CSUN Shine Graphic Standards

Throughout the University’s history several derivations of the official University name have been used by students, faculty and staff, alumni, and the community. While our official name is “California State University, Northridge,” today we are also referred to as “Cal State Northridge,” “CSU Northridge,” and “CSUN.”

In addition to our official name, the use of “CSUN” has grown in popularity as it uniquely distinguishes our University from the other CSU campuses.

It is the only pronounceable acronym in the entire CSU system; “sun” conveys the weather, warmth, and energy of the region; sun imagery has been used in the official seal since the University’s founding as well as for student publications such as the “Daily Sundial” and the “Sunburst” annual yearbook; and the sun is an apt metaphor for the light that knowledge sheds.

“CSUN” is memorable, easily said, and communicates the University’s unique identity.

The following pages present the new “CSUN Shine” positioning plan and guidelines, developed to help create and solidify a strong University identity that consistently communicates our University’s excellence and impact on southern California, the state, and the nation.

This page presents the new “CSUN Shine” positioning plan and guidelines, developed to help create and solidify a strong University identity that consistently communicates our University’s excellence and impact on southern California, the state, and the nation.

Thank you for using these guidelines and communicating just how brightly CSUN shines!

Dianne F. Harrison, Ph.D.
President

The purpose of this document is to provide within a single package a set of principles, guidelines, and templates to govern the use of core messages, key descriptions, and graphic elements for the University’s “CSUN Shine” initiative. Followed carefully, the plan will enable a strong, consistent, coherent message about the University—based on its core characteristics—to be projected to both internal and external stakeholders.

An updated style guide and graphic standards manual governing all uses of the University’s name, seal, colors, and other visual elements is in development. Meanwhile, this document focuses specifically on implementation of the “CSUN Shine” institutional positioning initiative as a limited-term advertising and messaging campaign.

The “CSUN Shine” initiative was developed to articulate the University’s strategic communication platform. The platform was developed during the past two years and is based on multiple research instruments. Its core elements are simple but powerful:

The University best describes itself as: resourceful; dynamic; meeting regional needs; hands-on; innovative; inclusive; diverse, collaborative; and preparing students for success.

Key phrases supporting the positioning platform for CSUN are:

• Relevant, responsive, and ready
• Leaders who emerge from the crowd
• Committed to student personal and professional success
• Problem solvers, always innovating
• Dedicated to fostering change
• Committed to the region

At its core, “CSUN Shine” is marketing campaign designed to re-position California State University, Northridge in the minds of its stakeholders, including alumni, parents, current and prospective students, faculty, staff, friends, and the general public.

It is not simply a design graphic to be dropped into existing collateral materials or the web site. Content surrounding the “CSUN Shine” tagline and graphic should always be selected carefully to convey meaning about the values and strengths of the University.

Specific objectives of the “CSUN Shine” initiative are:

• To create and deliver a coordinated set of messages and visual presentations that are bold, self-assured, compelling, and memorable;
• To evoke an emotional response through the use of concise storytelling, arresting imagery, third-party facts, and captivating language;
• To cause consumers of “CSUN Shine” messaging to rethink and update their impressions and core understanding of the University;
• To create and deliver a marketing plan with no or little burden placed on state resources;
• To widely share concepts, messaging, visuals, and design templates that will enable a variety of campus units to take part in the initiative within the context of its goals and objectives.

A word about the “CSUN Shine” graphic. The tagline is not meant to be read “see sunshine” and therefore requires visual and verbal separation. Several options were considered before settling on the final “CSUN Shine” graphic. For the current initiative, no other construction is acceptable or should be used.

A word about meaning. The tagline was chosen for its directness and declarative simplicity as well as the way in which “Shine” enables multiple meanings compared to “Shines”. The simplest explanation of the difference is that “Shines” is strictly about the University whereas “Shine” can be both about the University and those it serves.

There are several ways in which “CSUN Shine” can be used to provide different meaning and emphasis. Some of the possibilities are listed below along with examples of successful slogans that have used each form:

• Declaration. This form is about us (the University, a college, center, institute, department, etc.). It declares that we shine and here is how. The preferred evidence is a third-party source in this form—as in “The Ultimate Driving Machine”.
• Command. You should shine. That’s what we believe and expect for ourselves and that’s what we want for you since we know that is your priority and your highest and best self—as in “Just Do It” or “Think Different”.
• Promise. We know how to make things shine. Join us (as a student, faculty member, staff member, donor) and you too will shine. Look at those who already have done so and see what is possible—as in “Be All That You Can Be”.
• Challenge. We challenge you to shine more, to get with it. We challenge ourselves and our students every day, and look at what we/they are becoming—as in “Thrive” or “Be All That You Can Be”.
• Hope. We want you to shine. We know this is your highest hope for yourself. Come join us and we will help you turn hope into reality. (e.g., “Thrive” or “Be All That You Can Be”).

When including the concept of “CSUN Shine” in prose, such as social networking posts, Web content, speeches, articles, and short stories, you may use the phrase “CSUN shines” (with a lower case “s”) as part of a sentence when referring to the University or a specific unit or person associated with the University. The last sentence of the President’s message in this document is a good example: "Thank you for using these guidelines and communicating just how brightly CSUN shines."

The initiative will focus on the following social media outlets because of their popularity among internal and external stakeholders, and as a low-cost means of maximizing the reach for our collective efforts.

• Twitter. Add “#CSUNshine” at the end of tweets that exemplify a declaration, command, promise, challenge, or hope related to the “CSUN Shine” positioning platform. Please try to keep tweets to 120 characters, because re-tweeting adds an average of 20 additional characters.
• Facebook. When you post and share stories that exemplify the evidence points in the “CSUN Shine” positioning platform, the messaging will likely be in prose, not delivered via the official “CSUN Shine” graphic. For this, the usage will likely be “CSUN shines” in a sentence. Note that the official “CSUN Shine” graphic can be placed next to an image as the visual for the post. We recommend that if you do this you make the combined width of the images equal Facebook’s maximum width of 400 pixels.

The font style used in the “CSUN Shine” graphic is Proxima Bold. The logographic in the appendix may be transferred to other applications by simple cut and paste.

The basic color palette for all visual graphics used in the “CSUN Shine” initiative is as follows:

All visual presentations must:

• Conform to the basic color palette (see Appendix)
• Use the “CSUN Shine” graphic unchanged
• Ensure that content (images, graphics, and copy) is consistent with one or more of the meanings of “CSUN Shine” as noted above.

The Matador is the official mascot of the University. Students and alumni refer to themselves as “matadors” to convey unity and institutional spirit. While images or references to the Matador can be used along with the “CSUN Shine” initiative, they should be limited mainly to the athletics, spirit, student life, and alumni relations contexts.

The “CSUN Shine” initiative will rely initially on established, no-or-low-cost platforms and communication channels. These include: the University web site; KCSN 88.5FM; Facebook; Twitter; YouTube; Northridge Magazine; Community@CSUN; the VPAC playbill; merchandise sold through the Matador Bookstore; the president’s holiday video card; embedded graphic in outgoing email; and, general e-newsletters directed to alumni, donors, and friends.

Depending on the future availability of non-state, private support, the “CSUN Shine” initiative will be expanded to other platforms and channels, including: billboards; street banners; bus stops; bus wraps; airport display ads; on-air radio and TV ads; print and web placements in national media; and the like.

The “CSUN Shine” initiative will rely initially on established, no-or-low-cost platforms and communication channels. These include: the University web site; KCSN 88.5FM; Facebook; Twitter; YouTube; Northridge Magazine; Community@CSUN; the VPAC playbill; merchandise sold through the Matador Bookstore; the president’s holiday video card; embedded graphic in outgoing email; and, general e-newsletters directed to alumni, donors, and friends.

Depending on the future availability of non-state, private support, the “CSUN Shine” initiative will be expanded to other platforms and channels, including: billboards; street banners; bus stops; bus wraps; airport display ads; on-air radio and TV ads; print and web placements in national media; and the like.

The “CSUN Shine” initiative will be evaluated on a regular basis using a mix of social media metrics and data mining along with collecting formal and informal feedback from staff, students, faculty, and the community. The assessment tool is currently under development and will be shared with the campus for feedback through the “CSUN Shine” website.

The Northridge wordmark (below) is the primary visual identifier of the University as a whole and should always be used in the context of “CSUN Shine” display ads relating to the institution as a whole.

While the “CSUN Shine” initiative focuses attention on the “CSUN” brand, it is not yet well enough known as to be instantly understood as related to California State University, Northridge. See examples of dual usage in the appendix.

University Advancement, Marketing & Communication, is responsible for all university-wide messaging and placements.

Wordmark Usage for Units of the University. For a college, center, institute, department, or other sub-unit, the convention for using the wordmark in “CSUN Shine” display ads is the wordmark followed by a vertical line and then the name of the unit.

All proposed uses of the “CSUN Shine” graphic must be approved by University Advancement, Marketing and Communications. The purpose of this is to ensure conformity with these guidelines, to coordinate multiple uses and applications, and to maximize the external impact of the overall initiative.

Questions and special requests for assistance may be made by calling Kimon Rethis in University Advancement at (818) 677-3989.