List 39 Marketing and Media

Clarification of Brand Governance – Purdue System

To:            Executive Vice Presidents, Chancellors, Vice Presidents, Vice Chancellors, Vice Provosts, Deans, Directors and Heads of Schools, Divisions, Departments and Offices

From:        Mitch Daniels, President

Date:         July 6, 2017

RE:           Clarification of Brand Governance – Purdue System

Purdue’s commitment to excellence extends to every aspect of our University.  That should include the care with which we treat the element that best identifies us – our brand.  No university that we know of has been as lax as we in enforcing the use and format of our brand marks and standards. A number of attempts to strengthen their protection have been unsuccessful.  Going forward, the application of these standards must become more rigorous and comprehensive.   

Under the Delegation of President’s Authority policy (V.B.5) policy, administrative authority and responsibility for Marketing and Media, including Brand Management, are among the activities delegated to the Vice President for Public Affairs.  While this delegation of authority relating to brand governance has existed in memo form since 1987, and has been updated as a policy as recently as 2014, it has never been effectively communicated to the University system.

This communication serves to clarify that Marketing and Media is the administrative unit within Public Affairs tasked with the management and protection of the University’s Brand as well as its federally registered and established by-use trademarks. Marketing and Media governs brand integrity and consistency among all stakeholders through its established standards for the University Brand and its related Trademarks and Licensing policies.

Staff with marketing communications responsibilities within the West Lafayette campus units and any entity representing the interests of the University, throughout its system, must comply with the current brand standards and trademark and licensing policies established by Marketing and Media, and should utilize its services when necessary to ensure a consistent and coherent brand identity for the University.

If a brand identity violation is identified, all expenditures related to the rogue material will be deducted from the unit’s next allocation. In other words, the University will not pay for violations of its brand standards, which do provide for reasonable flexibility to tailor and adapt to local uses.  The unit in violation will be required to work with Marketing and Media to determine the corrective action required, which may include redesign of print and/or electronic materials to be brand-compliant.

The full brand governance direction can be referenced on the Purdue Brand website.  Marketing and Media stands ready to assist you with ongoing brand questions, challenges and full projects, including through its Brand Toolkit.  In the coming weeks, Marketing and Media will hold meetings for all stakeholders to share the direction on brand modifications that should simplify and provide a greater level of flexibility for application of the University Brand.  They look forward to your feedback on the proposed changes.