High-impact, consistent communications and marketing aid in building the reputation and awareness of Rensselaer with key audiences. The Office of Strategic Communications and External Relations (SCER) is charged with ensuring that all schools and portfolios adhere to standards that promote and protect Institute identity. SCER staff play an enabling role in the Institute wide goals and commitment themes found within The Rensselaer Plan 2024 and are a central resource for all Institute-related communications and promotions, serving clients with compelling, creative, strategic, and supportive communications in a variety of media that conform to brand standards.

To help “tell the story” of Rensselaer and The New Polytechnic, SCER has launched a new website that includes a variety of resources to aid faculty and staff in elevating the local, national, and global reputation of Rensselaer.

“The new site includes both a summary of the functions within the portfolio as well as useful resources for the Rensselaer community,” said Allison Newman, associate vice president for external relations and administration. “For example, on the News and Editorial page of the site, we have included information for journalists, and also how Rensselaer community members can submit a story idea. Current federal and state lobbying policies are included on the Government and Community Relations page.”

The Web design process, content standards for Rensselaer websites, and social media resource information are also available on the new site, according to Daria Robbins, acting manager of web communications.

“The Department of University Events is the central source of information for campus events,” said Peter Grimm, director of university events. “Planning, managing, and implementing events for internal and external audiences can be challenging for individual portfolio staff members. Through a custom, internally developed event planning tool called RoGERS (Rensselaer online Guide to Events, Resources, and Services), we will be providing a comprehensive resource for campus event planners to find the right location, with the right services, and the right amenities, to hold events on our campuses.”

RoGERS will be available mid-July and was developed through the combined efforts of Lulleen Lamar, Institutional Advancement, Peter Grimm, University Events, and Evelyn Smith and her team from MultiMedia Services, in concert with SCER.

“Attaining brand recognition requires consistency and diligence, and to that end, we have updated the Institute’s Brand Style Guidelines to include graphic standards, licensing and trademark rules, and a downloadable PowerPoint template,” said Diane Piester, director of creative services.

Development of the brand guidelines began in the fall. The online guide includes sections on logo usage and requirements, registered marks and trademark usage procedures, and style elements such as typefaces for official documents, acceptable colors, and editorial style.

Graphic Designer and Trademark Licensing Manager Kristen Zarzycki, who has been instrumental in the development of the guidelines, says that the guide answers a lot of questions people have been asking about the logos, colors, and branding. “This is meant to be a tool to help people use and communicate our brand,” she said. “And it clearly illustrates some examples of how to use the brand elements and how not to use them.”

The Brand Style Guidelines and the other resources on the site are meant to help the Rensselaer community effectively and consistently tell the story of Rensselaer to build knowledge, foster understanding, and generate support for the many ways in which Institute students, faculty, alumnae, alumni, and staff are changing the world. The guidelines will evolve as the brand grows and additional resources will be added as needed, according to Tracey Leibach, director of periodicals and editorial content.