Brand Information
The UCLA Health brand
UCLA Health has many different audiences: patients and their families, physicians, healthcare providers, staff, students, alumni, public servants and the community in Los Angeles, in California, and around the world. Our brand is what these audiences think, feel and respond to when they see or hear the name UCLA Health.
Because UCLA Health is connected to an outstanding university, our identity is enhanced by the growth of the UCLA university brand.
- Clinical care
- Teaching research/discovery
- Community engagement
We have the opportunity and responsibility to shape perceptions of UCLA Health by the consistency and clarity of our communications.
One of the ways we ensure consistency is by registering and trademarking our brand name, UCLA Health. We use an ® with the trademark either upon first mention of the mark, in the most prominent use of the mark, or both.
Below, you can find more information on:
Brand Protection
For those of us who work at UCLA Health, our brand is an everyday thing. Sometimes we forget that the UCLA Health names and marks are assets of great value. To protect UCLA Health’s reputation and legal rights, all employees need a basic understanding of brand protection.
Using UCLA Health’s names and marks
State, federal and international law protect UCLA and UCLA Health’s trademarks, registered and unregistered. University and campus policy spells out the proper use of names and marks.
The employees of UCLA Health have a right (and responsibility) to use the proper UCLA Health marks on the print, video and online materials they create to conduct the business of the health system, but campus units must still exercise caution.
Outside of UCLA Health, trademarks cannot be used without first obtaining written permission from the trademark owner and must otherwise comply with our brand protection policies: 110, 411 and 863.
Here’s an example: Let’s say a department wants to show its support for a nonprofit organization by co-sponsoring an event and putting a UCLA Health logo on the program or website. That’s a “third-party” use and requires permission. Or perhaps you want to print t-shirts or promotional items for a recruitment effort. Those require the use of a licensed vendor, even if the items are given away rather than sold.
Brand guidelines define how UCLA and UCLA Health marks should be used — but only for approved uses. To find out if permission is needed for a specific use, and to start the review process, use the Administrative Vice Chancellor’s site: .
There are three UCLA policies relevant to the proper use of the UCLA and UCLA Health brand: 110, 411 and 863.
Important Reminders
- UCLA Health® is a registered trademark and can only be used by third parties with written permission.
- Don’t tinker: Designers should not modify brand colors, web components, templates, etc. Both brand consistency and accessibility depend on using the materials as provided.
- Clean house: Discard old logos and templates, and update websites, videos, presentations and publications to be consistent with brand guidelines and to meet or surpass accessibility standards.
Policies
Policy 110 — Names, seals and trademarks
You’re working on a project with researchers from other health systems. “Let’s feature all our logos on the project website,” a colleague suggests. Can you send the UCLA Health logo?
Not without permission, because UCLA Health is a registered trademark. “Third-party use” includes use by an individual, a corporation, a nonprofit or a government agency — by any entity that isn’t UCLA Health, UCLA or the University of California.
Permission is more likely to be granted if the proposed web page clearly states UCLA Health’s role in the research and presents our logo appropriately sized and with enough clear space to separate it from other logos.
Policy 110 spells out the restrictions on the use of UCLA Health and UCLA’s names, seals and trademarks by individuals, groups, and third parties.
Policy 411 — UCLA Health domain names
Policy 411 applies Policy 110 to web and electronic services, recognizing the importance of our online presence to the UCLA Health brand.
Consider this example: Your boss is in a hurry to launch a website, so you use your credit card to register a domain name for uclagreatidea.org. You’re a hero, right?
Maybe not. Because the name “UCLA Health” is a registered trademark, any domain name that includes the health system’s name must be registered to the Regents, not to an individual. You can list yourself as the Admin Contact or the Tech Contact, but not the Registrant.
Consult Policy 411 for the right way to register a domain name, whether it’s in the uclahealth.org domain or a top-level domain other than “.org.” Domain name approvals can be submitted through .
Policy 863 — Filming and photography
Policy 863 recognizes the importance of still and moving images to UCLA Health’s identity and brand. In some contexts, a photo of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center says “UCLA Health” as clearly as a logo.
Your department is updating its publications and website, so you hire a photographer to take photos around one of our hospital’s campuses. “Just go take pictures,” you say.
Not so fast. Even photography for internal use by departments and units may require a permit. Unless you stay entirely inside your own facility for the photography, you need to contact the Events Office.
The Events Office also coordinates the logistics for commercial filming and photography on campus, making sure that scheduled events and academic programming aren’t interrupted. Access to iconic locations is limited.
Accessibility
Part of being a health system is being inclusive. That’s the central tenet of accessibility: to fully include everyone who engages with UCLA Health. Accessibility is an important mindset for anyone working on UCLA Health communications.
UCLA Health’s commitment
Accessibility is not optional. UCLA Health receives federal, state and local funding. That means both Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) apply to our facilities.
How it affects our work
Many of the changes to the UCLA Health Brand Guidelines introduced in 2018 are based on accessibility needs and ADA compliance. Colors and fonts are not simply esthetic decisions; they are important to usability. In this era of new communications trends and platforms, we must be mindful of accessibility across a wide range of media.
UCLA Health color specifications were modified to improve color contrast, especially for headlines and text. This change makes print and online materials more legible. Brand fonts were also updated. Helvetica, known for readability, is now the core font for online use. Department logos (sometimes called unit signatures or lockups) were re-designed for increased legibility and ease of use.