Co-branding

A. General guidelines for co-branded logos:
A small number of entities at the university operate under the auspices of, or in conjunction with, external entities such as agencies of the federal government. Those that do may use the external entity’s logo in

conjunction with the university logo, as approved by the University Brand Identity Standards Board.


  • Approved co-branded logos may only be employed by those groups that meet requirements and have received approval from the University Brand Identity Standards Board and the CU president.
  • Approved co-branded logos may be used for marketing, communications and promotional purposes.
  • Approved co-branded logos can be used with or without an accompanying wordmark identifying the entity.
  • Approved co-branded logos may be used on university business cards or letterhead.
  • In all other aspects, co-branded logos follow the same usage guidelines as standard university logo signatures.

The following eligibility requirements detail what units may be able to receive a co-branded status:

  • Entity must to have a permanent contractual connection establishing them as a joint entity between the university and an outside entity or be a university institute that has been approved by the Board of Regents.
  • Entity must detail why the inclusion or utilization of a custom logo or mark will benefit their business objectives more than using the standard CU identity system.
  • Entity must receive a recommendation from its chancellor.
  • The University Brand Identity Standards Board must approve a co-branding exemption.
Co-branding Custom

B. Transitional use of a unit-specific brand identity (custom logo) in conjunction with the university logo:
A small number of university entities (e.g., arts organizations or other cultural attractions) may qualify for transitional use of an existing logo identity where existing brand equity is directly tied to revenue streams. To request transitional use of an existing logo identity, university entities should contact their campus brand identity representatives. Each request will be forwarded to the University Brand Identity Standards Board for review and approval. In each case a period of transition will be identified, during which time the entity may use their existing logo identity in conjunction with their correct campus logo ID.

C. Use of university logos in conjunction with a third-party logo:
In select instances (e.g., event sponsorships, joint initiatives, special events, etc.) a university logo may be used on materials that also feature external third-party logos. In these instances, the university logo must be placed with a minimum clear space on all four sides equal to the width of the interlocking CU (or UCCS graphic) as placed. A university logo may not be COMBINED with an external third-party logo under any circumstances (other than a permanent contractual connection as described in Section A). The interlocking CU may not be used as a standalone element.

NOTE: For university events, the university logo should not appear mixed in with other sponsorship logos, but rather be treated separately. If the logo must appear beside other sponsor logos, it must appear first
and be at least twice the size of the other sponsors.