We’re committed to making sure you have everything you need to ensure your project is a success, so we’ve compiled answers to the questions we get most often.
928-523-1741
Marketing@nau.eduTrademark licensing
What trademarks or logos am I allowed to use?
The Visual Identity Guide provides guidelines for logo use, although in some cases exceptions may be made based on the purpose and distribution of the product. Please contact the Trademark Licensing department to verify if the trademark or logo you intend to use is approved.
Why can’t I change a trademark to fit my needs?
NAU trademarks and service marks are the intellectual property of the Arizona Board of Regents’ and are maintained by the NAU Trademark Licensing department. To maintain brand integrity and to ensure current and future protections under state and federal trademark law, NAU trademarks may not be altered in any way without the approval of University Marketing and the Trademark Licensing department. Merchandise produced with altered logos, where the express permission of the parties listed above was not provided, may be considered counterfeit and subject to all available legal remedies, including the seizure of merchandise.
What is the difference between a Contracts and Purchasing approved vendor and a licensed vendor?
A Contracts and Purchasing approved vendor has been vetted through the Contracts and Purchasing Office to provide services to the university. To produce orders that bear NAU trademarks, they must also be licensed to do so. An approved vendor may become licensed with IMG College Licensing (IMGCL) to produce goods that use NAU trademarks for internal use/distribution or resale. Vendors who are approved through the university, but are not licensed with NAU via IMGCL, may not produce goods bearing NAU trademarks.
What qualifies an order to be royalty exempt?
The following items may be reviewed for royalty exemption, including:
Items with NAU trademark
Any items bearing NAU trademarks that are ineligible for external resale and intended for internal use only may be reviewed for royalty exemption.
Restricted items
Items restricted to members of an office, department, or recognized student organization and used as a “uniform” or general department giveaway must be bought with departmental funds and, if sold to the internal audience, must be sold at cost to qualify for royalty exemption.
Printed items
Printed items, such as banners and signs without endorsements and commercial messages or sponsorships, qualify unless a company is a corporate sponsor of NAU Athletics and trademark usage is specified in the sponsorship agreement.
Purchased items
Purchased items that feature brand-level logos that may be found in common retail establishments may be subject to a royalty fee, regardless of distribution or use.
How do I find a licensed vendor to produce my order?
You can see a full list of currently licensed vendors or contact licensing@nau.edu.
I want to purchase this item to promote my club or activity. What is the policy about referencing any political or social agendas?
NAU trademarks may not be used in any manner that suggests or implies Northern Arizona University’s endorsement of the views, beliefs, statements, or messages of other organizations, companies, products, services, political parties, or religious organizations.
Please review the policies for using NAU trademarks in cross-reference with political or social agendas.
Promotional items
What is the difference between promotional items and marketing collateral?
Marketing collateral is developed by the university marketing content team to achieve strategic objectives through the use of flyers, brochures, digital and online content, and other media. Promotional items are generally products or merchandise such as swag or handouts that are used to supplement these strategic initiatives and encourage further engagement. Understanding the key objectives of a campaign can help determine where collateral or promotional items would be most effective at achieving goals.
Are there items available to give to high schools requesting promotional materials?
Admissions
- Phone: 928-523-7105
- Email: Geoffrey.Lambeth@nau.edu
Media Relations
- Phone: 928-523-1894
- Email: Kimberly.Ott@nau.edu
Where can I find a list of licensed vendors to produce promotional items for my unit?
Review a full list of currently licensed vendors. Please contact licensing@nau.edu if you have any questions.
Promotional items must be approved through the PCard approval process via the CMO. For more information, contact University Marketing at 928-523-1741 or marketing@nau.edu.
Where can I buy NAU merchandise?
Review a list of retailers that carry NAU merchandise. If you are unable to locate a retailer, please contact licensing@nau.edu.
Logos and templates
Are there templates we can use for flyers that need to be done quickly?
Yes! Templates are available here.
Can my department create a customized letterhead or logo?
University letterheads developed by University Marketing are available through Printing Services.
To maintain a strong, single graphic identity for the university, academic and non-academic departments that meet at least one of the following criteria must use only the approved Northern Arizona University logos. This includes departments that:
- have an NAU/state-paid address
- represent the whole university
- have cross-departmental functions
- are an NAU business or auxiliary
We are an academic unit, can we use an NAU Athletics logo?
Athletics logos containing the bordering axe signify our NCAA collegiate-level sports teams and may not be used to represent any organization, department, or division other than Intercollegiate Athletics. Find all NAU logos here.
How can I request a logo?
To request a logo, submit the form that best suits your needs for University Marketing to review.
Where can I download logos?
Download a logo from the Widen collection.
Where can I find brand guidelines?
Review NAU’s brand guidelines and related files to follow brand standards and best practices.
Printing Services
What is the NAU printing policy?
Centralized Print Management – All university offices and personnel must use University Printing Services for university printing jobs in excess of their own routine photocopying and desktop printing. University Printing Services only accepts payment by Interdepartmental Transaction (IST/SpeedChart number). No other form of payment, including cash, purchase cards, or checks, is allowed.
My department will not pay for my business cards. Can I order them from Printing Services and pay cash?
No. See Centralized Print Management Policy FAQ: “University Printing Services may only accept payment by Interdepartmental Transaction (IST/SpeedChart number). No other form of payment, including cash, purchase cards or checks, is allowed.”
Where can I get answers to printing questions?
Go to Printing Services, email printing.services@nau.edu, or call 928-523-1941.
Marketing 101
What is the difference between services of the Office of Communications and Media Relations and University Marketing services?
Marketing assists with strategic planning and content development for campaigns, recruitment, and promotions; key messaging; and enlivening the NAU brand through our authentic stories, photography, and images.
Communications and Media Relations assists with the media and NAU departments to write news stories and press releases, participate in crisis communication, provide public information, arrange press conferences, find experts, and perform other mass communications functions.
What does it cost to work with Marketing?
Currently, Marketing services are free of charge.
Whom do I reach out to if I am from ______ department/college?
Each department/college is assigned an account manager. Find your account manager.
What is an account manager?
Your account member will guide you through every stage of your marketing project. Find your account manager.
Should faculty and staff submit a request on the website, or go through their respective project managers?
Faculty and staff have the option to either submit a project request online or go through their respective account manager to create a request.
Should faculty and staff seek social media help from NAU Communications or their account manager?
There are several social media policies and guidelines individuals must adhere to, including specific logos that must be used on NAU social media platforms. To set up a consultation, contact NAU’s #1 nationally ranked social media team at 928-523-2282 or email social@nau.edu.
How do I buy advertising and get an ad for my department?
University Marketing must approve all advertising purchases. Please refer to the Contracting and Purchasing Policy. For more information, please contact Marketing at 928-523-1741 or marketing@nau.edu.
Projects
Do I have to supply the content for a marketing project or will the marketing team do all of the content research and writing?
When you request a project, you should present content in some form, whether a list of program qualities and information, steps, times and dates, event information, or people and locations—or in paragraph form with links and images. The marketing team will work with you to present your material so that is consistent with the NAU brand voice and visual style and appeals to your target audience. As the subject-matter expert, you are responsible for the accuracy of the content.
Please use the project intake form for all project requests.
How long does it take Marketing to fulfill a project request?
Time to complete a project varies. The size of the project is a big factor in the timeline. The marketing team will communicate closely with you throughout the development process.
Photography
Do we have access to photos that are in-brand and free to use?
Yes! Our photo library has thousands of photos that all meet NAU’s marketing standards.
Do I need permission to use photos from Widen?
You do not need permission to download or use photography, as long as images are used for departmental purposes.
How do I request a video?
Currently, we do not have the capability to shoot client-requested video. If you would like to request video coverage, please contact NAU-TV (Mitch.Strohman@nau.edu).
What does the photo team shoot?
The NAU photo team prioritizes in-brand photo shoots that further the marketing goals of the university. While we are constantly refreshing older marketing images, we are also looking for gaps in our university-wide coverage. Because of this, we often give preference to subjects that have not been covered before. The photo team also shoots faculty and staff headshots on a monthly basis at our studio in University Marketing.
What does the photo team not shoot?
While the photo team covers some events, we place less priority on events with internal-facing content that does not emphasize student recruitment and retention or enhance the university’s public reputation. Examples of internal events are faculty holiday parties, retirement functions, and charity events.
What is the time frame needed for a request?
We ask for four weeks of lead time for photo requests.
Who is the contact for the photography team?
Contact the photo team.
Web
Where can I find information about accessibility?
For questions about ensuring your documents and publications meet accessibility requirements, contact accessibility@nau.edu.
Digital signage
How do I get my info on a digital display around campus?
We publish student/campus event signage to multiple screens. You can submit existing slides to digitalsignage@nau.edu, or you can submit a project request to have a slide created. You can also find digital signage templates in our template’s portal. Digital signage only posts submissions from official NAU departments, clubs and organizations. Submissions from outside the NAU community will not be accepted.
Due to the high volume of submissions, the maximum number of slides that each department can have posted at one time is 4. We will review any submissions higher than 4 and determine which will be published. If you would like to see all of your slides published, submit them on a rotating schedule. It will be your responsibility to keep track of this schedule and to submit the new slides when the old ones expire.
Where can I find guidelines for digital signage?
The Digital Signage team updates campus screens on Tuesdays and Thursdays with new event image submissions. At our discretion, we remove slides at the end of the fall, spring, and summer semesters. If you would like your slides to run for longer, please resubmit them after commencement or the start of the fall semester. To avoid delays in having your event image uploaded, please ensure that your image meets the following requirements:
- In-brand NAU logo
- Text with no typos or errors
- Expiration date (when the image should be taken down)
- RGB color palette
- 72+ DPI
- 1920 x 1080 pixels
- Landscape orientation
- Accepted formats (for maximum visibility, please include a copy of your image in JPEG format):
- JPEG (preferred format)
- PNG
- PowerPoint
- For non-event submissions or for converting PowerPoint slides to acceptable formats, please contact the Digital Signage team for guidelines.
- If you need help formatting your image, please submit a project request with Marketing.
- For more information, email digitalsignage@nau.edu.
Where can I get information on which screens my slide can be displayed?
The Digital Signage team operates screens in the HLC, WAC, SSC, SAS, Union, and DuBois buildings.
We distribute the images we receive to screen managers in CAL, COE, CHHS, NACC, SBS, Franke COB, Biology, Chemistry, Cline Library, Communications, Dining halls, Residence Life, Engineering, Honors College, Skydome, and Babbitt Administrative buildings. Images submitted to those screens are posted at their manager’s discretion.
For more information, email digitalsignage@nau.edu.
Bus Shelter Posters
What are on-campus bus shelter posters?
Bus shelter posters are large-format posters displayed in bus shelters around campus. They are managed by University Marketing and Printing Services for campus messages. Designs are reviewed by Marketing and the posting is subject to Marketing discretion. Printing Services prints and installs the posters.
How do I submit bus shelter posters for Marketing review?
You can submit your poster through the Marketing request form by selecting the “Design review request” option. If your file is too big to attach to the form, submit the form and send a follow-up email to Lincoln.Rexing@nau.edu.
What are the submission requirements for my posters?
The following are rules for these displays:
- All content (visual and written) must reflect the university’s approved brand presentation;
- No messaging can advocate for or imply endorsement of a particular political position, issue or opinion by the university;
- No personal opinion or advocacy of an issue can be promoted through these displays;
- No promotion or endorsement can be made of any organization or its product that has no affiliation or partnership with the university;
Here are additional submission requirements:
- In-brand NAU logo
- Portrait orientation
- Dimensions – 24” width x 36” height
- Print-quality PDF
- All on-campus bus shelter posters must be printed through the university’s Printing Services unit
How do I get my poster printed?
After receiving Marketing’s design approval, visit and log in to the Printing Storefront. Select the Bus Shelter Posters with Installation option and fill in your information.
How many posters should I order?
A maximum of 8 posters can be submitted. We may not be able to install each poster depending on the submission volume we receive for that month.
Can I request certain shelter locations?
Locations are limited and are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. You can request certain locations but the placement is not guaranteed.
How long will my posters be up?
The standard display time is one month. If you request a longer period, you can note that in your submission. However, duration will be limited by new submissions and Marketing’s discretion.
When should I submit my posters?
To allow enough time for your submission to be reviewed and printed, we recommend following this schedule:
- Client submits the poster for review by selecting Design review request on the Marketing Request form – 1st of the month prior.
- UM reviews design – 10 days.
- UM will contact the client to let them know if any edits are required. Client is responsible for making edits.
- If rejected, the client resubmits for review by selecting Design/Bus Shelter review request on the Marketing Request form – 5 days
- Client submits the approved design to PS by selecting Bus Shelter Posters with Installation on – the 20th of the prior month.
- PS install posters – 1st or 3rd week of the month.
For questions not addressed here, please contact University Marketing at marketing@nau.edu or 928-523-1741.