Messaging
SDSU Brand Storytelling
How we tell our story is important. Striking the right balance of tone, finding the words to make an impact and having consistent themes in our brand storytelling make our brand memorable and powerful.
Transform Your Tomorrow
This can be used as a tagline, or as a single sign off for a piece of communication, but it is also more than that. It is a foundational idea to guide and inspire all brand storytelling. This is used primarily in student-targeted marketing and communications, and evokes the university’s brand personality.
Tagline Messaging
Something happens when you come face to face with the moment. When you meet that border of today and tomorrow. When a vibrant community shapes a global outlook. When passionate service intersects with academic pursuit. When you break through expectations and change everything. Possibilities open. The world looks different. Tomorrow is yours to define, so give it your all, widen your aperture, make an impact, and you’ll transform your tomorrow.
Determined, Vibrant, Curious, Innovating, Ardent, Inclusive
Tonal words reflect the personality of the brand. The tone will shift depending on the audience, but all communications – from social media posts to printed materials to web – should use the following words as a guide.
Primary Messaging
Use the following themes when communicating to prospective audiences. These reflect the brand strategy and brand personality for a consistent and strong message.
Academic and Research Powerhouse
With a 125-year history of providing academic excellence, student success and groundbreaking research, we are redefining a student-centric, experience-driven education to inspire the brightest thinking and collaboration.
Dynamic Culture
Here, education is our foundation, but culture is our difference. We are fostering a space and experience as dynamic as our individuals, a university that is strengthened by the diversity of our global community.
On the Border of Today and Tomorrow
Locally integrated, nationally recognized, and globally connected. As a transdisciplinary, transborder campus with global impact, we are living on the edge and the forefront, fueling our drive to innovate and hunger to explore.
Service to the Community
Shaping the community is in our DNA. We are an economic engine for the region and a propelling force for society creating thousands of new jobs and educating the city’s future leaders.
The SDSU Spirit
There’s a liveliness here you can’t find anywhere else. A palpable buzz of energy in and outside the classroom and a community that ignites us to learn more, do more, be more.
The Aztec Experience
A balance of recreation and research, academics and athletics, exploration and excellence. This is where city meets campus, cliffside meets ocean, borders transcend and cultures converge.
Messaging Guide
This brand messaging one-sheeter includes our brand identity framework and copy examples.
How to Write URLs
Capitalize SDSU.edu when it’s by itself or part of a vanity URL (used in print). In most cases, the URL will be written all lowercase referring to a direct web address such as admissions.sdsu.edu or research.sdsu.edu.
SDSU Editorial Style Guide
Our goal with the university’s style guide is to present a consistent and high standard of writing that appropriately reflects SDSU’s excellence. Consult the editorial style guide for more instruction and details. Please note, this is an internal link.
