Office of Communications Graphic & Digital Design

The Office of Communications design team provides a variety of creative services for the College. We design graphics, posters, webpages, animations, video title slides, signage, all variety of merchandise, and more. We also work with vendors, outside agencies and freelancers, as well as coordinate printing with both on- and off-campus vendors.

Whether you’re aiming to promote an existing event or initiative, or you have a brand new idea but don’t know where to start, we can help you conceptualize and may be able to design materials that communicate your ideas to our campus community (and beyond) from start to finish. The design process starts with developing a basic communications strategy and creative brief that will clarify the goals of your project and help ensure that your message reaches its intended audience successfully and effectively. With that in mind, please contact us as early as possible in the development of your project.

Visual Identity

Amherst College’s Visual Identity Toolkit (VIT) includes official logos, typefaces, wordmarks, and colors, along with specifications for use. Adhering to the VIT ensures that the College’s visual identity remains strong and cohesive across its many applications, reinforcing the connections and importance of its many departments, offices, and groups. Before beginning any design project, review and familiarize yourself with the VIT and then contact the Office of Communications with any questions related to your specific project. 

Design projects that will be shared with broad audiences (internal and/or external) must follow the VIT specifications, including our official brand typefaces and color palettes, and be produced collaboratively with the design team. Projects that are targeted to smaller, on-campus audiences may be allowed a slightly less strict adherence to the VIT after consulting with Communications. Current students, faculty, and staff are able to download assets from the VIT directly. All others—outside vendors, alumni, and families—must request specific graphics through our request form.

How We Prioritize Projects

In order to meet the demand, we provide various levels of service. We prioritize projects that engage the broadest possible audience base (e.g., Orientation, Commencement, Reunion) by working directly with offices and departments to design all of the pieces needed for a particular event or campaign. For more targeted requests (e.g., one-time campus events, guest speakers, affinity-based programming), we consult with offices and departments to determine what materials are needed. If we are not able to prioritize your project, we will provide design templates, feedback on designs developed in-house, or recommend and collaborate with an outside designer or agency. 

Working with Outside Designers

If you are considering using an outside designer, you must contact the Office of Communications first. Once an outside designer is chosen, we can help you develop a creative brief to guide the project and provide the vendor with our brand assets to help ensure a successful start. We will give the vendor appropriate feedback and guidance throughout the design process to ensure that their work adheres to the College’s visual identity.

Have a question? Email us at commassets@amherst.edu.