Brand Standards: America 250 Utah

Effective Date: May 2026 – July 2027

Governing Authority: Utah State University Marketing & Communications, Licensing and Brand Activation

Overview

On July 4, 2026, the United States commemorates its 250th anniversary. Utah State University is proud to participate in statewide initiatives led by the America250 Utah commission.

To maintain the legal protections, integrity, and visual clarity of both the Utah State University brand and the official America250 trademark, all university entities must adhere to these specific co-branding guidelines.

Visual Relationship & Hierarchy

The Utah State brand must always maintain visual prominence. The America250 Utah mark is a supporting partnership graphic and must not replace or alter any official university identifiers.

Scale Proportions: The America250 Utah mark must never appear visually larger than the primary Utah State logo. Its maximum height should be restricted to 80% of the height of the accompanying Utah State mark.

Color Options & Backgrounds

  • Official Colors: The America250 Utah mark should be rendered in its official full-color palette (Deep Blue and Red/White accents) whenever applied to white or neutral backgrounds.
  • Utah State Colorways: If applied to an Aggie Blue or black background, the America250 Utah mark must use an approved monochrome white or stark-knockout variation to ensure readability and compliance with state trademark guidelines.
  • Contrast: Never place either logo over a busy, textured, or low-contrast photographic background.

Prohibited Uses

To protect the integrity of both brands, the following applications are strictly prohibited:

  • Do Not Modify: Do not combine elements of the two logos or modify either logo for any reason.
  • No use of America 250 Typography: Do not use the stylized fonts of America250 to write university or department names.
  • No Standalone External Branding: The America250 Utah mark alone on official materials; it must always be anchored by a formal Utah State logo.
  • Third-Party Commercial Sponsors: Co-branded America250/Utah State merchandise cannot include third-party corporate or commercial sponsor logos.

State Compliance & Event Registration

To align with the official State of Utah initiative, all Utah State-hosted semiquincentennial activities must be registered directly with the state commission. This ensures compliance with state trademark guidelines and unlocks access to statewide promotion.

The State Qualtrics Registration Process

Before launching any marketing campaigns, event coordinators must submit their event via the official State of Utah America250 Concierge Qualtrics Form.

When filling out the state form, ensure your event explicitly aligns with one or more of the official America250 Utah Core Pillars:

  • EDUCATE: Professional K-12 teacher training, civics education, and campus historical research.
  • ENGAGE: Interactive public forums, community service hours, or physical challenges (like Walk250 Utah).
  • UNITE: Neighborhood block parties (e.g., the America’s Potluck initiative) and cross-cultural campus storytelling.

"Community Event" vs. "Community Project" Logo Marks

The state commission issues two distinct variations of its branding based on your submission type. You must apply the correct version given by the state to your Utah State co-branded designs:

  • America250 Utah "Community Event" Logo: To be used for single-day, time-bound campus gatherings, lectures, games, or festivals.
  • America250 Utah "Community Project" Logo: To be used for long-term or permanent initiatives, such as an ongoing academic research series, a physical campus art installation, or a year-long community service drive.
 
Important Notice

The state form grants you the legal right to use the America 250 mark; however, all final artwork must follow the university brand standards and must be submitted to the appropriate university Artwork Review Form for final University Marketing & Communications, review and approval.

Public Calendar & Co-Promotion Requirement

Per the America250 Utah Get Involved Guidelines, university entities should cross-promote their initiatives to maximize public reach:

  • Once your event is approved through the Qualtrics link, organizers must list the event on Now Playing Utah.
  • The state commission pulls data directly from Now Playing Utah to populate the interactive statewide map and feature events on official state social media channels. Ensure your event listing clearly mentions your college or department as the host.