ETAMU Division of Student Affairs Rebrand – System, Toolkit, and Social Identity
As Marketing & Social Media, I directed the full Student Affairs rebrand from designs to launch—defining the color/typography system, building a social template family (“Lion Lineup,” “Mane Guide,” “ICYMI,” “Lucky’s Tips”), designing icons and a friendly mascot, and shipping a practical brand toolkit used across departments.
Project Breakdown
Project Breakdown
Overview
Student Affairs needed an approved, unified look for its own social channels. We ensured with the Marketing Division to align on standards, built a reusable design system, and documented usage restrictions so the toolkit applies only to Division of Student Affairs content (not university-wide or other departments).
Key Objectives
- Establish a flexible visual language (color, type, spacing, shapes) that meets accessibility targets.
- Create a family of Student Affairs–only social templates for:
- Joint Promotion (Student Affairs + University co-brand) — still posted only on Student Affairs channels and approved by the Marketing Division.
- Department-Only Outreach — for posts by Student Affairs units under the same rules.
- Standardize date badges, deadlines, and event elements to speed production and reduce errors.
- Build an icon library and friendly mascot to humanize Student Affairs messaging.
- Publish guidelines and governance outlining Marketing Division approval and division-only usage.
Process
- Audit & Alignment
- Collected current assets; identified inconsistencies and readability gaps.
- Defined scope limits with Marketing Division: toolkit restricted to Student Affairs social.
- Core System: Color & Type
- Finalized approved blues/gold with CMYK/PMS/RGB/HEX; set hierarchy and contrast rules (AA/AAA).
- Template Family
- Modular square posts with photo windows, date chips, and “Hey Lions!” accents.
- Two tracks: Joint Promotion (co-branded, SA channels only) and Department-Only.
- Iconography & Mascot
- 20+ service icons (health, counseling, tutoring, recreation, transit, etc.).
- Friendly bell-character mascot to reinforce “welcoming, cheerful” tone.
- Events & Badges
- Unified month/day chips and deadline treatments; improved mobile legibility.
- Governance & Enablement
- Issued Branding Guidelines 2025–2026, editable files, and a quick-start sheet.
- Documented approval workflow with the Marketing Division and explicit restriction: assets are for Division of Student Affairs social channels only.
Impact
- Consistent, approved look across Student Affairs social accounts.
- Faster reviews with the Marketing Division due to standardized templates and specs.
- Clear governance prevents off-brand or unauthorized use by non-Student-Affairs departments.
- Improved clarity for dates and deadlines; better mobile readability and engagement.
