As members of the U of T community, the manner in which we communicate shapes perceptions of our university and affects our global reputation. As communication has a strong visual component, the impression we create visually – on paper and digitally, for instance – can be as important as what we say.
Signature Consistency
Always use U of T signatures as designed and supplied and never alter them in any way.
- Never resize independent elements of the signature.
- Never add extra elements to the signature.
- Never rearrange elements of the signature.
- Never stretch either the full signature or elements of the signature.
- Never recreate your signature using either unauthorized colours or more than one colour.
- Never change the relative size or spacing of the type.
- Never recreate the type for a signature
- Never use the crest on its own.
Clear Space Around a Signature
There must always be a minimum margin of clear space around all U of T signatures. In general, this clear space must:
- Be equal to 50 percent of the height of the crest
- Appear around all sides of a signature
Signature Size
In print, the width of the crest within the signature must be 0.25” (0.7 cm) or larger. In digital formats, the crest must be 80 pixels in height or larger.
The width of a reversed-out crest must be at least 0.5” (1.4 cm)
Signature Colour
U of T’s official colour is dark blue (Pantone® 655). All U of T signatures must appear in Pantone® 655 and on a white background unless they are being used in black and white printed materials in which case black U of T signatures must be used.
Important: The U of T shield is blue. If you use the reversed-out signature please ensure it is the one created specifically for this purpose featuring the white beaver and book elements on a shield of blue. A negative of either the Pantone® 655 or the black signature does not meet the official U of T design standards and will compromise the University’s visual identity. It will not have the enhanced features that make this version more accessible and professional.
Background Colour for Signatures
All U of T signatures in Pantone® 655 or black must appear on a white background. In general, avoid using reversed-out signatures: they are less accessible for those with visual impairments.
Exceptions to this rule are very large materials (e.g. banners) and printed magazines or newsletters from core U of T, campuses or faculties. If you must use a reversed-out signature, it should appear in white on a dark background: Pantone 655 or black. It must not appear over photographs or other graphic images.
Placing the Signature on a Page
All University of Toronto signatures should be aligned with the left margin of the page whenever possible. If this is not viable, right alignment is recommended as the next best option. Please do not use them centred on the page.
