While Yale design and identity (i.e., branding) standards allow almost unlimited flexibility in the design of print and online publication projects, the design of letterhead, envelopes, and business cards is limited to specific templates.
Yale’s decision to adopt a university-wide stationery design has many advantages, from support of Yale’s institutional identity to significant long-term financial savings in administration, design, and production of stationery items.
Letterhead, envelopes, and business cards with the Yale logo and wordmarks are exclusively produced by Yale Printing & Publishing Services (YPPS). This is to ensure design and editorial consistency as the system is adopted university-wide. YPPS has streamlined the design and production processes for print and digital letterhead and business cards, ensuring both economy and timeliness in the fulfillment of stationery orders. Organizations within the university are asked to consult with YPPS to develop coordinated stationery suites and bulk business card orders. For digital stationery, “lockup” files in Microsoft Word format—corresponding to the typography and layout of the printed form of Yale letterhead—are produced. Please note that digital stationery is intended for e-mail and other electronic communication only; all print communication requires official printed Yale letterhead.
Official Yale letterhead is printed on high-quality, 100% post-consumer recycled paper watermarked with the Yale logo. Second sheets, envelopes, business cards, notepads, and other related materials are available in matching—but non-watermarked—stock. Blank sheets of watermarked Yale stock are not available for purchase.
Yale letterhead and business cards are printed by offset lithography in one color only—Yale Blue. In certain cases, stationery and cards may be printed by other means or in additional colors at additional cost. Please contact Jason England at Yale Printing & Publishing Services or Maura Gianakos at the Office of the University Printer for further information about color and printing alternatives for letterhead and business cards.
The following guidelines apply to both print and digital letterhead as well as to business cards.
The Yale stationery system combines a “wordmark” (the Yale logo plus a small-cap or italic extension) and a single column of contact information set in a format approved by Campus Mail and the US Postal Service. Additional lists of names (board members or advisers, for instance) may appear on stationery. A brief slogan, service line, or description of a collaborative venture may also be used on letterhead when set according to the template. Only one Yale logo or wordmark may appear on a letterhead or business card.
Except as noted above, emblems or logos other than the new Yale logo, wordmarks, and Yale shields may not appear on Yale stationery. Legacy logos may be used in other publications, but the new Yale logo or appropriate wordmark must also appear in these publications according to the guidelines.
Users of Yale letterhead are encouraged to employ the Yale typeface for the content of all paper correspondence; Times Roman or Courier (typewriter type) are also acceptable.
Template for schools, departments, and organizations
Template for schools, departments, and organizations that are represented in the President’s Council of Deans and Directors.
Standard template for Yale departments, programs, offices, and organizations
The standard template for Yale departments, programs, offices, and organizations reflects the reporting relationship to a “small-cap” organization.
Alternative Template
Alternative template for departments, programs, or offices whose dean or director determines that a subentity is appropriately a “stand-alone” organization for the purposes of stationery. This example also shows how a line of explanation may be placed at the bottom of the page to describe the services of an organization or explain, for example, a joint venture or a program that has multiple departmental affiliations. This explanatory line or two of type may be used in conjunction with any of the stationery templates.
Yale Printing & Publishing Services is solely authorized to typeset and print official Yale stationery. Business card templates may be viewed on the YPPS business card online-ordering page.