Select logo lock-ups (the UCSF logo with a department name) are available in the "Brand Graphics" folder of the Brand Photography Library. If your logo is not available, take the "Do I Need a Logo?" quiz.

A logo is a visual representation of your group. It can serve as a visual cue to the organization. It can help establish credibility, and reinforce your group's affiliation with UCSF. A logo does not communicate your brand or help your audiences understand who you are or what you do. It also needs other visual elements to support it.

A variety of logo lock-ups and solutions for programs are available by request. Take the "Do I Need a Logo?" quiz to determine which best fits your needs.

The “entity” category of logos was created for umbrella groups that cross research, education, and patient care, and that specifically outlined in the gift agreement that departments must represent themselves as part of the entity. The current examples of this are UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences. No other group may adopt the “entity” logo category.

No, it is against University policy to create your own logo or logo file. All UCSF logos and logo lock-ups are approved, created and maintained by UCSF's Office of Communications. Consistent representation of UCSF creates a bigger voice and makes a larger impression. We’ve created a system that allows you to make the most of the recognition of UCSF, and demonstrates the collaboration and inclusiveness that is such a part of our culture. You can still embrace a personality of your own in your materials by adopting a specific color or photography style to match the objective of your department.

Icons and illustrations used as part of a logo are not currently part of the UCSF identity system. The system was built to create a strong visual message without additional art. Consider using other elements of the system – photography, color, or editorial expressions – to create the same message.

A “master brand” describes the overarching brand identity of a company or organization. It is part of an overall branding strategy designed to create a close link between an organization and its entities. A strong master brand helps maximize impact and awareness of an organization. The goal of the brand identity project is to elevate UCSF’s master brand and increase the impact of the UCSF brand while allowing entities to show their individuality.

Several freelance designers have been trained and are successfully using the UCSF visual identity. Contact [email protected] for more information. Don't forget to start every project with a creative brief, and send your work to [email protected] for review prior to finalizing.

UCSF's Office of Communications has purchased a limited number of brand font licenses for UCSF employees who are directly involved in the creation of marketing and communication materials. To request a license, please submit a brand font request form to [email protected]. 

For all other users, including external designers, these font licenses are available for purchase online: Helvetica Neue and Granjon.

For webfonts, we recommend licensing the Helvetica Neue and Granjon brand fonts directly from myfonts.com. They have a range of options that should work for you based on your site design and traffic needs. Contact [email protected] for guidance.

The new UCSF visual identity launched in Fall 2014. Print materials should have been updated as inventory depleated. Similarly, website standards have significantly changed since the launch in 2014. For more information on updating your website, visit websites.ucsf.edu.

Go to websites.ucsf.edu for more information on updating your website, including using the new UCSF Site Builder template.

UCSF Health is the name of our health system and the umbrella brand for the clinical enterprise. It consists of UCSF Medical Center, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, the UCSF School of Medicine Faculty Practice, patient care components of the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, including UCSF Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital and Clinics, and various affiliations throughout the Bay Area.

Previously, “UCSF Medical Center” represented adult clinical services. With the rollout of UCSF Health as the umbrella brand for the health system, “UCSF Medical Center” will now only be used in text to represent specific hospital locations (for example, “I receive my medical care at UCSF Medical Center at Parnassus.”). After a phase-out period, the UCSF Medical Center logo will be discontinued.

If your service represents a patient care service or clinical support area that isn’t exclusively devoted to pediatric, cancer or neurosciences care, you should use the UCSF Health logo on your collateral.

If your department is currently represented with a UCSF Medical Center or combined UCSF Medical Center/UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals logo, your logo should be updated. Please contact [email protected] to request a new UCSF Health logo for your department.