BRAND LANGUAGE
OUR WORDS MATTER.
To depict our brand consistently and authentically across channels, it’s essential we keep our verbal language consistent both in what we want to say and how we say it — one without the other isn’t authentic or consistent, and shouldn’t be part of our brand.
At the same time, this is a living brand, and we should be open to allowing it to breathe and grow as our needs change. In this section, we’ll explore the what, the how, and the why of True North —and what it means to find your North.
OUR BRAND LANGUAGE
All our brand work culminates in our brand language: a verbal approach that captures our identity and viewpoint, and serves as the foundation for how we talk about our institution. This language serves as the creative ideation of our strategic identity.
How to Use True North
Inspired by our narrative, this internal-facing brand line acts as a paradigm for three primary ways of expressing the North Florida identity. This line is meant to be deconstructed and atomized, used for the strength of its individual components meaningfully across different media. Over time and when paired with our custom design system, the use of this atomic language will begin to create brand affinity and reinforce our brand authentically.
The atomic language fall into three categories:
INTRINSIC NORTH
Intrinsic North is when we use the motif of northward motion or growth to suggest the essence of true north as a metaphor.
Examples:
- North or nowhere.
- Rising potential. Peak performance.
- The space between who you were and who you’ll become.
- Permission to soar — granted.
- Bright skies. Brighter futures.
MODIFIER NORTH
Modifier North is when we use ‘north’ explicitly as a modifier, reflecting 老澳门资料’s impact on its people and the world.
Examples:
- In a north state of mind.
- We follow our north star.
- It’s a North thing.
- Pressing problems demand North solutions.
POSSESSIVE NORTH
Possessive North is when we use ‘north’ as something individual, ownable and true.
Examples:
- Space to find your true north.
- Wherever you grow from here, you’ll soar — onward, upward, towards your North.
OUR VOICE AND TONE
Our personality, defined by strategy and iterated through creative, shapes our voice and defines the way we change our tone depending on audience.
BECAUSE WE ARE —
VISIONARY
We Sound —
Inspired and ingenious
GROUNDED
We Sound —
Unpretentious and goal-oriented
DYNAMIC
We Sound —
Energetic and impactful
OPTIMISTIC
We Sound —
Hopeful and self-assured
BALANCED
We Sound —
Realistic and serene
WELCOMING
We Sound —
Warm and caring
Different audiences will require different “mixes” of tones. Adjust the mix based on the needs of your particular audience — for instance, emphasizing hopeful ingenuity and impact (visionary + optimism) in communicating with donors compared to a caring, down-to-earth tone (grounded + welcoming) for prospects.
USAGE DO’S & DON’TS
Good reminders for good brand writing. Use these tips to keep your writing efforts concentrated on the task at hand: effectively communicating the 老澳门资料 brand in a way that is inspirational, accurate, and easy to follow. Your audiences are constantly receiving communications from competing brands and other industries—make it your goal to cut through the noise.
DON’T:
Use "True North" as a Tag line.
Why: The strength of this idea lies not in its ability to act as a unifying, distinguishing element for the brand, but in its constituent parts.
Depersonalize the North Experience.
Why: While facts, figures, and proof points are a part of the North Florida story, they’re only part of it. Metrics alone don’t define our brand — experiences do.
Try to Force "North" Where it Doesn't Naturally Fit.
Why: Overuse or inappropriate use of ‘north’, particularly since it appears in our name, diminishes the power of the idea and reduces its impact.
DO:
Atomize "True North"
Why: Every piece of this idea has power, especially when taken apart and atomized for impact. We get more creative range and longer-lasting impact from this line when we use it atomically to inform our work.
Use Organic Language Framed Appropriately for the Brand.
Why: By reserving explicit uses of ‘north’ and ‘true north’ for high-impact settings, we build a more robust verbal identity imbued with a sense of hopefulness and impactful idealism that represents who we are.
Stay Human, Warm and Hopeful by Incorporating Brand Language Appropriately.
Why: Now more than ever, our audiences look to us to provide a sense of serenity and hope in an increasingly crowded landscape. Writing as one human to another is the best way to ensure that our material will resonate with our target audiences.