Brand Stewardship Procedures

Brand Stewardship Procedures

Topic: University Grounds and Physical Facilities
Approval Date: February 2, 2021
Effective Date: April 30, 2021

Description: Outlines the procedures for using, managing and developing the University's brand properties as defined in the Brand Stewardship Policy (BSP). The Brand Stewardship Procedures include new and more robust measures and requirements that are applicable to university administrators, faculty administrators, academics serving in an administrative role on a short or long-term basis, and staff who wish to formally use the York University brand on their personal social/digital properties and/or manage official university social/digital properties.

The BSP and procedures do not apply to individual employees who do not use the University brand on their personal social/digital properties and profiles, however, all employees will be held to the terms of their employment agreement/contract.

These procedures will be reviewed and updated every five years (or sooner if needed), in tandem with the BSP..

  1. General
    1. York University’s brand properties shall be developed and used in accordance with the University’s Brand Standards established by the University unless otherwise approved by the Chief Communications & Marketing Officer (CCMO). A variety of approved, brand aligned templates, fonts, and other visual design tools can be found here: https://www.yorku.ca/brand/
  2. Procedures
    1. Products
      1. All products incorporating a brand property (e.g: York University's name (York U, York University, York, YU), mark and design); the logo for each of the University’s professional schools and campuses, colleges and official university student clubs; and/or visual design treatment for all administrative units, shall be approved in accordance with York’s BSP, and when applicable, York’s Licensing Board procedures.
    2. Social Media and Web
      1. All social media accounts, web properties, and digital applications that use York’s brand as defined in the BSP must be approved by the CCMO or delegate prior to development in a digital forum. Examples include York University's name or commonly used abbreviations, mark and design, the logo (including each of the University’s sub-brand logos), professional schools, campuses and units, colleges, and official student clubs, and visual design treatment for all administrative units.
      2. A plan to manage the content, the brand, and the account/property in accordance with university brand requirements as well as successful completion of related brand training is a condition of approval. https://www.yorku.ca/brand/py_community_area/brand-assets/social-media/digital-guidelines/
    3. Paid Advertising
      1. All paid advertising materials bearing any of the brand properties shall be in compliance with the University’s brand standards and procedures and are subject to the prior review and approval of the CCMO or delegate.
      2. York University's logo shall always be shown in accordance with brand standards.
    4. Marketing and Communication Materials
      1. All Marketing and Communications materials bearing any of the brand properties shall be in compliance with the University’s brand standards and subject to the prior review and approval of the CCMO or delegate.
      2. York University's logo shall be shown in accordance with brand standards on any digital/print properties and shall be included in all related materials.
    5. Affiliations and Partnerships
      1. Any affiliation or partnership with an outside organization that incorporates York University’s brand property in its name or identification is subject to the prior review and President-Vice Presidents (PVP) approval. If the formal relationship changes or ends, the approver must ensure that the brand affiliation is removed.
    6. Review and Approval
      1. The sponsoring university department head or designate, shall submit a copy of the representation of the brand property, social media account management plan, web property and content management plan if applicable, by email (hard copy is acceptable if required) to the CCMO or designate, when seeking review and approval pursuant to the Brand Stewardship Policy and Procedures.
Legislative History: Approved 2006; Revised and Approved February 2, 2021
Date of Next Review: February 2026
Related Policies, Procedures and Guidelines: Brand Stewardship Policy