaging perspective (some pun intended). So if you have limited or no space to write, that’s perfectly fine. It’s all about capturing that simple, bold, in-your-face athletics energy, which you can achieve through imagery. And if you do happen to have a few characters to spare, it’s okay to shift the messaging to solely focus on our student-athletes’ athletic accomplishments.
The Swarthmore Athletics sub-brand uses the full brand color palette outline in section 3.1 in this guide.
In addition to our Primary Color Garnet, Swarthmore utilizes an extended color palette including both Primary and Secondary Colors.
Note that the CMYK values may appear different than these swatches on screen.
Section 4.3
Typography
Consistent use of typography is critical to bringing a brand to life. Swarthmore utilizes its four brand fonts, to create a wide variety of executions.
In addition to the full suite of brand fonts we introduced a secondary typeface to use in all athletics pieces.
BN Kragen Bold should only be used minimally for short, supporting layers of content such as titles, quotes, and featured numerals (such as dates). Never use this font for headlines or body copy.
section 4.4
GRAPHIC ELEMENTS
in this section
There are two main types of graphic elements — student-athlete photography and what we call intellectual doo-dads. It’s important that both of these elements feel hand-crafted and energetic. The main function of the graphic elements is to showcase the thought process of a Swarthmore student-athlete who uses their academic knowledge to further enhance their athletic skill set.
Intellectual Doo-Dads
These can be created from scratch in Illustrator or grabbed from copyright-free sources. In general, they should feel like they’ve been ripped from a textbook/notebook. Examples: Physics diagrams, mathematical equations, literary quotes, sheet music, etc.
One-Color Posterized Photos
These are designed to add a bit of grit and athletic energy to the sub-brand. Use the Photoshop document provided so that you can texturize any elements being used (i.e. headlines, intellectual doo-dads, athlete collages, etc.)
*This image is an example of something that could be created, but is not intended for actual use and will not be implemented on campus.
Step 1:
Before placing objects into the Photoshop document, make the photo black & white. Increase the contrast as much as possible using the threshold//curves tool.
Step 2:
Look at the background of where you’re placing your image. If it’s white/parchment, select the black parts of the photo and place them into the Photoshop document.
If the background is black/ink, select the white parts of the photo and place them into the Photoshop document.
Step 3:
Use the presets in the provided document to add color and texture.
Once you are done, put your beautiful creation out into the world.
Section 4.5
PHOTOGRAPHY
The majority of photos should be treated the same way they are in the overarching brand, but in special instances (celebrating a win, designing a mural/poster, etc.) the collage treatment can be implemented.
EXAMPLES
SECTION 4.6
GLYPHS
These can be used in the same way as the overarching brand. For usage guidelines please see Section 3.4.
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Swarthmore College
Institutional Brand Guidelines
Questions & Asset Requests:
Andy Hirsch
Vice President, Communications
ahirsch1@swarthmore.edu