FAQ
Searching for information on logos, fonts, licensing and more? Our FAQ covers a variety of topics. Please submit a request form for additional help.
No, none of our units charge for services.
This allows us to work on strategic priorities for the university without exchanging payment internally. We work primarily on projects related to institutional brand (academics, research, cultural impact) and enrollment.
However, our availability is limited due to high demand.
Please anticipate a lead time for projects of 2-10 weeks depending on current workload and priorities. This is the time to begin a project, not complete.
If your project can’t be completed by our team on your desired timeline, we will equip you with contacts for freelancers. These individuals will charge for projects, but will likely be able to meet rush deadlines.
Note: We may charge a project cancellation fee for works already undertaken. In this instance, campus partners will be notified of potential fees before any work takes place.
Please anticipate a lead time of 2-10 weeks for any non-news related project. This is the time to begin a project, not complete. Estimated completion time will be given after an introductory conversation.
To start the process, please fill out the request form.
Depending on the type of communication request or story idea, our news team may need a week to months to complete it.
Best practice for requests is to submit them as early as possible and communicate deadlines or important dates, and for pitches to include the publication date of the research (if research-related) and other dates by which you would prefer the story be published.
We will determine whether to move forward with your request based on a variety of factors, including timeliness, newsworthiness, and whether it aligns with institutional priorities.
In the event that our internal team cannot provide photo, video or design support, we will help you identify a freelance solution.
We maintain a list of approved vendors who are registered in the UMaine System pool and fully approved. We can provide options and guidance on engaging a freelancer based on the needs of your project.
Please start by submitting our request form, we can help you from there.
The news team follows both the UMaine Editorial Style Guide and Associated Press Style. Any content generated or supported by the team must comply with both style guides.
The primary academic logo for the University of Maine is the full crest logo. Logo files, logo guidelines and additional visual graphics can be found on the brand elements page. This page also contains a tutorial on how to download logo files and place them in your design. The primary athletic logo for the University of Maine is the Maine bear logo. This logo is the primary mark for athletics and spirit materials.
Departmental logos can be requested here.
Using institutional fonts brings visual consistency to our branded materials. They help our audiences more quickly associate your materials with the university.
To download or purchase fonts or for more information, visit the typography page. Font substitutions are available if you are unable to purchase the official fonts.
You may not alter the University of Maine logos in any way. If you have questions on which logo to use, visit UMaine’s brand elements page. You are able to place text around the logo with the appropriate margins. You can find this information in the logo guidelines. If you are in need of a UMaine logo for your department, fill out the request form.
The full crest logo and the Maine Bear logos are registered logos and both need the registered mark ® on all items produced and being sold in the retail market. All other marks in UMaine’s toolbox need a small TM on every mark being sold. This includes the words “Black Bears” and “University of Maine.”
Departments, clubs, organizations, teams and others using the logos for internal campus publications and goods NOT being sold do not need the ® or TM. You will notice that the brand toolbox does not have these marks since the resource is for an internal audience. Licensees get the official logos through a different site where all of the marks have the correct designator included in the artwork.
Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) is a vector-based graphics file format for images and illustrations (such as a logo or map). EPS files can be placed in your design program as you would a photograph. If you are unable to use an EPS file, we recommend using a PDF.
All UMaine materials must have the full EO statement no smaller than 6 point font. We suggest using a sans-serif font such as Frutiger or Open Sans which can be found on the brand elements page. The most recent versions of the EO statements can be found here.
Yes, all products and publications with university logos and marks need to be sent to the Division of Marketing and Communications (jenna.davenport@maine.edu) for a quick review unless they are being produced at Printing Services or through a licensed vendor. Licensees have a system in place for sending things through the review process on your behalf.
News content
University of Maine news releases are written and distributed to communicate the institutional priorities and leadership of the state’s flagship institution. News releases typically feature faculty, staff or student news with the potential for broad impact. Campus announcements are shorter write-ups, often focused on university events and information largely for internal constituents. Along the mall items highlight various accomplishments achieved by students, faculty and staff.
Media advisories and pitches
UMaine News staff write media advisories and talk with reporters and editors to pitch stories about the university. Media advisories and story pitches are often offered in lieu of or to complement news releases and campus announcements. Media advisories of newsworthy announcements and upcoming event information, which typically offer access to plenty of visuals for media.
Media relations
Beyond communicating with the media via advisories and pitches, News staff help reporters and editors connect with UMaine experts and facilitate media queries. News staff also help members of the university community prepare to efficiently and effectively interact with media representatives
Media distribution
The Division of Marketing and Communications is responsible for issuing press releases and contacting media outlets on behalf of the university. Press releases are sometimes a collaboration between News staff and other campus communicators, but they are released to the media through this office as a means of ensuring consistency in distribution, style and content, as well as providing a web-based archive of our news.
If you have questions about setting up an email newsletter or getting a branded email newsletter template, please email um.weboffice@maine.edu. We provide guidance and templates for the email marketing platform Mailchimp, but can advise on branding and best practices for other all other platforms.