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Brand narrative and corporate identity

Creating technology for people

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Brand narrative and corporate identity | Foreword

“It is an obvious universities to h the societal cha ned in the UN’s Development Go full swing.”

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s goal for all help address allenges outliSustainable oals. DTU is in Anders Bjarklev, President

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Brand narrative and corporate identity | Foreword

A new narra about techn for people The future is created by people for people, and is facilitated by technology. DTU creates and employs technology for the benefit of society, and plays a central role in defining our common future.

DTU has a vision for a better world, and we invite world to join us in realizing that vision.

Since its founding in 1829, DTU has been driven by a societal commitment—spurred on by Hans Christian Ørsted’s mission of exploiting science and engineering by developing technologies and solutions for the benefit of people, societies, and the world.

DTU has addressed the challenges identified by the leaders of the world for the last two centuries because we have a responsibility to the society we are part of. Today those challenges are formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and it is DTU’s task to contribute to solving them by providing practical technology for people.

DTU is the innovation university, committed to working with technology for people, and to making a difference.

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ative nology Partnerships are the future As a university, we operate in an environment characterized by international competition and pioneering problem solving. DTU is a vibrant elite technical university, recognized for its high level of international research and its sought-after graduates. Through collaboration, our staff and students create value, welfare, and growth by developing technologies that work in a globalized world, across social and cultural differences.

Going forward, DTU must collaborate its way to greatness and cultivate global alliances. It is therefore crucial that potential partners around the world see who DTU is.

Anders Bjarklev, President

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Brand narrative and corporate identity | Foreword

DTU, a strong and unified brand An elite international university with global ambitions needs a strong narrative and a unified look.

We have therefore updated DTU’s corporate identity with a brand narrative, made DTU into a master brand, and changed the visual look to reflect the brand DTU has become over the last ten years.

The new brand DTU narrative is global and solution-oriented, with a focus on technology for people. Everyone at DTU has a responsibility to use it, but as communicators, we have a special responsibility to promote DTU as a master brand.

The revitalized brand is a coherent narrative of words and images. When everyone at DTU uses the same simple, recognizable look and communicates in a language that underscores DTU’s values and problem-solving role, we strengthen the DTU narrative.

Tine KjĂŚr Hassager Head of Communication

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When everyone at DTU uses the same simple, recognizable look and communicates in a language that underscores DTU’s values and problem-solving role, we strengthen the DTU narrative

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Brand narrative and corporate identity | DTU in the world

As a collaborative university, DTU reaches out and invites others to join us in developing innovative new technologies that can change the world.

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One vision From Ørsted’s vision to DTU’s brand narrative Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear vision to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. Despite its steady growth since then, DTU has always pursued Ørsted’s original vision.

DTU students and staff collaborate, research, share knowledge, and find new solutions to global problems.

DTU will use this approach to attract dedicated new students and researchers who are proud of being part of a university where technology is developed and used for the benefit of societies at large.

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Brand narrative and corporate identity | DTU in the world

One narrati Sustainable technology for people

The future is shaped by the people who develop solutions to the challenges facing the world. Innovative technologies are needed to achieve well-being, good health, and education, as described by the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

DTU is a technical university with a human touch. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU with a vision to develop and utilize science and engineering for the benefit of society. With that vision in mind, we invite DTU students and staff to develop tomorrow’s solutions to the challenges of today.

At DTU, we believe in technology as a means for necessary changes, and we see the development goals as a platform for the University’s future activities. Indeed, engineers are needed to meet those challenges.

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ive Great ideas change the world. DTU is driven by the desire to develop sustainable ideas which create jobs and new opportunities. At DTU, researchers and students collaborate with businesses and government to create innovative solutions at the intersections of engineering and creativity, theory and practice, and university and society.

DTU is an inclusive university reaching out to the world from its base in Denmark. We invite the world in, and work across disciplines to deliver world-class research and education. DTU always looks ahead to the next generation. At DTU, engineering students gain theoretical knowledge and creative skills in the areas of sustainability and entrepreneurship, and heighten their awareness and sense of responsibility toward society.

DTU is about technology for people. DTU is about change for a better world.

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Brand narrative and corporate identity | DTU in the world

DTU’s brand narrative leads the way The brand narrative is the foundation for DTU’s external communication, describing what the University is working towards.

The brand narrative is tied to the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, as these represent an approach to global problem-solving that DTU has always been aligned with. DTU’s research is defined by the needs of society, and as a collaborative university, DTU reaches out and invites others to join us in developing innovative new technologies that can create change in the world.

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Brand narrative and corporate identity | DTU as a brand

One university DTU is organized in departments, centres, research groups, and offices.

But as a university and brand, we are a single unit. A unifying setting for students and staff.

In an ever-changing world, the DTU brand is the constant, and the University must therefore always be the main focus in our communication, while departments, centres, offices, and research groups take a secondary role.

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DTU’s logo is the main driver that adds brand value to communication from all DTU entities.

It must therefore always come first.

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The DTU master brand has only one logo. The DTU acronym, with the three stylized lions underneath.

Brand narrative and corporate identity | DTU as a brand

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One brand One of DTU’s greatest strengths is a pioneering mindset nurtured by the dedication and innovative thinking of students and staff and collaboration with the world at large.

DTU will grow bigger and stronger by strengthening these partnerships locally and globally. And as an elite international university, we need a strong narrative and a unified look, based on a common master brand.

This means that all units at DTU must communicate as one unified organization and that the communicator must always be the University—not the department, research group, or office.

DTU’s logo is the main driver that adds brand value to communication from all DTU entities. It must therefore always come first.

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Brand narrative and corporate identity | DTU as a brand

One identity DTU’s new visual identity underscores and highlights the growth and development DTU has undergone over time. The University’s global position and goals demand a design that offers more freedom, and sets the direction without being a straitjacket.

The old identity was created before DTU had become a master brand. It was developed primarily for print media, and later adapted to the world of digital media.

The updated visual identity reflects the new brand narrative and meets the visual demands of modern digital media.

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Brand narrative and corporate identity | DTU as the sender

Four visual principles for sustainable technology for people The updated identity is stringent, yet free. There are fewer rules, more colours, new images, and a stronger message.

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1. DTU is the sender The collective University is fortified by the DTU brand. The constant in the updated design is therefore the DTU logo, consisting of the DTU acronym and the three stylized lions. The logo has also been separated from the Technical University of Denmark appellation. This removes any doubt that the University is called DTU. The DTU logo must come first and be placed at the top—department, centre, and office names are no longer ‘logos’, but rather amplify and qualify the communication in connection with DTU’s logo.

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Brand narrative and corporate identity | DTU as the sender

For the benefit of society, ‘purpose-driven’

Campus life

Technology for people

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2. A new image style that invites the world into DTU DTU generates knowledge and solutions that benefit society. It is a narrative with roots going back to Hans Christian Ørsted, and which has always been part of the DTU narrative.

The new brand narrative is global and solution-oriented—focusing on technology for people. This narrative must be reflected in our choice of images. DTU has previously often used introspective images of researchers in laboratories. Without abandoning this ‘inside-to-outside’ view, the new visual identity focuses more on showing the impact of DTU in the world.

In future, we will use more pictures that draw the world into DTU. Or show DTU’s solutions globally.

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Brand narrative and corporate identity | DTU as the sender

3. Illustrations that ‘fill in the gaps’ To show the things that words, facts, data, and photographs cannot, the new visual identity introduces hand-drawn illustrations portraying people interacting with technology, or illustrating an intention, spark, or idea that has yet to be realized.

Illustrations can show things photographs cannot. They can visually represent complex or abstract concepts, and things that do not yet exist. Illustrations make DTU’s look more expressive, more creative, and more human.

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Brand narrative and corporate identity | DTU as the sender

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4. More colours offer more freedom DTU’s primary colour is still red, while the secondary colour palette has been expanded to give more reign to creative expression. In future, there will be fewer restrictions and greater freedom in the design. Only, we should always meet the requirement that everything starts with DTU, and that DTU creates technology for people.

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Brand narrative and corporate identity | DTU as the sender

Four keywords for DTU’s communication Things we must be aware of when we formulate our messages:

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Eye level We communicate at eye level and always consider the target group.

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Simplicity We strive for simplicity—what is the primary message? What must be understood? What must be acted on? Avoid abbreviations, jargon, and insider language.

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Problemsolving Our focus is on problem-solving, so always consider relevance for society.

How does our communication impact and influence the public debate? How does it contribute and create meaning?

Visual stringency The specific guidelines for DTU’s updated design are available in digital format on dtu.dk and DTU Inside, www.designguide.dtu.dk

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Brand narrative and corporate identity | DTU as the sender

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The updated identity is stringent, yet free. There are fewer rules, more colours, new images, and a stronger message.

DTU Anker Engelunds Vej 1 Bygning 101A 2800 Kgs. Lyngby Denmark www.dtu.dk