Corporate Logo Guidelines

Or, How to Make Things Look the Same

This is an example of the new chapter logo. Use it in your communications, on giveaways, and wherever you want to increase visibility.

Positive Form:
The logo is used as a positive image.
Reverse Form: The reverse form may be used on promotional items, including mugs, balloons or bags, when necessary. Please note that this is not the preferred form of the logo.

There are two variations of the reversed logo. When the background is red, all of the type should be white, and when the background is black, the word “alumni” is printed in red.

WAA’s corporate colors are red and black, matching the University of Wisconsin’s brand image. For this reason, never substitute another color in the logo.

Although there is no maximum size for the WAA logo, the minimum size is .8333 inches (5/6) wide.

Anything smaller than this makes the text impossible to read.
The only exception to this rule is using the logo on thin or small promotional items, such as pens. In that case, the logo should be sized appropriately. There should be no variation, however, in the layout of the logo.

Use with Other Logos

When using the chapter logo along with the logo of another organization, follow these guidelines:
  • When representing a partnership, the chapter logo and partner logo should be of equal size.
  • In a vertical format, the chapter logo should appear above. In a horizontal format, the chapter logo should appear to the left.
  • If the partner (such as WAA or the UW) also uses the university crest in its logo, use the UW logo followed by a vertical listing of the partners, including your chapter.
  • If the partner logo does not include red, it should be printed in all black or as a grayscale.

Don’t Try This at Home

Below are a few ways you should never use the WAA logo:
  • Never place the logo inside a shape.
  • Never run the “crest” by itself with no type
  • Never condense or expand the logo
  • Never tilt the logo.

Top Ten Tips for a Great Newsletter

What should your newsletter say? How long should it be? When are you going to find time to do this?

hese are some of the questions you may be asking when working on your chapter newsletter. Below are ten tried-and-true tips to make your newsletter a success.
  • Develop a bold, clean letterhead. Always use the same letterhead, or “banner,” at the top of your newsletter. An example of this is Capital Badger. The letterhead is how people recognize your publication, so changing it frequently can cause confusion. Think what would happen to People Magazine if the banner changed. Could you tell it apart from Cosmo? We doubt it.
  • Tell people how to reach you. How annoying is it when you’re trying to get a hold of someone at a corporation and can’t find a name? Same goes for your newsletter. The contact section, or “masthead,” tells your readers how to get in touch with the editor. It also tells readers why you publish the newsletter and asks readers to send you letters. You can also thank contributors to the newsletter in the masthead.
  • Don't let the design muck up your message. We love great design, but it should never get in the way of the content. Design should be inviting and enhance your message — so don’t overuse clip art, boxes, borders and color. Remember, white space is your friend. Use only one or two different fonts in your newsletter. Any more than that will look cluttered.
  • Print your newsletter on white paper. Yes, hot pink is flashier, but have you ever tried to read anything printed on it? The color actually burns a hole into your retinas and makes you want to lie down in a darkened room. Black lettering on white paper is the easiest to read — and you want your newsletter to be read! Right?
  • Keep your readers in mind. They’re those people who choose not to send your newsletter to the circular file, so give them a bit of respect. You're asking for their precious time — they have jobs, kids to feed, video games to play and other stuff to read. Why should they read your newsletter? Make it relevant to them. Research shows that “people profiles” are often the most-read section of a newsletter — for example, birth announcements and retirement rosters, or an article about a local grad. Tell your readers about your chapter and what you can do for them.
  • Make headlines specific. Headlines should tell the reader what the story is about. They should also be short and written in the active voice. For example: “Man Wears Red Pants at Founders’ Day” rather than “Red Pants Worn by Man at Founders’ Day.” Headlines should sum up the most important message of the story.
  • Develop a publication schedule. Why can’t you just publish the dang thing when you feel like it? Because if it’s not printed regularly, it’s not really a newsletter. Every other month is an ideal schedule. If you produce your newsletter on schedule, readers will start to expect it, and you’ll get your message out.
  • Use entry points to emphasize main ideas. Entry points are places on a page that attract the reader's attention. Major entry points in a publication include:
    • Headlines (article titles)
    • Captions (descriptions under a photo)
    • Subheads (section titles within a long article)
    • Pull quotes (a main message from your article in large, boldface type)
    • Lists (“Top Ten Tips for Great Newsletters”)
    • Sidebars (short, supplementary stories)
  • Remember to take photos at your events and then tell people who’s in them. Research shows that almost all people will read a caption if nothing else. The caption should say something about the people in the photo, e.g., “Troy McClure ’82 wears red pants at local Founders’ Day event.”
  • Avoid making the reader turn to another page to finish your article. Research shows that most people will stop reading an article if forced to go to another page.

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