Going beyond design standards – an updated version of which were presented at the annual Brand Summit meeting in September – the Brand Guide & Toolbox now also provides further explanation of UNL’s brand essence.

In its most concise form, that essence is “Nebraska,” which was identified by the Brand Council, an ad hoc group of campus communicators led by director of university communications Meg Lauerman.

“Our university represents the highest ambitions of our state. UNL’s mission and its brand personality are inextricably linked to the people and perception of Nebraska,” Lauerman said.

To more consistently produce messages from that brand personality, communicators can refer to eight brand attributes selected by the Brand Council and a brand anthem crafted to demonstrate how the attributes coalesce to embody UNL’s essence. These attributes are: ambitious, authentic, collaborative, committed, friendly, hard-working, inclusive and smart.

“What the Brand Guide does is give every UNL communicator – whether they’ve worked here a decade or only a few days – a solid, clearly defined reference point from which to begin any promotional communications work, whether that’s a single Tweet or a multifaceted campaign,” said Lauerman.

“A well-defined brand provides a solid foundation for important campaigns aimed at achieving our university’s goals. ‘Your Story Matters’ is such a campaign and has been very powerful and successful in our efforts to recruit students. We continue to support the campaign in all ways possible.”

The Brand Guide & Toolbox are online at http://go.unl.edu/brandguide.