Veritas Forum Brand Toolkit

How to use this guide

At Veritas Forum, our brand is how we tell our story. It includes what people feel, hear, read, and see when they experience the Veritas Forum—whether in person, online, or in print. It's critical to tell this story in a way that is clear, consistent, and compelling, both internally and externally.

Organized into messaging (Brand Story) and visuals (Brand Assets), this toolkit gives you guidelines and resources as you communicate on behalf of the Veritas Forum.

Brand Story

The Veritas Forum story is built around one core focus—exploring the ideas that shape our lives. This focus grounds what Veritas cares about, does, and is inviting people to be a part of. Use the following language to help you tell the Veritas story.

i.

How To Tell the Veritas Story

Use the following narrative framework–why, what, how, so that—to tell others the story of the Veritas Forum. While it's organized into component parts here, this story should be shareable, memorable, and easy to say out loud. (Note: Consider sharing anecdotes from your own life to translate this story into your own context.)

Why – What is our motivation?

We believe the university is a time and place designed for seeking—and that the Christian faith offers a motivating framework for dialoguing with humility.

What – So what are we going to do about it?

So we foster dialogue across worldviews to explore the ideas that shape our lives.

How – How will we go about that?

We do this through three interrelated program areas—campus dialogue, content engagement, and community formation—that put the Christian faith in dialogue with other beliefs and invite people of all backgrounds to listen, reflect, and seek truth together.

So that – What does it all add up to?

So that universities will flourish as places where students, scholars, and their communities bring their full selves to engage timeless truths—leading to life-shaping discoveries on campus and far beyond.

Hosting a Veritas Forum event? Click here to download the script template.

ii.

How To Sound Like Veritas

Tone is the ethos communicated through our messaging. At the Veritas Forum, we have identified four tone words to guide us as we communicate through our brand. While our contexts might vary, whenever we speak as the Veritas Forum, all of our messaging should be recognizable and consistent.

Academic

With a primary audience of students, faculty, and the larger university community, all of our language aspires to sound thoughtful and intelligently curated, handling scholarship with precision and ease.

Accessible

We must also balance our academic speech with clear, direct language. While we write with intelligence, we should never obfuscate or confuse our audience.

Generous

We create spaces on campuses as a meeting point to consider life’s big questions together; leading with curiosity and hospitality. We desire our tone to feel generous, warm, and non-presumptive, with an assumed positivity toward others.

Excellent

Errors in grammar, spelling, and logic can distract from what we're writing and speaking about. We should take care to communicate with excellence for the sake of clarity and credibility.

iii.

Facts and Figures

You can use the following content to support your writing, give context in a speaking engagement, and more. Find additional information on veritas.org.

Our Beliefs

The Veritas Forum is grounded and motivated by the historic Christian faith that seeks to love God and neighbor. We are ecumenical in our beliefs (affirming the Nicene Creed) and invitational in our approach.

Our History

Students, faculty, and chaplains at Harvard University planned the first Veritas Forum in 1992. Since then, 200+ universities in North America, Europe, and Asia have hosted 2,000+ Forum events.

Our Name

“Veritas” is the Latin word for truth—and a word commonly found in university mottos; it refers to our belief that truth can be sought and found. “Forum” refers to our commitment to create spaces where ideas can be openly shared and discussed.

Our Growth

Since its founding, the Veritas Forum has grown in depth and breadth. There are over 200+ host universities, 800,000+ event participants, 35+ student journals, and 20m+ YouTube channel views.

Our Organizational Values

These five values comprise what we care about and are building toward: seeking truth, university partnership, generous dialogue, whole-life integration, and trustworthy excellence.

iv.

Boilerplate Text

This section will help you speak about Veritas as an organization. Boilerplate text can be easily copied into a variety of contexts, from campus announcements, to event applications at student offices, to newsletters, to sharing a Forum event with your department, and more. Here's a description of the Veritas Forum as a single sentence, one paragraph, and three paragraphs.

One Sentence: 

The Veritas Forum is an international organization founded in 1992 that partners with university students and scholars to foster dialogue across worldviews to explore the ideas that shape our lives.

One Paragraph:

The Veritas Forum is an international organization founded in 1992 that partners with university students and scholars to foster dialogue across worldviews to explore the ideas that shape our lives. The organization places the Christian faith in dialogue with other beliefs and invites participants from all backgrounds to seek truth together. Veritas supports student-led teams who produce campus-based events and Christian journals, provides leadership development opportunities for Christian faculty and students, and develops digital content through podcasts, videos channels, and more.

Three Paragraphs:

The Veritas Forum is an international organization founded in 1992 that partners with university students and scholars to foster dialogue across worldviews to explore the ideas that shape our lives. The organization places the Christian faith in dialogue with other beliefs and invites participants from all backgrounds to seek truth together.

At the heart of all Veritas Forum programming is a commitment to exploring ideas in community—where people can listen, reflect, and seek truth together. Veritas pursues this commitment through three distinct program areas: supporting student-led teams who produce campus-based events and Christian journals, offering community formation through the leadership development of Christian faculty and students, and developing content through various media platforms like podcasts.

An international community of students, faculty, campus ministers, and more, the Veritas Forum has grown in breadth and depth to serve leading universities around the world. For decades, their work has invited people of all backgrounds to explore the ideas that shape our lives.

Hosting a Veritas Forum event? Click here to download the script template.

Brand Assets

The Veritas story is also told through its visual brand. The visual brand is what people see when they interact with Veritas. The Veritas brand is comprised of a logo, typography, and colors, that can be used in endless combinations to create something that is both unique and recognizable as Veritas. In each section below, learn about how to use each of these components and access downloadable assets for print and digital uses.

v.

Logos

The Veritas logo is the symbol of the Veritas story and the entry point to the Veritas visual brand. Therefore, maintaining the integrity and legibility of the logo at all times is crucial to its recognizability and effectiveness.  Do not alter the arrangement or elements of the logo and make sure it is clearly legible wherever it is used.  

Download

Veritas Forum logo

The Veritas logo communicates a sense of academia, utilizing a shield motif to reflect the layers of ideas that shape our lives, it also reflects credibility and excellence. The maroon color ties back to Veritas' Harvard roots.

Augustine collective logo

The Augustine Collective is one of Veritas's programs. The logo uses the veritas fonts, colors, and shield motif.

Veritas Forum logo

The Veritas logo communicates a sense of academia, utilizing a shield motif to reflect the layers of ideas that shape our lives, it also reflects credibility and excellence. The maroon color ties back to Veritas' Harvard roots.

Unacceptable Logo Use

DO NOT rotate, add effects, distort proportions, alter colors, abbreviate, or change the typeface of the Veritas Forum logo.

Augustine collective logo

The Augustine Collective is one of Veritas's programs. The logo uses the veritas fonts, colors, and shield motif.

Unacceptable Logo Use

DO NOT rearrange or remove elements, add effects, alter colors, abbreviate, or change the typeface of the Augustine Collective logo. Only use the newest version of the logo, not any past iterations.

vi.

University-specific Branding

When creating promotional materials for a Veritas event at your university, always include the following language framework and the Veritas logo.

Language to use

A veritas Forum at (Insert university here).

Font: Poppins
Color: Primary Maroon
Text Style: All Caps

Usage Examples

Make sure the above language and the Veritas logo are always legible, especially if placed over an image or design. Use a color field if you feel the text or logo is hard to read. See the Veritas color palette.

Unacceptable Use

Don't stack the elements, make them too small so they are no long legible, or remove either one, both must be included on your promotional material.

vii.

Typography

Typography contributes to the tone of a written message. Consistent use of typography across communication touch points creates visual continuity. Font weights may be mixed to add emphasis and distinctiveness to key messaging. This should be done sparingly to maintain its impact.

Download

Poppins

Poppins is a sans serif font that has a modern, open feel. Use the lighter weights of Poppins for large headings. Heavier weights can be used in smaller headings or to emphasize a specific word or phrase.

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

abcdefghijklmnopq
rstuvwxyz0123456789
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQ
RSTUVWXYZ

EB Garamond

Garamond is a serif font with a more formal, classic feel. Garamond is another option for headings and is a very legible typeface for long-form writing.

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

abcdefghijklmnop
qrstuvwxyz0123456789
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP
QRSTUVWXYZ

viii.

Colors

Color is a highly visible aspect of any brand. It helps set a tone and give a sense of character. The Veritas color palette reflects Veritas's university roots and energy for the future.

Primary Colors

The primary colors should be used as the dominant palette in all branded communication materials.

Maroon

PMS 7421
CMYK 38/92/85/60
RGB 87/16/16
#571010

Navy

PMS 532
CMYK 80/73/55/64
RGB 33/35/47
#21232F

Secondary Colors

The secondary colors may be used in addition to the primary colors to accentuate information or add pops of color. They should not be used at an equal level to the primary colors.

Dark Red

PMS 200
CMYK 24/100/83/17
RGB 165/29/48
#A51D30

Bright Red

PMS 172
CMYK 0/85/84/0
RGB 255/75/51
#FF4B33

Soft Blue

PMS 432
CMYK 75/68/50/42
RGB 58/61/74
#3A3D4A

ix.

Graphic Elements

These graphic elements provide a visual language that can be used across many applications to build a cohesive brand. The lines and shapes used represent the energy, dynamism, and collaborative nature of the Veritas story.

Download

Shield motif

The shield has been a central part of the Veritas brand since its founding and shields are a common motif in academia. The layers in the Veritas shield represent the cummulative layers of  ideas that shape our lives.

Shapes

Geometric shapes can be used to frame key information or to add texture and movement to a design. Shapes can be filled with colors from the Veritas palette or as thin outlines.

Rectangles

Circles

Blue Swath

Social Icons

Veritas's social icons use the Bright Red color and are encapsulated in circles.

x.

Photography

Photography for Veritas should focus on connection and conversation. Imagery should anchor Veritas at university campuses, creating a clear sense of place. Be mindful of representing the broad diversity of university communities.

Community Life

Community life photography should show human interaction and dimensions of campus life from different vantage points. Additionally, photography of university architecture provides a sense of place.

Forum Events

Forum event photography should show the depth and scale of events-based dialogue. Photography should capture engagement between the presenters on stage and with the listening audience.

Thank you for your partnership in telling the Veritas story!

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