Graphic Design
Creative marketing materials designed with intention to be consistent with Idaho State’s current brand standards strengthen and support marketing efforts across the University.
Strategic initiatives at all levels of the University may require supporting design materials. The graphic design unit in Creative Services is tasked with ensuring that marketing materials meet Idaho State’s high standards and represent the University in the best way possible.
Creating professional, high-quality materials can be accomplished in one of several ways:
- Work with your marketing professional to create materials.
- Insert photos and text into University-approved branded templates. The Office of Marketing and Communications has created several templates to meet a wide range of needs.
- Use Adobe Express to create your own materials. Official ISU templates, colors, logos, and fonts are available using your University-provided Adobe account.
- Submit a request for help with graphic design for your materials. Review the process below for submitting a graphic design work request to see if your project fits within the scope of the University graphic design unit.
Working with the University Graphic Artist
Proactive Planning and Strategy
Before submitting a graphic design request, think proactively about the full scope of your project and the materials you will need. Consider the goal of the project, your audience, and what type of piece will best support your purpose. Requests should include finalized copy and any specific imagery needed; our design team can help identify photos that support your message, but designers will not write copy. If new photos are needed, please request a photoshoot with our visual media team. The more complete and fully thought-through a request is at submission, the better we can plan and execute the project. Additional pieces, content, or significant changes added after submission may not be accommodated within the original timeline due to existing project commitments.
Accepted Project Requests
The Creative Services team within the Office of Marketing and Communication focuses on top-level projects that have a high impact on the broader University’s strategic objectives and require three to eight weeks of lead time. The initiatives generally supported by the graphic design team are for:
- University-Wide Marketing and Branding
- Enrollment and Recruitment Materials
- Revenue-Generating Projects
- Presidential Needs
Project requests are filtered into tiers based on the following set of criteria.
Does the project have a direct impact on one of the following?
- Institutional enrollment efforts
- This generally excludes the enrollment efforts for individual units and focuses more broadly on the marketing efforts for the institution as a whole.
- Revenue generation
- Includes licensed merchandise, sponsorships, and donor relations.
- Media impact
- Includes public relations efforts, telling the University’s story, and institutional or presidential social media content.
- Alignment with Strategic Plan Goals
- Increase student access, opportunity, retention, and success
- Strengthen programmatic excellence
- Cultivate external partnerships
- Expand research, clinical, and creative activities
- Energize the Bengal community
- Institutional brand development/alignment
IF NO—
The project request may not be within our scope, please submit a request or contact us for details.
IF YES—
If your request does directly impact one of the five objectives above, then it will be evaluated for the appropriate priority level and tier. Based on the content and visibility, we will assess how much high-level impact the project will have in supporting these strategic objectives.
Project Tiers
Based on evaluation, requests will be filtered into three tiers.
Tier 1
Timeline - 6 - 8 weeks notice
These are high-level projects that may require more time and collaboration and require custom designs to meet strategic objectives. These are the types of projects that the Creative Services team generally focuses our efforts on. These projects have a high, direct-impact on the five strategic objectives listed above.
Projects within this tier may include things like:
- University-level recruitment materials
- University marketing graphics
- Campus branding
- The ISU Magazine
- Licensed merchandise designs
- Presidential events or initiatives
- Assets that create an evolution of or addition to brand standards
Tier 2
Timeline - 3 - 4 weeks notice
These projects are impactful for these strategic objectives but may require less time and collaboration. In this case, we may have the ability to repurpose and adjust existing designs. We may also create Adobe Express templates for these projects in order for requestors to have the ability to create their own designs for these purposes in the future.
These projects may include things like:
- Annual event programs and invitations
- Designs that are used repeatedly but the content is updated regularly especially for specific campaigns that need distinct visual cohesion across assets
- Unique requests that don’t already have an existing Adobe Express template
Tier 3
Projects falling within this tier are generally outside of our scope. These projects may be directed to other self-serve resources.
These projects may include:
- Requests that could be accomplished using an existing Adobe Express template
- Projects that may not need to be custom designed
- Projects that do not meet our project timeline requirements especially based on the amount of time needed to complete the request
Design Approval Process
To ensure that Idaho State and every unit of the University is represented professionally and positively, all marketing materials are required to be reviewed and approved by the brand management team before going to production. Specifically, printed materials that use any of ISU’s logos or graphic marks need to be reviewed. This ensures that Idaho State’s brand standards are followed and that design flaws are caught before materials are distributed.
All print and digital materials and communications discussing academic programs and services for students must be reviewed by the responsible departments, colleges or university units before dissemination or design approval submission of items that fall in the Tier 1 or Tier 2 approval categories. The review should ensure program, degree completion timelines and service information is communicated clearly, accurately, and consistently. Published materials and communications should ensure accuracy and integrity in all representations about ISU's mission, programs, and services. The Office of Marketing and Communications reviews marketing materials only for design and brand approval before publication, not for content accuracy.
Please closely work with your assigned marketing professional prior to submitting materials for review.
Marketing materials to be reviewed are submitted through this form. Materials should be submitted for review by noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Feedback on submissions can be expected within 3-5 business days. To allow time to incorporate feedback, if needed, please plan to submit materials for brand review at least 2 weeks before the date you plan to order the items.
Submitted items will be reviewed using the following guidelines. As needed, additional concerns with the item will be communicated.
- University-approved fonts
- Idaho State’s brand colors
- University-level logos and identity marks
- College or department logos
- Photos match the purpose of the piece and are high resolution
- Layout and design are clean and include adequate white space, margins, etc.
Once a submitted item has been reviewed, the owner will receive an email indicating that the item was approved, approved with changes, or needs revisions and resubmitted.
Levels of Approval
Tier 1
Highest level of review before being approved for production
It’s strongly encouraged that you consult with the Office of Marketing and Communication before beginning projects that may be included in this tier.
- Any representation of the University as a whole including building banners, window clings, vehicle wraps, light pole banners, flags, or recruitment materials that promote the University at large.
- Signage that deviates from signage standards or environmental branding that is outward facing such as large window clings facing the Quad or other high-traffic areas.
- Any items that reference the University President or President’s Office in any way. To submit a request for the University President to attend an event, fill out this form.
- Any items that use the University seal.
Tier 2
Items required to be approved by the brand management team via the Design Approval Submission Form
Submit items after development but before production. To allow time to incorporate feedback, if needed, please plan to submit materials for brand review at least 2 weeks before the date you plan to order the items. Most marketing materials will fall into this category.
- Print materials for recruitment or marketing.
- Newsletters, magazines, or annual reports sent to an audience beyond college-wide or departmental faculty and staff.
- Event invitations that are distributed outside of the University, including to community members, supporters, or prospective students.
- Promotional items (stickers, apparel, pens, etc.).
- Digital and print advertisements.
- Social media marketing campaigns.
Tier 3
Items that don’t need to undergo the approval process
- Class advertisements that use pre-designed ISU-branded templates that have not been altered.
- Templates from the University's template gallery or Adobe Express where the design of the templates has not been altered.
- Invitations for departmental faculty and staff events that are not sent to anyone outside of the University.
- Presentations that follow brand guidelines or that are created for purposes other than marketing presentations (e.g. class presentations).
- Communications on official letterhead.
- Course materials and syllabi.
- Content created solely for social media posting, that does not include advertising or marketing campaigns.
- Internal meeting materials.
Since the above items will not be reviewed by the brand management team, we encourage you to do a self-review before printing your items. The following brand elements are recommended:
- Using brand logos on Tier 3 items is optional, but when logos are used, the logo guidelines should be followed.
- Idaho State’s brand fonts
- Idaho State’s brand colors
- Photos match the purpose of the piece and are high-resolution
- Layout and design are clean and include adequate white space, margins, etc.
For information on the University’s brand elements, visit the brand website at isu.edu/brand.