As a college, we continuously pursue excellence—for our students, for ourselves. The same goes for our brand. Our brand is our single most visible College ambassador—we need it to shine consistently and brightly. That’s why we have a set of Brand Standards.
The Lyon College Brand Standards encompass the College’s Brand Mark, Signatures, Colors, Names, Emblems, and Institutional Marks that identify, represent, and symbolize the College. Many of these elements are registered with the Patent and Trademark Office of the United States and may only be used according to the guidelines provided or by permission of Lyon College’s Office of Marketing and Communications.
Our brand standards are simple and help ensure we’re all pulling in the same direction.
Do not attempt to replicate any brand mark. Get your copy in the Brand Toolbox or email marketing@lyon.edu.
For licensing needs, please email marketing at marketing@lyon.edu.

Official Institutional Marks
the lyon brand mark

The Lyon Brand Mark is the centerpiece of our visual identity. It acts as a signature, an identifier, and the most visible representative of the College to the world. Everything is designed to flow from it. Every application is designed to align with it. And every piece of communication is strengthened by its consistent use.
Do not try to recreate the wordmark. Use only the official Lyon College Brand Mark as provided in the Brand Toolbox.
The Brand Mark is to be used in all College communications, to audiences both internal and external. It should appear on both the front and back of all printed pieces. It is offered in three color combinations, as seen above.
The college seal
The Lyon College Seal is restricted for use by the Board of Trustees and the Office of the President, with limited exceptions. As the official insignia of the College, the College seal may not be altered in any way. Documents displaying the College seal convey that they are officially sanctioned by the Board of Trustees or the Office of the President.

The seal is not to be used on departmental stationery, interior signage, advertising, or promotion except as authorized by the Board of Trustees or the Office of the President. The College seal may not be used on vehicles or license plates.
Exceptions for use of the seal include jewelry, high-end commemorative gift items, and official academic or College-related materials such as certificates, diplomas, commencement and convocation programs, and select graduation-related items, including announcements and diploma frames. Product exceptions must be approved through the Office of Marketing and Communications and the Office of the President.
Internal requests for use of the seal on College materials must be submitted to the Office of Marketing and Communications for initial review of compliance with Visual Standards, before seeking approval from the President's office.

The Lyon College seal takes the form of a coat of arms—a unique heraldic design on a shield. The coat of arms forms the central element of the full seal which includes the shield, supporters, crest, and motto. The shape of the Lyon College coat of arms is inspired by the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas.
The College’s original motto—Perseverantia Omnia Vincet Deo Volente (Perseverance conquers all, God willing)—and the date of the founding of the College are incorporated into the circular band surrounding the coat of arms.
The Celtic Cross, symbolizing Lyon’s Scottish and Presbyterian traditions, serves as the central element to subdivide the coat of arms into four quadrants and symbolizes Lyon’s religious commitment. The open bible reinforces Lyon’s Christian values. The lion rampant is adapted from the Scottish banner and symbolizes the College’s Scottish Heritage. The lion has always enjoyed a high place in heraldry as the emblem of undying courage, and hence that of a valiant warrior. The rampant lion is also adapted in a similar manner for the Lyon College athletic teams. The pattern of four stars, taken from the center of the Arkansas flag, represents the four flags which have flown over this state, and therefore symbolizes Lyon’s location and original name, Arkansas College. The lamp symbolizes learning and wisdom, and the oak-leaf laurel symbolizes excellence and wisdom.
Wordmark

The Wordmark is the most recognizable portion of the Lyon Brand Mark. It may be used on its own for apparel or paired with the Primary Athletic Mark. The wordmark is the best symbol for the front of a uniform. It embodies the bold character of the College. As seen here, it comes in three color combinations.
Primary athletic mark

The Primary Athletic Mark is made up of two parts: the 'L' and a rampant lion. The 'L' is pulled directly from Lyon Brand Mark. The lion rampant is from the college seal. A symbol of bravery and strength, the lion rampant exudes honor and tradition while directly reflecting the history and Scottish heritage of the College. This logo can be used on official documentation, letterhead, and business cards. This logo works best when paired with the Lyon Brand Mark. The Athletic Mark is for use by Athletic and Affinity/Club sports only.
legacy scots mark

The Legacy Scots Mark was used on Athletic uniforms 50 years ago. We welcome back this script mark to the Brand Identity System. This mark can be used for apparel, signage, advertisements, and stationary.
Official Brand Signatures
When communicating on behalf of the College, a specific division, department, or office—often simultaneously—the combination of names can present a challenge. An organized system is important to guide these combinations.
Lyon's Official Brand Signatures provide a simplified hierarchy to enable consistent branding for all entities across campus. All academic divisions/departments, athletic teams, and administrative units will have their pre-configured Official Signature aligned with the Lyon Brand Mark.
Together, the Brand Mark and the accompanying Signature create a “lockup” that ensures consistency for every entity, every message, across every piece of communication. The easy-to-register-at-a-glance hierarchy works across multiple levels. An Official Brand Signature may be used in place of the Lyon Brand Mark.
Official downloads for divisions, departments, offices, and teams are available in Brand Toolbox and are organized within "Academic," "Administrative," and "Athletic" folders.
If you cannot find your Brand Signature in the Brand Toolbox one may be requested by filling out a marketing request form.
Official Brand Colors
Primary Pallete
Lyon Navy
Pantone #289c
CMYK: 96, 84, 48, 63
RGB: 0, 22, 50
Web: #001632
Nike: Navy
|
Lyon Crimson
Pantone: #201c
cMYK: 27, 100, 94, 36
RGB: 133, 28, 26
WEB: #851c1a
NIKE: CRIMSON
|
Lyon gold
Pantone #116c
CMYK: 0, 15, 100, 0
RGB: 255, 207, 01
Web #FFCF01
*accent color only
|
The goal is to closely match the colors as each would appear on coated paper in each medium—screen printing, embroidery, plastics, clothing, etc. The Office of Marketing and Communications can assist in selecting the proper color. When ordering apparel and accessories from Nike, select Crimson as the garment color. If Crimson does not exist in that product, do not substitute with any other color (e.g., scarlet, cardinal, etc.). Lyon Gold is not part of the Athletic Color Pallete and should be used only as an accent color. Never place any of the College brand marks on a yellow color block.
Lyon College deliberately selected Navy, Crimson, and Gold as its official colors.
Blue hues are associated with depth and stability—symbolizing trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, and intelligence. Blue represents knowledge, power, integrity, and seriousness.
Red hues are associated with energy, strength, power, and determination. In heraldry, red indicates courage, vigor, willpower, leadership, and courage.
Yellow hues are associated with joy, happiness, intellect, and energy. Yellow produces a warming effect, arouses cheerfulness, and stimulates mental activity. Bright, pure yellow is an attention-getter, which is the reason taxicabs are painted this color. In Celtic heraldry, yellow indicates honor, loyalty, and generosity. Using yellow evokes pleasant, cheerful feelings.
We must maintain a balance of colors to ensure all the College’s materials are consistent and pleasing to the eye.
Color ratios
Lyon College intentionally limits the amount of color to be used per page of document. Lyon Navy should be employed for large coverage areas such as book covers, banners, or folders. Crimson may also be used with the permission of the Marketing and Communications Office. Overuse of Crimson could result in Brand confusion—many in-state schools employe the use of Red hues as their primary color.

When using the official colors together, limit the use of Crimson to 30% per page, and Gold to 10%. Excess amounts of Crimson can result in a very warm, off-putting design and can easily be lost in the stack of other red-themed materials from other institutions within the state. Gold should be used only as an accent to highlight certain elements in a design.
Size and Space Requirements
Give it room
We want our brand to stand out and be noticed. So we don't crowd it. We give it space and allow it to breathe. By allowing sufficient "clear space" around it, we help ensure that our brand is both visible and legible. When displaying brand marks, the following guidelines apply.


Show it respect
We're proud of our brand, so we treat it with respect.
When displaying the brand marks, make sure it's legible, significant, and appropriate for the size of the communication. If the Brand Mark is too small, it loses its impact.
Sample Size of Communication |
Minimum Mark Width |
3.875" x 8.5" |
2.75" |
5.5" x 8.5" |
3.25" |
8.5" x 11" |
3.875" |
11" x 17"+ |
5"+ |
Typography
A consistent approach to typography reinforces the effectiveness of the Lyon College Visual Identity. With consistent use, these typefaces will create a strong and recognizable identity for Lyon College. Need a copy of a typeface? Email marketing@lyon.edu.
Bebas Neue Pro
Bebas Neue Pro is an excellent typeface for headlines. This typeface should never be used in paragraph form. Never use an ampersand in this typeface.






Montserrat
In limited circumstances, the Montesseratt type family may be used for small blocks of type, such as short paragraphs or headlines.



Playfair Display
Playfair Display is a modern serif typeface used primarily on lyon.edu. It can also be used for headlines on printed materials.

Roboto
Roboto is a sans serif type family that is legible in all print materials and especially on screen. Roboto should be used in conjunction with Times New Roman to avoid visual monotony—particularly in type-heavy publications. If, for instance, the body of a document is done in Times New Roman, Roboto should be used for headlines.



Times New Roman
Times New Roman is a serif typeface for use in printed documents such as correspondence, programs, offset printed brochures, posters, etc.

Script fonts should be used very sparingly, and only for highly formal, particularly conservative design pieces such as invitations, Christmas cards, very special announcements, and certificates. You must consult with the Office of Marketing and Communications about selecting an appropriate script typeface before any work is done.
For select events and advertising campaigns, other typefaces may be considered. Again, you must consult with the Office of Marketing and Communications prior to beginning the design process.
In general, you should never use more than two different typefaces in a single document.
Background Contrast
Making sure that the Brand registers and has impact is not just a function of its size or color. The background upon which it’s placed also plays a role. Having enough contrast between the Lyon Brand Mark and the background is important.
On white or light backgrounds, the Lyon Brand Mark should be printed in Navy with Crimson trim.
When a limited color palette prevents this, the Lyon Brand Mark may be printed in black on white or reversed to white on solid color background.
On backgrounds of medium/dark value, you may print in Lyon Crimson with white trim, Lyon Navy with white trim or reverse to white, depending on the contrast. Again, the goal is to make sure the Lyon Brand Mark stands out.



Stationery

Three versions of the College stationery are available, depending on the department in which you work: Administrative/Academic, President's Office, and Athletics. College letterhead, notecards, envelopes, and business cards are available through the College's printshop. To order some for your department, please email printshop@lyon.edu. Digital versions of college letterhead are available for download in the Brand Toolbox.
Email Signature
Please use the Lyon Brand Mark, along with your name, title, department, office location, and phone number in your email signature. Some offices may need to include privacy statements. All other information should be avoided. Information Services can help deploy an updated email signature. Email them at support@lyon.edu.
Social Media
For department or team owned social media accounts, please use the provided signature as your profile picture. Any other art element could be confused with the College's official brand pages.
Helpful Do's and Don'ts
Navigating a brand like ours—in all of its applications, across multiple entities, in several different mediums, directed to so many diverse audiences—requires clear, concise guidelines.
We have a unified Brand Identity that represents Lyon to the world. The Lyon Brand Mark is the centerpiece. Everything is designed to flow from it. Every application is designed to align with it. And every piece of communication is strengthened through its consistent use.
As you prepare to communicate on behalf of Lyon, ask yourself: “Is this consistent with the way the brand should be experienced?” If you’re unsure, stop and ask.
In the meantime, here are some helpful “Dos and Don’ts.”
Do...
- DO incorporate the Lyon Brand Mark in all college communications in accordance with the College Brand Standards.
- DO use the Official Brand Colors, being careful to match according to different printing results on different papers or other mediums.
- DO make sure that the Lyon Brand Mark is displayed at a size and positioned in a location that ensures it’s both visible and legible.
- DO download the Lyon Brand Mark pre-configured and ready for implementation from the Brand Toolbox.
- DO download and apply the pre-configured Official Brand Signature that represents your specific division, department, office, team or entity.
- DO follow the guides for proper display of the Lyon Brand Mark on various backgrounds
- DO explore the design color options available to add variety and impact to your communications.
Don't...
- DON’T alter the Lyon Brand Mark in any way.
- DON’T try to recreate any part of any logo or wordmark, as they form a customized registered brand that cannot be duplicated with ordinary type.
- DON’T change the proportions, skew, stretch, rotate, crop, blur, screen back or in any other way distort the appearance of the brand marks.
- DON’T try to incorporate or combine the brand marks or any of its parts with any other mark, symbol or graphic.
- DON’T rotate or render the Lyon Brand Mark or any of the aligned Official Brand Signatures three-dimensionally.
- DON’T add words, images or any other elements to the brand marks beyond those designated in the Official Brand Signatures.
- DON’T modify the size or position relationship of any element within the Official Brand Signatures.
- DON’T alter the Official Brand Colors.
- DON’T hesitate to reach out with any questions or issues. Contact the Office Marketing and Communications (marketing@lyon.edu). We’re glad to help.
Legacy Marks
All new purchases should include the current suite of Lyon Brand Marks. The uses of the following Legacy marks will be completely phased out by July 1, 2022.
