Wordmarks

The Stanford wordmark is uniquely drawn and is the primary logo for the university.

Treat the signature as artwork, not as typography or a font. It cannot be accurately reproduced with any typeface and should not be modified in any way.

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Do’s and don’ts

Wordmark clearspace

Wordmark logo colors

University-approved colors shown below must be used for logos and matched for all digital projects, print and promotional items.

Cardinal red

Pantone 201 C

White

N/A

Black

Process black

University wordmark

Full university wordmark

Stacked university wordmark

Primary usage

The primary color options for our logos are Cardinal red/PMS 201 or reversed out in white.

Use the Cardinal red option on lighter backgrounds and the reversed option on darker backgrounds for maximum legibility.

Secondary use

For secondary usage black-and-white and grayscale scenarios the black version of the logo is acceptable.

Stanford wordmark do’s and don’ts

Do

Use correct color/background combinations.

The Stanford wordmark should be reproduced in the colors and color combinations shown below.

Download the art sheet which shows correct color combinations for production of the Stanford block S with tree here (link to pdf).

Make it large enough to read.

.85 inch minimum for print and 85 pixels minimum for digital (not to scale)

Always make the wordmark at least .85 inch for print and 85 pixels for digital applications so that they are reproduced at a size where they are clearly legible.

Small merchandise such as pens and pins require particular attention to the minimum size. If the minimum size cannot be met, the logo is unreadable.

The logo may need to be larger when they are reproduced via low-resolution media such as on websites or in presentations in order to retain design integrity.

Example

Small merchandise such as pens and pins require particular attention to the minimum size. If the minimum size cannot be met, the logo is unreadable.

Give it enough room to breathe.

There should always be a buffer zone surrounding the wordmark, with no type or graphics appearing in the zone. At a minimum, the space should be equal to the x-height of “Stanford” at any given size and extend above, below, to the left and to the right of the logo.

Do not place other graphics or typography in the minimum clear space area, except for trademark designations when appropriate.

Clear space is particularly important when the Stanford wordmark is being used alongside other logos. The clear space allows all the logos to breathe and the communication to be more digestible.

Don’t

The wordmark and signatures should not be altered in any way, such as extending, condensing, outlining, adding borders, special effects or drop shadows, or attaching other words or graphics.

The graphics below are a few examples of incorrect usage and alterations of the Stanford wordmark. Please avoid these and all other changes.

Don’t add a heavy drop shadow, outline, glow, or other text effects.

Don’t stretch, skew or distort the wordmark.

Don’t use an image mask on the wordmark.

Don’t put the wordmark too close to the edge of another element (give it room to breathe).

Don’t use the wordmark to replace the word “Stanford.”

Don’t use other colors or gradients.

Don’t add other artwork.

Don’t use the wordmark as a part of another logo (use a department signature where applicable).