The Yale Verbal Identity Guidelines outline our brand narrative and voice. They should serve as both guidance and inspiration to create effective, recognizable, and distinct communications.
A high-level summary of our verbal identity is presented on this page. To view the full set of guidelines, including style guidance, log into our Sharepoint site.
Our verbal identity is our unique way of communicating through language. It’s how we distinguish ourselves from peer institutions. Our brand narrative is the sharpest articulation of the Yale story. Our voice informs everything from word choice to sentence structure and overall tone, all intended to help us consistently tell our brand story across channels.
Thoughtful
We lean on generations of accrued experience and wisdom to chart an inclusive course to a brighter future.
Energizing
Our curiosity and pursuit of knowledge are infectious, and we’re eager to inspire growth in all we meet.
Principled
We are champions of exploration, learning, and dialogue, unafraid to address difficult questions and stand with our community.
Uplifting
We are connected to our audience by a shared love for learning, finding wonder in every breakthrough — no matter its size or import.
In addition to the Verbal Identity Guidelines, the Office of Public Affairs and Communications offers editorial style guides to assist campus communicators in their content writing. While these guides are focused mainly on news and marketing writing, the “MLA Handbook” and “The Chicago Manual of Style” (CMOS) are well suited for many other forms of content at the university, including academic writing and book publishing.
Style guide representing the house editorial style of OPAC’s channels, including Yale News, It’s Your Yale, and Yale.edu.
Editorial guidance for presenting your events on Yale’s Localist events platform.
The Yale Verbal Identity Guidelines are managed by the Office of Public Affairs and Communications. We encourage you to reach out with any questions.