Brand Usage Guides
We've created a number of resources and guides to help you implement IDEA's visual identity and content strategy.
Brand Platform
Our brand platform provides us with a common language that describes who the alliance is and what we value. The words in our brand platform help us differentiate ourselves and have become the foundation for our content strategy. All of the resources and tools in the branding toolkit were developed using the brand platform.
Style Guide
This document provides guidelines and specifications for how to use IDEA's new visual identity. The style guide includes:
- Stacked and horizontal logo variations
- Examples of how not to use the logo
- Color palette and typography
Guide: How to Explain IDEA
Explaining what IDEA is and how it works can be tricky. This guide provides numerous options to help you find the content that works best for specific situations. You can copy and paste just as they're written, or mix and match to create your own. Use this content on web pages, syllabi, recruitment materials, within presentations, or in emails. Download the How to Explain IDEA Guide, or copy and paste from the excerpts provided on this page.
The What, How, Why
The Innovative Digital Education Alliance (IDEA) is a consortium of reputable universities that offer online, flexible, affordable programs for a virtual community of individuals from diverse backgrounds. Each university brings a unique strength in faculty and curriculum to the multi-institution program.
Students choose a home university where they apply, are admitted, register for courses, and receive their degree. Online courses are taught by the best faculty in each discipline from several universities. Students pay one common price per credit hour regardless of which university is their degree-granting institution.
Sell the Learner Benefits and Then Explain It
As a student in [UNIVERSITY]'s [PROGRAM] program, you will achieve your personal and professional goals through convenient, flexible, high-quality coursework you can complete anytime, anywhere. You will learn from expert faculty who bring real-life experience to the coursework and are committed to helping you transition your learning beyond the online classroom into your career.
The [PROGRAM] is part of a consortium of universities that are connected through IDEA. While [UNIVESRITY] is your home university where you will apply, register for courses, and receive your diploma, you'll benefit from the diverse perspectives and unique strengths brought by classmates and expert faculty at partner universities.
Sell the Multi-Institutional Aspect and Then Explain It
[UNIVERSITY] is a member of the IDEA, which offers you a unique chance to take classes from multiple, high-quality universities. Expand your professional network by collaborating with classmates and expert faculty from across the country who bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the coursework.
With [UNIVERSITY] as your home, you will have access to expert faculty and curriculum from partner universities. This collaborative approach to sharing resources allows you to earn a degree through convenient, flexible, high-quality coursework you can complete anytime, anywhere.
Other Examples That Highlight Our Competitive Advantage
You can use content from our brand platform to highlight our competitive advantages that uniquely position IDEA and your university to provide learners with the best educational experience. Use the following examples as they're written or combine them with university branding elements to create a co-branded message.
Affordable Education: IDEA offers a single, affordable price per credit hour, eliminating out-of-state or distance delivery fees. This streamlined pricing system eliminates confusion, enabling you to confidently build a program that aligns with your schedule and goals. Learn more about costs.
Reputable Programs: Our academic programs, offered collaboratively by member universities, provide quality online education to students of diverse backgrounds. Taking classes from multiple universities enhances access to a variety of programs aligned with your interests and career goals. Explore the IDEA member universities that are shaping the future of education. Find your program of interest.
Flexible Learning: IDEA provides fully online master's, bachelor's, and certificate programs, allowing you to seamlessly manage your education alongside work and home commitments. Choose from a variety of universities offering courses to tailor a personalized learning experience based on your interests and goals. Build your schedule with our course planner.
Qualified Faculty: Our renowned faculty bring diverse real-world experiences and advanced knowledge of their field of study. They understand the unique needs of adult online learners and will work diligently with you throughout the way to help ensure your success. Meet the IDEA faculty.
Download the How to Explain IDEA Guide
How It Works VideoThis 90-second video is available on the IDEA YouTube Channel. Faculty and staff at member universities are welcome to embed it on webpages, share it in emails, include it in orientations, or any other use that helps explain how IDEA works.
Guide: Creating Testimonials
Whether creating your own testimonial or asking a student or alumni to provide one, we’ve compiled a list of potential questions to ensure that the message shared is what prospective students are looking for when researching programs. A best practice is to stick to one or two topics at a time.
Examples of Questions
For Students & Alumni
- In your opinion, what makes IDEA unique? How does IDEA benefit students differently than other programs?
- Explain why you decided to (or needed to) pursue continuing education and what about this IDEA program led you to choose it over other programs you were researching.
For Faculty & Staff
- What advice would you give to students about how to be successful in your program?
- How will students use what they learn in your class/program after graduation?
Download the guide for more questions
Email Templates to Guide Communication
Not sure how to ask a student if they would provide a testimonial? We have email templates to help guide your communication, including:
- Email 1: The invitation to provide a testimonial
- Email 2: Find a time to record and share examples of other testimonials
- Email 3: Schedule a time and share sample questions
Download the Guide to Access the Templates
Looking for inspiration to record your own testimonial? The IDEA YouTube Channel contains over 50 video testimonials from students, alumni, faculty, and staff.
Checklist: Critical Content for Your Website
This checklist includes the 10 most important pieces of information for your website based on what adult learners are searching for in potential programs. Faculty and staff can use this resource – if you have access to edit your program’s web pages – or can be shared with webmasters, office admins, or student employees who may work on your web pages.
Checklist: Updating the IDEA Name and Logo
This checklist helps faculty and staff think through all of the potential places they may need to update IDEA's new name and visual identity at their university. A few items on the checklist include webpages, course descriptions and syllabi, handbooks, email signature blocks, and the Graduate School.
Have you thought of something we missed? Let us know and we will add it to the checklist so others are sure to see it.
- Expand All
