Quick Start Guide
Brand Voice Basics
Our voice helps express who we are through facets of the Lab’s brand personality. See Voice and Tone for examples.
Use the Style Guide and the Usage Guide for consistency; see also Tips for Social Media.
Our Name
Use our full name, “Cornell Lab of Ornithology,” at the first mention. Subsequently shorten as “Cornell Lab” or Lab.”
Exception: It is acceptable to use “Cornell Lab” at the first mention on the Lab’s social media channels.
Do not use “CLO” or “Lab of O.”
For Cornell University audiences, do not use “Cornell Lab.” Shorten as “Lab of Ornithology” or “lab.”
When communicating outside the Lab’s channels about a Lab center, project, or product, be sure to mention its affiliation with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and, if applicable, with partners. See Describing the Lab for more details.
Visual Identity Basics
Use the Lab’s logo with care to signal official Lab platforms, content, partnerships, and business.
Lab Logo Basics
In most other instances, simply write the “Cornell Lab of Ornithology” in text rather than using a logo.
For third-party logo requests or other questions, please submit a ticket.
Use the short Cornell Lab logo by default.
- Use the longer version when the audience is new to the Cornell Lab or when there is not enough space to mention our full name in accompanying text.
- Use the longer version in formal communications such as scientific papers, website footers, and contexts within Cornell University (since there are many labs at Cornell).
To preserve the integrity of the logo, always maintain clear space around it. Look at the letter C in the logo and ensure there is at least the height of the C all around the logo
Product & Center Lock-ups
Use a product lock-up or center lock-up only when it adds helpful value for the audience. Otherwise, simply use the Lab’s logo.
E.g., Using a K-12 lockup on curricula helps teachers connect with our K-12 program and offerings.
Where space is limited, use the Lab’s logo rather than a product or center lock-up.
Typography Basics
Our fonts are Gibson and Suisse Works. To install and work with the fonts, follow Cornell Lab IT’s self-service instructions.
DM Sans is a substitute on Google products.
Avenir is only to be used for the logo and lockups.
Use the Lab’s typography in external communications, and presentations. Use it whenever possible for Lab-wide and University distribution.
Do not use other fonts unless for exceptional design reasons.
Email Signature
& Templates
- Please review the Email Signature Best Practices.
- Instructions for using our branded email templates can be found on the HubSpot and Mailchimp documentation pages.
Photography Basics
Use photos of engaged people and participants, birds, wildlife, habitats, and nature.
Photos of people must be cleared using a photo release form that is kept on file.
Try to represent diversity in photo selections (e.g., ages, abilities, gender, culture, ethnicity, etc.).
Use bright-colored quality photos that “pop” (subject easily seen against the background).
Don’t pull colors from photos into design layouts—use the brand colors.
Using and Crediting Macaulay Library Assets
- Always credit the contributor; see guidelines.
- On social media, use a Macaulay image template whenever possible.
- Appropriate uses: assets can be used for purposes that further the research and educational mission of the Cornell Lab including digital and print properties, fundraising materials, and presentations.
- Inappropriate uses: assets may not be used by third parties for commercial use except when written permission is received from the owner of the media.
Inspiration Gallery
View examples of our work ranging from simple social media posts to full webpages to help give a sense for our visual aesthetic.
Partnership Basics
With a genuine spirit of collaboration, respect, and appreciation for our partners, we listen, learn, and ask how we can be of service to meet the needs and goals of partners while achieving the Lab’s mission and strategic priorities.
We strive to uphold our values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in the way we build partnerships with others.
If you are thinking about partnering with any nonacademic entity that is new to the Lab, or beginning a new public outreach project with a partner.
Accessibility Basics
The Lab is committed to web accessibility to ensure inclusivity and access to all of our information. Cornell University also has mandatory web accessibility guidelines. Explore the Accessibility for Content Creators Page for more information.
In print, ensure readability of text with high contrast and only place text over an image with simple backgrounds. On digital properties, text on photos should be limited.
Avoid use of PDFs on websites as much as possible. If needed, new PDFs must meet web accessibility standards. For those working with InDesign or Acrobat, you may wish to look at Adobe’s Creating Accessible PDFs page as well.