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FAQs

These are the most commonly asked questions about the Texas A&M brand. However, if your question is not answered in the list below, please contact us at VMBSCommunications@tamu.edu.

What is the purpose of a brand guide?

While a brand exists in the mind of the audience, the visual experience has a tremendous impact on the opinions formed.

How do I know which logo to use?

As the university’s official logo, the Primary Mark is always appropriate. The other appropriate logo for all groups under the umbrella of the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) is the VMBS box logo (or acceptable variations). See VMBS Logos.

What is the official logo for the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS)?

The VMBS box logo consists of the Block TAM in white (with a light gray bevel on the “T”) on a box of Aggie Maroon and the words “Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences” typeset, to the right or beneath, in Open Sans, the main campus Brand Guide-approved sans serif typeface, and in Aggie Maroon. “Texas A&M University” is typeset above the college name smaller, in all caps, Open Sans, and dark gray. See CVMBS Logos.

Why can’t we use the VMBS box logo on letterhead and business cards?

Stationery, which includes printed letterheads, envelopes, business cards, and related items, should always feature the university’s formal identity. While a customized brand architecture allows information and marketing pieces to focus on a specific discipline, our stationery system remains focused on the university as a whole, which ties us all together. For more information, see https://brandguide.tamu.edu/visual-style/stationery.html 

Can I use the Texas A&M logo on a T-shirt or other item?

If you plan to use any Texas A&M or VMBS logo or mark on items for sale, you must obtain permission from the Office of Business Development. Departments, divisions, and programs on campus may use university logos and marks on T-shirts and promotional items but must use a licensed vendor. For more details, please contact a graphic designer in VMBS Communications.

Can student organizations use Texas A&M logos?

As independent groups, the student organizations at Texas A&M are not held to university brand guidelines. In fact, they are encouraged to create their own unique logo and/or identity. To show university affiliation, Texas A&M logos may appear in a separate area from the organization logo, like on the sleeve of a T-shirt, for instance. However, if they do choose to use the Texas A&M logos in any way, they must be used appropriately.

What is the Pantone® number for Aggie Maroon™?

Aggie Maroon™ is a custom Pantone® mix, so you will not find a number in a Pantone® swatch book. The color was developed in 2007 to yield a more consistent signature color for printing. If a vendor says they must have a Pantone® number, refer them to Brand Colors at the Texas A&M University Brand Guide. Contact the Division of Marketing & Communications if your vendor needs a printed Pantone® swatch of Aggie Maroon™ for matching purposes.

What do all these color terms mean: RGB, CMYK, etc.?

It’s important to understand color distinctions when working in print media versus electronic media. To quickly summarize:

CMYK refers to the 4-color ink process (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) used on a commercial printing press. The 4-color process recipe for Aggie Maroon™ is C=15 M=100 Y=39 K=69. CMYK images will NOT work for electronic media.

See Brand Colors at the Texas A&M University Brand Guide for more detail on colors for printing.

RGB refers to the color on a computer screen or monitor (red, green, blue). These colors are usually listed as a percentage of each value, so, for instance, the RGB value of Aggie Maroon™ is 80-0-0, which means 80 percent red, 0 percent green and 0 percent blue. Files in RGB format will NOT work for commercial printing.

Hexadecimal is another color term used in website design. The 6-digit number is called a “Hex Code.” The Aggie Maroon™ Hex Code is 500000. Hex Code colors will NOT work for commercial printing.

See Web Color Palette at the Texas A&M University Brand Guide for more detail on colors for digital uses.

The color palette seems limited. Can we deviate from these?

A color palette is key in establishing a visual identity. Look at the corporate example of AT&T: their color palette is pretty much limited to blue, orange, and white. Limiting? Perhaps. But even from a distance, you can recognize their materials at a glance due to this strict adherence to their color palette. Our color palette was carefully selected to work effectively with our signature color, Aggie Maroon™. Whenever possible, consult a professional graphic designer, who is trained to work effectively within a color palette.

Where do I find the brand fonts?

From brandguide.tamu.edu

Print

There are four primary typefaces used in the Texas A&M University brand: Tungsten, Moriston, Minion Pro, and Open Sans.

The Aggie Brand Fonts package is available through the Texas A&M IT Self Service website at no charge. To order, visit https://tamu.service-now.com/tamu-selfservice/ordersoftware.do. Add the fonts to your cart, proceed to checkout and enter a departmental account number for informational purposes only (it will not be charged). Once the order is placed, it may take up to 24 hours to receive your download link via Filex.

For PPT presentations only: If Aggie Brand Fonts are not available, system fonts Arial and Georgia may be used.

Web

Review the Aggie Web Fonts section at brandguide.tamu.edu for information on how to access web fonts and their equivalents.

What if I can’t use the Aggie Fonts?

While it is strongly recommended that you utilize the brand fonts, the following alternatives are acceptable.

Sans Serif fonts: Substitute Oswald for Tungsten. Open Sans is a widely available font.

Serif fonts: Substitute Crimson Text for Minion Pro and Moriston.

For PPT presentations only: If Aggie Brand Fonts are not available, system fonts Arial (sans serif) and Georgia (serif) may be used.

Can I use the official A&M seal?

Printing of the university seal is restricted to correspondence from the president’s office and official documents, such as diplomas and some certificates. The seal is only used in select official permanent installations on campus as approved by the Division of Marketing & Communications, and may not be used on printed marketing material, business cards, presentations, or websites.

Why can’t I use the VMBS seal?

The VMBS seal is retired and no longer used on anything by anyone.