VIU’s logo is all about location. As a special purpose teaching university dedicated to serving our local communities, place plays an important role in defining who we are. The logo’s icon captures this with two distinct parts: the upper half showcases the majestic mountains that dominate the landscape of Vancouver Island and coastal British Columbia, while the lower half represents the ocean, seamlessly morphing into a stylized half maple leaf, symbolizing our strong connection to Canada. The shades of blue evoke creativity, relaxation, dependability, strength, and trustworthiness and reflect the spirit of VIU.
Primary
- The full-name, full-colour logo is the preferred version for external audiences;
- It must always be used whenever the audience is unlikely to know “VIU” stands for Vancouver Island University;
- It should always be used in formal or ceremonial occasions;
- It must only be placed over a solid white background.
Secondary
Variants
Single colour variants of the primary and secondary logos are approved for use over images or solid brand colours. Use the variant that meets accessibility contrast requirements in the specific application.
Minimum sizes
Minimum sizes are specified so that the logo is legible and rendered accurately across a range of media. Different variants of the logo have different minimum sizes. If you are uncertain about the requirements, please contact the Brand and Marketing department for further information.
For print and physical products (not including apparel)
- Full-name, vertical variants require a minimum width of 1.125 (1 ⅛) inches
- Initials, vertical variants require a minimum width of 0.875 (⅞) inches
- Horizontal variants require a minimum height of 0.375 (⅜) inches
For digital uses
- Full-name, vertical variants require a minimum width of 100 pixels
- Initials, vertical variants require a minimum width of 70 pixels
- Horizontal variants require a minimum height of 35 pixels
For apparel
- Full-name, vertical variants require a minimum width of 3 inches
- Initials, vertical variants require a minimum width of 2 inches
- Horizontal variants require a minimum height of 0.75 (3⁄₄) inches
In some cases it may be necessary to use a logo at a size smaller than these minimums. Before doing so, please contact Brand and Marketing for assistance and approval.
Dos and don’ts
Do:
- use an initials version of the logo for local area and on-campus applications;
- use a current version of the logo for all new or updated materials;
- contact Brand and Marketing if you have any questions.
Do not:
- change the colour of any piece of the logo;
- squish or stretch the logo in any way;
- alter the logo fonts;
- add any text to the logo (this includes department names);
- modify or replace the logo’s icon;
- separate the icon from the rest of the logo nor use it on its own;
- have other graphics, text or logos overlap the logo’s background space;
- place a logo over an image without sufficient contrast.