Providence College Brand

Good storytelling is a key to compelling people to engage with the college in a meaningful way, e.g., to apply for admission, make a donation, or attend an event. An authentic, distinctive brand identity (built upon the foundation of a sound strategy) provides the framework we can all use to effectively tell the Providence College story. The brand project used extensive research to define the combination of attributes that sets PC apart from others, and that work catalyzed the development of the strategy and creative expression.

It really should be considered an evolution of the college’s established identity, but more specifically an update rooted in fresh research and an understanding of the contemporary higher education landscape. Its authenticity is proven, in part, by the ways in which it echoes the brand platform created in 2013 and 2014. Constituents who have been part of our community over several years should not be surprised by the new presentation, but they should notice that it is more contemporary and – more subtly – that the messaging supports the idea that PC is an ascendant institution pursuing strategic goals that will make it even stronger.

The college engaged a partner called Ologie, following a national search that involved extensive participation from members of the community, particularly faculty, in February 2020. For obvious reasons, the work was set aside for a while and began in earnest the following April. That research phase included a survey across all constituent groups and a total of 14 virtual focus groups (four of them faculty-only) that included 114 people. Working with Ologie, the PC team analyzed that research and developed a brand strategy during the summer of 2021. The creative expression – like the research and the selection of Ologie in the first place, involving collaborators from throughout the PC community – was created in December of 2021 and January of 2022. The president’s cabinet formally adopted the new brand in February 2022 and the MarCom team immediately began to implement it, beginning with the materials used – in collaboration with the admission team – to recruit the Class of 2027. That began a roll-out period that will continue through the summer of 2023.

No. The new brand will be phased in over time. In most cases, please continue to use existing materials until they need to be reordered. If you require new projects, please plan to incorporate brand visuals by using a template in the Canva Brand Hub or request a custom design working with the Division of Marketing and Communications.

No. There is no one way to evoke everything that represents the Providence College brand with a single word or phrase.

The word “seek” and the idea of seeking are central to our creative platform and should be used to inspire language and messaging aligned with the college’s three key brand pillars: rigorous inquiry, meaningful connections, or robust participation.

Please use your own experiences and ingenuity to form headlines, flex the brand voice and tone, and continue telling our story. For additional storytelling assistance, please contact the Division of Marketing and Communications.

Yes. The college’s editorial style is largely based on AP style with a couple of exceptions, including the use of the serial comma (we use it, AP does not).

With the exception of Friar Athletics, most departments, offices, events, and initiatives do not have a custom logo. The few that do were created prior to the college’s established visual brand and will be updated over time. This is a strategic approach meant to ensure brand consistency, and so that the college presents itself as a unified institution, rather than a collection of disconnected parts.

A branded lock-up, which includes a PC logo and editable text, is available to Brand Ambassadors using the Canva Brand Hub.

The easiest way to use the college’s brand fonts, GT America and Eames, is by using templates in the Canva Brand Hub. Additional requests for a brand font license should be made to the Division of Marketing and Communications. All projects executed by the Marcom creative team will include branded typefaces.

Alternative font choices may be employed when access to the licensed brand fonts is not available. The approved alternate fonts are Arial (sans-serif) and Georgia (serif), which are both widely available across Windows and MacOS platforms.

The excellent staff at PC’s Copy Center can help with the creation of new identity materials, consistent with the brand creative platform. Contact the Copy Center by email to get started.

Black and white are PC’s primary brand colors. Grey, gold, and pale yellow are part of the secondary palette for visual design. Additional accent colors may be used for custom projects executed by or in consult with the Marcom creative team.

Contact the Division of Marketing and Communications with your project request or an idea for a useful template.

Typically, from six to eight weeks from project kick-off discussion to final execution. While Marcom can accommodate most requests, some may be outside of the standard scope of services.

Please contact the Division of Marketing & Communications at 401.865.1242, email marcom@providence.edu, or stop by our offices at 110 Accinno Hall.