About Our Logo
- Go to the Downloads page to acquire logos for use in all media except the Web.
- Logos for the Web may be downloaded from this page.
Visual identity elements
Acceptable elements of the visual identity program can be found on this website. Strict enforcement of guidelines is vital to copyright protection.
Primary logos
The logo without tagline consists of two parts: the shield symbol and the logotype in an updated horizontal configuration. The name “Virginia Tech” appears in a customized Raleigh typeface.
The logo with the tagline consists of three parts: the shield symbol, the name “Virginia Tech” in a customized Raleigh typeface, and the tagline in Franklin Gothic ITC italic or Arial regular italic.
Use only officially prepared logos. No other typefaces or combinations of typefaces are permitted in these two primary logos.
Secondary logo (restricted use)
The secondary logo is similar to the logo first introduced in the early 1990s. Use of this alternative configuration is strictly limited to formats where a vertical or centered design makes it difficult to use the primary logo.
The secondary logo is not available for download. Requests to use this version of the logo should be directed to the identity system coordinator in University Relations
at identity@vt.edu or 540/231-8639.
Existing print media using earlier versions of the logo will be phased out as existing supplies are depleted.
The traditional seal
The formal university seal is reserved for ceremonies, watermarks for official documents, diplomas, and building plaques.
Using the university seal in non-university publications is prohibited without prior approval from University Relations.
Official university tagline
Virginia Tech’s registered tagline, Invent the Future, captures the spirit and personality of the university. The tagline is graphically interlocked with the university logo for use in various official media of the university. In certain cases, it is used as a stand-alone element.
The logo with tagline should appear on the front cover of all formal university publications, except for those using brand extension logos. When these logos are used, the tagline should appear elsewhere on the front or back cover.
The logo with tagline should also be used on such university media as podium signs, nametags, banners, and displays. Exceptions are signage and business cards. A special treatment has been designed for letterhead and envelopes that includes the tagline separated from the logo.
Non-commercial usage of the logo with tagline or of the tagline alone in media other than those noted above must be approved by University Relations (contact identity@vt.edu or 540/231-8639). For commercial usage, contact licensing@vt.edu or 540/231-3748.
Never use the tagline as the title of a publication or as the predominant feature of any page.
When used alone, the tagline (see right) must appear in Franklin Gothic ITC Demi italic or Arial bold italic with loose letter spacing in black, official colors of the university, or screens of these colors. It is permissible to reverse the tagline on dark backgrounds that are not conducive to black or official colors.
Official logotype, size, color usage, and spatial relationships apply to the logo with tagline.
Invent the Future is a registered trademark and may not be altered or combined with other logos, taglines, or mottos. However, it may be used in body copy.
When used in advertising or on licensed commercial products, the ® designation must follow Invent the Future® (see below) to denote its trademark status.
Reproducing the official logo
Whenever possible, the logo should be reproduced using digital files downloaded from this website. Go to downloads page.
Proportions
Maintain the exact spatial relationship shown in the center column when scaling the logo electronically. Caution must be exercised to preserve accurate shield detail when reversing or printing smaller versions of the logo.
Protected area
A protected area, equivalent to one-tenth of the width of the logo, as represented in the grid at left, surrounds all versions of the logo. However, the logo may overprint or be reversed on photos as long as the background does not render the logo difficult to distinguish or interfere with its detail.
Size recommendations
The logo is intended as a visual identifier, not a title block, and should be scaled as such. In general publication usage, the logo should appear no smaller than 1 1/2 inches and no larger than 2 1/2 inches. The preferred size for the logo is 2 inches wide. These sizes allow for accurate reproduction of the intricate shield symbol detail.
Logos for the Web
As a major portal to information about the university, it is essential that university sites project a consistent image of Virginia Tech. Thus, University Relations has developed several versions of the logo for various uses on the Web.
You can view and copy Web logos from this page. Otherwise, all restrictions outlined above apply to the standard logos, with the exception of size usage.
High-level pages within sites for colleges, departments, administrative offices, research centers and outreach/extension offices should include placement of an approved version of the university logo in the header of the page. (This does not apply to personal student and personal faculty pages.) Footers on all Web pages should include a logo or, at least, the name of the university. More specific guidelines can be found in the Web Development Toolkit.
With the introduction of this broad-based visual identity program, all previous logos are obsolete and should be replaced as Web pages are updated.
To download these logos, right-click on the image and select "save picture as." Mac users can just drag and drop onto their desktop.
