Communication Standards Manual - Medical Center Intranet

MUSC 

Communication 

STANDARDS 

Changing What’s Possible 

Updated, December 2011

Symbolism 

of the Sail 

Familiar logos are not read as words, but processed by the brain 

visually, evoking a complex set of associations much more 

powerful than words. In this way, MUSC’s new graphic icon 

reflects the positive attributes and aspirations of the entire 

organization. 

Inspired by the curved facade of the Ashley River Tower, the new 

graphic icon represents the future direction of MUSC. 

“The Ashley River Tower is not just a new hospital – it is a 

compelling expression of what we aspire to be as an institution. 

It embraces all of our missions and presents them in a beautiful 

environment that can showcase the dedication and talent of all 

who work here.” 

Raymond S. Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D. 

President, Medical University of South Carolina

MUSC Communication 

Standards Manual 

Introduction 

The Medical University of South Carolina Communication Standards 

manual has been created as a guide for use of the MUSC, MUSC Health, 

Children’s Hospital and MUSC Physicians brand names and logos to ensure 

that a consistent visual image is presented to patients, families, students, 

vendors, physicians, staff members, the community and other stakeholders. 

Contents: 

4 

Branding 

32 

Letterhead specifications 

5 

Logo Policy 

46 

Envelope specifications 

7 

MUSC University logo 

50 

Available assistance 

10 

13 

16 

19 

23 

24 

26 

College logos 

MUSC Health logo 

Clinical logos 

MUSC Physicians logo 

Children's Hospital logo 

Clear space requirements 

Business card specifications 

52 

54 

56 

58 

60 

62 

Unauthorized/unacceptable 

applications of the logo 

Sample letter 

Presentation slides 

Writing style guide 

Photography standards 

Video standards 

musc.edu/communicationstandards 

3

MUSC IMAGE 

It is vitally important that all MUSC departments, service lines, colleges, centers 

and programs be presented under one common identity or image. Maintaining a 

singular brand allows all areas to benefit from the promotion of the corporation 

as a whole, as well as promotion of individual. 

BRANDING 

So…what exactly is a brand Let’s talk about breakfast. Corn Flakes® is a product. 

Kellogg’s® is a brand. In the universe of Corn Flakes lovers, most buy Kellogg’s Corn 

Flakes. They will, if necessary, go out of their way to find them, they will pay more 

for them, and they will swear they taste better. 

Why Because for many years Kellogg’s has promised good Corn Flakes and 

delivered on that promise. Are Kellogg’s Corn Flakes really better It doesn’t matter. 

What does matter is that, in the minds of consumers, Kellogg’s evokes feelings of 

reliability, quality and consistency. The assumption is: If I buy Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, 

I know what I’ll get; if I buy no-name corn flakes, I’m not sure what I’ll get. And 

branding is not just for breakfast. People don’t buy sneakers, they buy Nike®; they 

don’t buy blue jeans, they buy Levis®; they don’t buy cola, they buy Coke®. A product 

is a thing. Even a service is, in a sense, a thing. A brand, on the other hand, is an 

idea…a promise…it is what your company stands for in the minds of consumers. 

A brand cannot change your product. But it can change the public’s perception of 

your product. 

The goal of branding — no matter whether the brand belongs to a breakfast cereal, 

basketball shoes, an automobile line or a health care provider — is to create an 

automatic association between the brand name and a positive value. Making the 

association happen in the minds of our audience requires two key ingredients: 

consistency and repetition. As the most prevalent signature of our institution, the 

MUSC logo is the premier instrument for communicating our brand. It is the 

singular element that unites and represents our institution, and its proper use — 

every time it is used — is fundamental to that representation. The use of a consistent 

logo and theme for every application from print ads to stationery to employee 

badges can mean the difference between leveraging the brand for maximum impact 

and diluting the brand, leaving our audience with no unifying idea of who or what 

we are. Thus, we become less than the sum of our parts. 

Building a brand takes consistency and it takes time. Maintaining the integrity 

of that brand and leveraging it for its maximum benefit requires discipline and 

diligence. It isn’t a marketing event, but a broad on-going process. And the more 

carefully we manage and guide the process, the more successful it will be. 

4 MUSC Communication Standards

LOGO POLICY 

MUSC is quickly becoming known as one of the country’s finest academic medical 

centers. In order to accurately reflect MUSC’s current — and future — stature 

on a local, regional and national scale, a new family of logos has been created. To 

further enhance the MUSC image and promote easier recall of the logo, a readily 

identifiable graphic icon has been added. The new graphic icon should never be 

used alone, i.e., without the MUSC logotype, and should never be re-created or 

altered in any way. 

The MUSC university logo serves as the overall corporate logo, as well as the main 

logo for academic and research-oriented systems. The MUSC Health logo should be 

used to represent all clinical services. 

The university seal is reserved for use as an insignia on stationery for the Office 

of the President, on diplomas and on graduation rings. It is the graphic standards 

policy of MUSC that all departments, colleges and programs use the MUSC logo 

on all collateral material. No other logo, visual or typeface is acceptable for MUSC 

facilities, programs and products other than the formats outlined in this manual. 

Please note, MUSC Children’s Hospital has its own conforming logo. The Children’s 

Hospital logo is a specialized logo to be used exclusively by Children’s Hospital and 

other MUSC children’s health-related services. 

This policy is current. No surplus printed materials with old logos or identities 

should be in use. Preprinted material with old logos, including business cards, 

letterhead, envelopes and brochures should be discarded, recycled and replaced 

with materials incorporating the current logo. 


5


MUSC UNIVERSITY LOGO 

This logo is designed for use by MUSC areas associated with academics and 

research, such as the various colleges and student publications, as well as areas 

funded by research dollars. Areas that focus on clinical trials may use the university 

logo, the MUSC Health logo or a service line logo. The university logo replaces the 

seal previously used for the academic and research portions of the university system. 

MUSC UNIVERSITY LOGO SPECIFICATIONS 

The MUSC university logo is made up of two parts, the graphic icon and MUSC 

in the Adobe Garamond Pro typeface. Whenever possible, the MUSC logo should 

appear in 1-color (Pantone® 2955) on a white or light background. The logotype 

is always Adobe Garamond Pro, Bold, all caps, 70 tracking, with optical custom 

kerning (in thousandth of an em). 

Care should be taken to carefully match this color, regardless of the method of 

printing or inks used. If the application is 4-color process printing, please use 

applicable logo for process color. Do not convert the 1-color (Pantone® 2955) logo 

to process ink within native file applications as this would create different gradient 

screen color effects from the approved 4-color process version. Each portion of the 

1-color logo should appear exactly as shown on page 6. When it is cost-prohibitive 

or technically impossible to print the logo in Pantone® 2955, the logo can appear 

in black. It may also be reversed to white from a dark background, illustration or 

photograph provided that the background is dark enough to allow the logo to be 

read clearly. 


7

APPROVED VERSIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY LOGO 

Color Logo (General) - This is the preferred logo 

for representing the entire organization to a general 

audience, which may be local, regional or national. 

The color is Pantone® 2955. 

CMYK: 100-c 45-m 0-y 37-k RGB: 0-r 82-g 136 b 

Black & White Logo (General) - This is the preferred 

black and white logo for representing the entire 

organization to a general audience, which may be local, 

regional or national. 

Reversed Out Logo (General) - This is the preferred 

logo for dark background applications when 

representing the entire organization to a general 

audience, which may be local, regional or national. 

Solid Logo (General) - This is the preferred logo for 

embroidery, etching, engraving and small specialty item 

applications where a more simplified version of the 

logo - i.e., without the gradient - is needed. This logo 

should be used for such applications when representing 

the entire organization to a general audience, which 

may be local, regional or national. 


Color Logo (Local) - This logo may be used for 

representing the entire organization to a local or 

internal audience. The color is Pantone® 2955. 


Black & White Logo (Local) - This is the preferred 

black and white logo for representing the entire 

organization to a local or internal audience. 

Reversed Out Logo (Local) - This is the preferred logo 

for dark background applications when representing the 

entire organization to a local or internal audience. 

Solid Logo (Local) - This is the preferred logo for 

embroidery, etching, engraving and small specialty item 

applications where a more simplified version of the 

logo - i.e., without the gradient - is needed. This logo 

should be used for such applications when representing 

the entire organization to a local or internal audience. 


9

COLLEGE LOGOS 

MUSC’s six colleges are branded under the basic university logo. The name of the 

college should appear in the Adobe Garamond Pro typeface, centered and in all 

caps under the graphic icon and MUSC typeface. These logos are available in color, 

black and white and reversed out. A simplified solid version is also available for 

embroidery, etching, engraving and small specialty items. 

APPROVED VERSIONS OF THE COLLEGE LOGOS 



11


MUSC HEALTH LOGO 

Encompassing the entire clinical enterprise, the MUSC Health brand was developed 

to distinguish MUSC’s patient care services and make them more accessible to 

patients. Accordingly, all logos for the clinical departments, services lines and 

centers of excellence fall under the MUSC Health umbrella. 

MUSC HEALTH LOGO SPECIFICATIONS 

The MUSC Health logo is made up of two parts, the graphic icon and MUSC 

Health in the Adobe Garamond Pro typeface. Whenever possible, the MUSC Health 

logo should appear in 1-color (Pantone® 2955) on a white or light background. 

Care should be taken to match these colors, regardless of the printing method or 

the inks used. If the application is 4-color process printing, please use applicable 

logo for process color. Do not convert the 1-color (Pantone® 2955) logo to process 

ink within native file applications as this would create different gradient screen 

color effects from the approved 4-color process version. Each portion of the 1-color 

logo should appear exactly as shown on page 12. When it is cost-prohibitive or 

technically impossible to print the logo in color, the logo can appear in black and 

white. It also may be reversed to white from a dark background, illustration or 

photograph, provided that the background is dark enough to allow the type and the 

mark to be clearly read. 


13

APPROVED VERSIONS OF THE MUSC HEALTH LOGO 

Color Logo (General) - This is the preferred logo for representing the clinical 

enterprise to a general audience, which may be local, regional or national. 



Black & White Logo (General) - This is the preferred black and white logo for 

representing the clinical enterprise to a general audience, which may be local, 


Reversed Out Logo (General) - This is the preferred logo for dark background 

applications when representing the clinical enterprise to a general audience, which 

may be local, regional or national. 

Solid Logo (General) - This is the preferred logo for embroidery, etching, engraving 

and small specialty item applications where a more simplified version of the logo - 

i.e., without the gradient - is needed. This logo should be used for such applications 

when representing the clinical enterprise to a general audience, which may be local, 



Color Logo (Local) - This logo may be used for representing the clinical enterprise 

to a local or internal audience. The color is Pantone® 2955. 


Black & White Logo (Local) - This is the preferred black and white logo for 

representing the clinical enterprise to a local or internal audience. 

Reversed Out Logo (Local) - This is the preferred logo for dark background 

applications when representing the clinical enterprise to a local or internal audience. 

Solid Logo (Local) - This is the preferred logo for embroidery, etching, engraving 



when representing the clinical enterprise to a local or internal audience. 


15

CLINICAL LOGOS 

Any area of the organization that participates in patient care or is otherwise 

considered part of the clinical enterprise falls under the MUSC Health brand. 

Accordingly, all clinical service line and department logos are branded with MUSC 

Health. The name of the service should appear centered in all caps and in the Adobe 

Garamond Pro typeface beneath the words MUSC Health. These logos are available 

in color, black and white and reversed out. A simplified solid version is also available 

for embroidery, etching, engraving and small specialty items. 

EXAMPLES 



17


MUSC PHYSICIANS LOGO 

MUSC Physicians, formerly known as University Medical Associates, is the 

MUSC physician practice plan with a membership of MUSC faculty physicians. 

MUSC Physicians provide services ranging from prevention and wellness to highly 

specialized care at outpatient clinics and facilities both on the MUSC campus and 

extending into the community. This logo is used to replace University Medical 

Associates. 

MUSC PHYSICIANS LOGO SPECIFICATIONS 

The MUSC Physicians logo is made up of two parts, the graphic icon and 

MUSC Physicians in the Adobe Garamond Pro typeface. Whenever possible, the 

MUSC Physicians logo should appear in 1-color (Pantone® 2955) on a white or 

light background. 

Care should be taken to match these colors, regardless of the printing method or 

the inks used. If the application is 4-color process printing, please use applicable 

logo for process color. Do not convert the 1-color (Pantone® 2955) logo to process 

ink within native file applications as this would create different gradient screen 

color effects from the approved 4-color process version. Each portion of the 1-color 

logo should appear exactly as shown on page 18. When it is cost-prohibitive or 

technically impossible to print the logo in color, the logo can appear in black and 

white. It also may be reversed to white from a dark background, illustration or 

photograph, provided that the background is dark enough to allow the type and the 

mark to be clearly read. 


19

APPROVED VERSIONS OF THE MUSC PHYSICIANS LOGO 

Color Logo (General) - This is the preferred logo for representing the physicians 

enterprise to a general audience, which may be local, regional or national. 



Black & White Logo (General) - This is the preferred black and white logo for 

representing the physicians enterprise to a general audience, which may be local, 


Reversed Out Logo (General) - This is the preferred logo for dark background 

applications when representing the physicians enterprise to a general audience, 

which may be local, regional or national. 

Solid Logo (General) - This is the preferred logo for embroidery, etching, engraving 



when representing the physicians enterprise to a general audience, which may be 

local, regional or national. 


Color Logo (Local) - This logo may be used for representing the physicians enterprise 

to a local or internal audience. The color is Pantone® 2955. 


Black & White Logo (Local) - This is the preferred black and white logo for 

representing the physicians enterprise to a local or internal audience. 

Reversed Out Logo (Local) - This is the preferred logo for dark background 

applications when representing the physicians enterprise to a local or internal audience. 

Solid Logo (Local) - This is the preferred logo for embroidery, etching, engraving 

and small specialty item applications where a more simplified version of the logo - i.e., 

without the gradient - is needed. This logo should be used for such applications when 

representing the physicians enterprise to a local or internal audience. 


21


MUSC CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL LOGO 

MUSC Children’s Hospital logo is a specialized logo to be used exclusively by MUSC Children’s 

Hospital and other MUSC children’s health-related services. 4-color process, black or Pantone® 

Reflex Blue are strongly preferred. 

Whenever possible, MUSC Children’s Hospital logo should appear in 4-color process. Otherwise, 

only solid black should be used. A nonstandard color is permitted only when printed material is in 

a single color, such as in some newspaper advertisements. The logo may also be reversed to white 

from a dark background, illustration or photograph, provided that the background is dark enough 

to allow the logo to be read clearly. 

The image of the child in the logo is not to be used in any other form except within the context of 

the approved logo and under certain approved uses. 

APPROVED VERSIONS OF THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL LOGO 

Color Logo (General) - This is the preferred logo for 

representing Children's Hospital to a general audience, 

which may be local, regional or national. The logo has 

been created with 7 colors. Reproduce color in RGB 

and/or 4-color process screen builds. 

Black & White Logo (General) - This is the preferred 

black and white logo for representing Children's 

Hospital to a general audience, which may be local, 


Reversed Out Logo (General) - This is the preferred 

logo for dark background applications when representing 

Children's Hospital to a general audience. 


23

x = clear space measurement 





LOGO CLEAR SPACE REQUIREMENTS 

Clear areas or control margins have been established for the MUSC, MUSC Health, 

MUSC Physicians and MUSC Children's Hospital logos should be maintained 

around the logos in all reproductions. The clear area around a logo should always be 

equal to the height of the MUSC logotype (page 18). 

The MUSC, MUSC Health, MUSC Physicians and Children's Hospital logos 

should never be enclosed within any graphic shape or border for the purpose of 

enclosure or reversing, as this would be mistaken as part of the identity. Printing 

the logo over a coarse screen or highly textured background is discouraged, as it 

might impede readability. Care should be taken when using other graphic shapes 

or elements near to or in conjunction with the MUSC, MUSC Health, MUSC 

Physicians and Children's Hospital logos. It is important that no other elements are 

perceived to be a part of the logos. 


25

MUSC BUSINESS CARD SPECIFICATIONS 

Standard University Business Card* 

Printing specs 

Stock: Strathmore Script, Ultimate White Smooth, 100 Cover 

Printing Method: Offset Lithography 

Size: 3.5" x 2" horizontal business card 

Ink colors: Pantone® 2955 Blue 

Special Directions: Print front and back. The back of the business card, a 

gradient background design, prints Pantone® 2955 Blue. The type is reversed. 

*The business card is shown at 100 percent. 


8/9 pt. Adobe Garamond Pro Italic 

caps and lower case 

optical tracking, no kerning 

paragraph: 0.05 space before 

hard return 

John J. Sanders, DDS 

Dean 

Professor, Division of Periodontics 

cdmdean@musc.edu 

College of Dental Medicine 

Office of the Dean 

173 Ashley Avenue BSB 447 

MSC 507 

Charleston SC 29425 

Tel 843-792-3811 

Fax 843-792-1376 

8/9 pt. Adobe Garamond Pro Bold 



8/9 pt. Adobe Garamond Pro Regular 



9.5 pt. Adobe Garamond Pro Bold 

all caps, 70 tracking, 

optical custom kerning 

(in thousandth of an em) 

9.5 pt. Adobe Garamond Pro Semi Bold 

lower case, optical custom kerning 



MUSC HEALTH BUSINESS CARD SPECIFICATIONS 

Standard Clinical Business Card* 




Size: 3.5" x 2” horizontal business card 


Special Directions: Print front and back. The back of the business card, a gradient 

background design, prints Pantone® 2955 Blue. The type is reversed. 




flush right, caps and lower case 





Medical Center 

169 Ashley Avenue 

MSC 507 


Tel 843-792-9537 

Fax 843-792-0762 

Patrick J. Cawley, M.D., FACP 

Executive Medical Director 

cawleypj@musc.edu 















27

MUSC HEALTH BUSINESS CARD SPECIFICATIONS 

Optional Clinical Business Card* 






Special Directions: Print front and back. The back of the business 

card, a gradient background design, prints Pantone® 2955 Blue. For 

consistency, the design stays the same, the color application has been 

lightened for the appointment information. The type is solid. 









National Crime Victims 

Research and Treatment Center 

165 Cannon Street 

MSC 852 


Tel 843-792-2945 

Fax 843-792-3388 

Alyssa A. Rheingold, Ph.D. 

Assistant Professor 

Licensed Clinical Psychologist 

rheingaa@musc.edu 

MUSChealth.com 








hard return 

Name____________________________________________ 

has an appointment 

with Dr. Therese Killeen, 

on_____________________at___________________o’clock 


Caps and lower case, 


7.5/10 pt. Adobe Garamond Pro Bold 




PLEASE NOTIFY US AS SOON AS POSSIBLE 

IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO KEEP THIS APPOINTMENT. 


MUSC BUSINESS CARD SPECIFICATIONS 

Standard College Business Card* 






Special Directions: Print front and back. The back of the business card, a 

gradient background design, prints Pantone® 2955 Blue. The type is reversed. 







hard return 

Gail W. Stuart, Ph.D. 

Dean and Professor 

cndean@musc.edu 


99 Jonathan Lucas Street 


Tel 843-792-3941 

Fax 843-792-0504 

musc.edu 















29

MUSC CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL BUSINESS CARD SPECIFICATIONS 

MUSC Children's Hospital Business Card* 





Ink colors: 4-color process 

Special Directions: Print front side only. 



flush right type, caps and lower case, 



flush left type, caps and lower case 



flush left type, caps and lower case 


MUSC Children's Hospital 

150 Ashley Avenue, 521 RTX 

MSC 332 


Meredith Strehle, FACHE 

Marketing & Service 

Excellence Manager 

Tel 843-792-2945 

Fax 843-792-3388 

strehle@musc.edu 

MUSCkids.com 


flush right type, caps and lower case 



flush right type, caps and lower case 



hard return 



31

MUSC LETTERHEAD SPECIFICATIONS 


Standard University Letterhead* 


Stock: Strathmore Script, Ultimate White Smooth, 70 Text 


Size: 8.5" x 11" letterhead; second sheets do not print. 

Ink colors: Pantone® 2955 Blue. 

*The letterhead is shown at 100 percent. 

The department name, address, fax and telephone numbers should be set in 8/9 

(point type over point leading) Adobe Garamond Pro, and should print in 

Pantone® 2955 blue. These elements should be positioned flush right 0.5 inch down 

from top trim edge and 0.5 inch from right trim edge. Only the department name 

should be bold. 

The EEOC statement should appear at the bottom center of the page, at 0.375 

inch from the bottom trim of the page. It should be set in Adobe Garamond Pro 

italic 8-point type. It should read as follows: 

“An equal opportunity employer, promoting workplace diversity.” 

The Web address should be positioned immediately after the street address and 

read as follows: musc.edu. 

Letterhead trim edge 




32

0.5 in. 




Office of Public Relations 

135 Cannon Street Suite 403 

MSC 836 


Tel 843-792-4107 

Fax 843-792-6723 

musc.edu 





hard return 

0.5 in. 

0.5 in. 


0.375 in.



Personalized University Letterhead* 







Personal letterhead – with a single name only – is reserved only for center directors, 

deans, department administrators, managers and directors, M.D.s, including those 

with emeritus standing, Ph.D.s, DDSs, DMDs and vice presidents. 


(point type over point leading) Adobe Garamond Pro, and should print in Pantone® 

2955 blue. These elements should be positioned flush right 0.5 inch down from 

top trim edge and 0.5 inch from right trim edge. Only the department name and 

personal names should be bold. 

The EEOC statement should appear at the bottom center of the page, at 0.375 inch 

from the bottom trim of the page. It should be set in Adobe Garamond Pro italic 

8-point type. It should read as follows: 


The Web address should be positioned immediately after the street address and read 

as follows: musc.edu. 





34

0.5 in. 







John J. Sanders, DDS 

Dean 

Professor, Division of Periodontics 

cdmdean@musc.edu 



173 Ashley Avenue BSB 447 

MSC 507 


Tel 843-792-3811 

Fax 843-792-1376 

musc.edu 





hard return 

0.5 in. 

0.5 in. 


0.375 in.



Standard College Letterhead* 

















read as follows: musc.edu. 





36

0.5 in. 





99 Jonathan Lucas Street 


Tel 843-792-3941 

Fax 843-792-0504 

musc.edu 





hard return 

0.5 in. 

0.5 in. 


0.375 in.

MUSC HEALTH LETTERHEAD SPECIFICATIONS 


Standard Clinical Letterhead* 









Pantone® 2955 blue. These elements should be positioned flush right 0.5 inches 

down from top trim edge and 0.5 inches from right trim edge. Only the 

department name should be bold. 






read as follows: MUSChealth.com. 





38

0.5 in. 




Business Development 

& Marketing Services 

135 Cannon Street Suite 402 

MSC 507 


Tel 843-792-7499 

Fax 843-792-9568 






hard return 

0.5 in. 

0.5 in. 


0.375 in.



Personalized Clinical Letterhead* 







Personal letterhead – with a single name only – is reserved only for center directors, 

deans, department administrators, managers and directors, M.D.s, including those 

with emeritus standing, Ph.D.s, D.D.S.s, D.M.D.s and vice presidents. 


(point type over point leading) Adobe Garamond Pro, and should print in Pantone® 

2955 blue. These elements should be positioned flush right 0.5 inch down from 

top trim edge and 0.5 inch from right trim edge. Only the department name and 

personal names should be bold. 

The EEOC statement should appear at the bottom center of the page, at 0.375 inch 

from the bottom trim of the page. It should be set in Adobe Garamond Pro italic 

8-point type. It should read as follows: 


The Web address should be positioned immediately after the street address and read 

as follows: MUSChealth.com. 





40

0.5 in. 







Patrick J. Cawley, M.D., FACP 

Executive Medical Director 

cawleypj@musc.edu 



MSC 332 


Tel 843-792-9537 

Fax 843-792-0762 






hard return 

0.5 in. 

0.5 in. 


0.375 in.



Standard Clinical Letterhead* 









Pantone® 2955 blue. These elements should be positioned flush right 0.5 inches 

down from top trim edge and 0.5 inches from right trim edge. Only the 

department name should be bold. 






read as follows: MUSChealth.com. 





42

0.5 in. 




Division of Cardiology 

135 Rutledge Avenue Suite 1201 

MSC 592 


Tel 843-792-3355 

Fax 843-792-7771 






hard return 

0.5 in. 

0.5 in. 


0.375 in.


MUSC CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL LETTERHEAD SPECIFICATIONS 

Standard Letterhead* 





Ink colors: 4-color process. 












read as follows: MUSCkids.com. 






0.5 in. 




MUSC Children's Hospital 

150 Ashley Avenue, 521 RTX 

MSC 332 


Tel 843-792-2945 

Fax 843-792-3388 

MUSCkids.com 





hard return 

0.5 in. 

0.5 in. 


0.375 in.

MUSC ENVELOPE SPECIFICATIONS 

Standard University Envelope* 

Printing Specs 



Size: No. 10 Business Envelopes 


*The envelope is shown at 100 percent. 







MSC 507 







47

MUSC HEALTH ENVELOPE SPECIFICATIONS 

Standard Clinical Envelope* 

Printing Specs 



Size: No. 10 Business Envelopes 


*The envelope is shown at 100 percent. 






MSC 332 







49

AVAILABLE ASSISTANCE 

MUSC Business Development and Marketing Services 

MUSC Business Development and Marketing Services Department is a specialized 

division devoted to market analysis, strategy and communications functions which 

market MUSC in the highly competitive and continuously changing health care 

industry. Marketing professionals are available to advise administrative offices, 

departments, faculty and staff in the planning, development and execution of 

strategic communications which enhance and increase awareness of MUSC brand; 

build collaborative relationships; and attract patients and businesses to MUSC 

services. There is no charge for consultative services when projects are not within the 

scope of service for the department. For assistance, call 843-792-6409. 

MUSC Public Relations 

MUSC has a wonderful story to tell, and the Office of Public Relations is responsible 

for conveying it to the university's staff, students, faculty and the general public. We 

do this, in part, by building awareness of MUSC's programs, policies, opportunities, 

achievements, and its mission of serving all South Carolinians through education, 

research and patient care. 

Media Relations: Our media relations staff can provide expertise and guidance 

in placing stories and reacting to media requests. If notified by the media, all 

MUSC-entities' staff are required to notify the media relations team and adhere to 

appropriate guidelines and protocols for working with the news media. 

All press releases from any MUSC entity must be approved through the Office of 

Public Relations, and a finalized, electronic copy must be given to the office for 

record-keeping. Contact information for the media relations team is located on the 

PR Team web page, musc.edu/pr/team 

All press must be accompanied by a Public Relations staff member when on campus. 

For more information on press protocols, visit: musc.edu/pr/visits The press release 

site: musc.edu/pr/press 


The Catalyst: The Catalyst is a weekly publication circulated on the MUSC campus 

and placed online with close to 1 million visits per month. It serves to cover the latest 

campus news for employees, students and faculty. To contact The Catalyst, emai: 

catalyst@musc.edu. 

To place an advertisement in The Catalyst, contact the paper's publisher, Island 

Publications, at 849-1778. The Catalyst staff does not handle the advertising rates 

or placement in the paper. Visit The Catalyst online at musc.edu/catalyst 

Broadcast messages: To place a message on the Broadcast email system, visit 

musc.edu/broadcast 

MUSC Art Services & Digital Imaging 

The MUSC Art Service & Digital Imaging office provides support to MUSC faculty 

and staff for special projects including illustration and graphic design for items such as 

exhibit layouts, tabletop exhibits, conference fliers, publications and other design needs. 

In-house graphic design services also are available to develop creative materials. There is 

a cost for production. For assistance, call 843-792-3000. 

Outside Vendors 

When going outside the MUSC system, it is important to choose design professionals 

and vendors familiar with the logos for creating and developing communications 

materials, advertising, signage, exhibits, interiors or any other materials not specifically 

covered in this manual. Local vendors can download logos and use this document for 

reference whenever they are providing graphic services for MUSC. The logos should 

never be recreated or altered by a vendor. 

Logos can be accessed at musc.edu/communicationstandards 


51

UNAUTHORIZED/UNACCEPTABLE APPLICATIONS OF THE LOGO 

Never use the graphic icon alone. Use it only with the approved 

logotype in the proper special relationship and proportion. 

Do not use the MUSC or MUSC logotype without the 

graphic icon. 

Do not tilt, angle or rotate a logo in relation to surrounding art or 

typographic elements. 

Never substitute typefaces or otherwise reconfigure the elements 

of a logo. (NOTE: All logos are composed of graphic art and are 

not composed of standard typeface. Never attempt to create an 

MUSC logo from scratch.) 

Never alter the height-to-width ratio or otherwise distort the shape 

or proportions of a logo. 

Do not add drop shadows or outlines to a logo. Observe the clear 

space requirements as set forth in this manual. 

Never add a frame or border to the logo. Do not allow elements 

of another graphic to appear within a logo’s minimum clear area. 


Never apply a logo over a graphic element or background that 

“breaks the lines” of any element of a logo. 

Always show all elements of a logo as solids. Do not use outlines. 

Never add highlights, decorations or other graphic embellishments 

to a logo. 

Never use shades of gray for the entire logo. 

Never use colors for any part of a logo other than the one specified in 

this manual (Pantone® 2955 or its 4-color build). 

Avoid using a logo on a clashing color background or on a background 

which detracts from logo legibility or impact. In general, 

exercise good judgment when a logo must be applied to a color 

background or surface. 

Avoid using the logo on patterned, multi-colored, uneven or 

coarse backgrounds. 


53

MUSC HEALTH SAMPLE LETTER 

Standard Letter Margins* 

Specifications 

Margin area: 6.75 x 8.25 

Font: Adobe Garamond Pro (preferred alternative fonts: Garamond or Times) 

Font Size: 11.5 points (minimum 10 point) 

Leading: 14 points (minimum 13 point) 

Colors: Standard Black 100% 


When drafting a letter on MUSC or MUSC Health stationery, it is important to 

keep in mind the page margins shown in the sample letter at right. Care has been 

taken in planning the overall look and feel of the MUSC and MUSC Health 

stationery. The one inch left margin of the page and the edge of the building in 

the logomark should always line-up. The two inch top margin gives ample space 

between the preprinted stationery elements and the body of the letter. 

For additional space to any letter, type or print the remainder of the letter on an 

existing second sheet and collate it behind the stationery page. 


54

2.0 in. 

Musculoskeletal Service 


Charleston, SC 29425 


July 2008 

Dear Colleague: 

1.0 in. 

We are writing to inform you of an opportunity for your osteoporosis patients who are intolerant of oral 

bisphosphonates. The multi-specialty practice at the MUSC Center for Osteoporosis and Bone Health, 2125 

Charlie Hall Blvd. in West Ashley, is very interested in bone health and the management of osteoporosis. 

We have an active infusion center and have been infusing zoledronic acid (Reclast). As you know, zoledronic 

acid (Reclast) was recently granted FDA approval for the treatment of post-menopausal osteoporosis. It is 

administered as an intravenous infusion over 15 minutes on an annual basis. 

Fracture data indicate that this annual treatment is at least as effective as weekly or monthly oral 

bisphosphonates in preventing osteoporotic fractures, and the once yearly infusion dosing schedule will 

hopefully improve patient compliance with bisphosphonate therapy. 

We would be happy to see your patients in the office and perform the required paperwork to obtain 

insurance company approval for the infusion of zoledronic acid. If you are interested, please contact us 

through MUSC MEDULINE, our physician to physician referral line, by calling 843-792-2200. The patient 

will be scheduled to see a rheumatologist or endocrinologist with specific expertise in metabolic bone disease 

to initiate therapy. 

Thank you very much for your interest. Please feel free to contact us with any questions. 

Sincerely, 

0.75 in. 

Marcy B. Bolster, M.D. 

MUSC Rheumatology & Immunology 

Medical Director, Musculoskeletal Service Line 


0.75 in.


MUSC AND MUSC HEALTH PRESENTATION SLIDES 

MUSC and MUSC Health PowerPoint® templates are available for easy down-loading 

at musc.edu/communicationstandards. 

MUSC CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL PRESENTATION SLIDES 

MUSC Children's Hospital PowerPoint® templates are available for easy down-loading 

at musc.edu/communicationstandards. 


57

MUSC Health Writing Style Guide 

MUSC Health follows guidelines of the Associated Press Stylebook — also known as the AP 

Stylebook. This annual publication is widely used and recognized for setting the standards for best 

practices in all forms of communications. To order a copy of the Associated Press Stylebook for your 

department, visit www.apstylebook.com. You can also access a copy in the MUSC Library Collections. 

The MUSC Health Writing Style Guide is intended to address some common titles, words and phrases 

specific to MUSC. Please refer to the Associated Press Stylebook for all basic grammar, punctuation, 

and spelling rules. 

Personal identification 

Physician names 

Physician names should include their full name with middle initial if it is part of their MUSC Find a 

Doctor profile. 

Degree abbreviations 

Use periods for M.D., Dr.P.H and Ph.D. only. All other academic degrees (DO, MBA, MHA, MSW, 

FACP, etc.) should include the letters only. Example: Marcy B. Bolster, M.D., FACP 

In general, acronyms describing nurses are limited to RN. Types of nurses are spelled out (to avoid 

long, confusing acronyms). Example: Jeannette P. Andrews, Ph.D., RN, FNP, FAAN 

Contact information 

Phone numbers 

Phone numbers should be written out with dashes and always include an area code. Do not use periods 

in place of dashes or parentheses around the area code. Example: 843-792-2200. 

Do not spell out words in place of the phone number. Example: 843-876-2663 and not 876-BONE. 

Website 

For MUSChealth.com – the MUSC is in all caps and does not include “www” before the URL. 

Example: MUSChealth.com/weight 


MUSC Health Writing Style Guide (Continued) 

Marketing language 

Changing What’s Possible 

The MUSC Positioning Statement — Changing What’s Possible — does not include a 

period at the end. If the statement is extended to include a specific service line name or 

specific program then it must include a period. 

Example: Changing What’s Possible in Heart Care. 

The position statement, Changing What's Possible, is a registered mark and may be 

used on external or internal communications materials (print and electronic) only after 

review and by approval of the Communications Council. For criteria about when and 

how to use it properly, please contact brandmgr@musc.edu. All materials that may 

feature the tagline should be submitted, in advance, for review and approval to ensure 

proper and consistent application. 

Dates and times 

Dates 

Dates should use the Arabic figure without st, nd, rd or th. 

Example: May 3, 2011 or May 3. Not May 3rd. 

Time 

Times should be followed by a.m. or p.m. , not AM or PM. If the time is a range use 

a dash between the times including a.m. or p.m. after each number. 

Example: 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

Common words and phrases 

Email is one word and does not contain a hyphen 

Health care is two words, health care 

When referring to the Horseshoe on campus capitalize the “H” 

Lowcountry is one word with a capital “L” 

portico always use lower case “p” unless it is starting a sentence 

It is Tri-county, not Tricounty or tricounty 

Website is one word as is webcam and webfeed 

Always capitalize Web when referring to the World Wide Web such as “the Web” 

Web page and Web feed are two words with a capital "W" Example: Check out the 

website, MUSChealth.com. It is the best source of health information on the Web. 

Updated November, 2011 


59

MUSC Photography Standards 

Reflect the Medical University of South Carolina Brand 

Be sure that your photos reflect the MUSC brand. Adherence to the brand guidelines ensures 

that we communicate a consistent look and feel that reinforces the superior research, education 

and clinical care available at MUSC. All subjects should be comfortable on camera and should 

effectively communicate the MUSC experience and reflect the diversity of our employee and 

patient population. 

Photography Release Forms 

Think about the many individuals and groups who will be impacted by your photography. 

Make sure to get appropriate approvals from all involved including having a legal photography 

release form signed by any and all persons that can be recognized in the photo. It is not 

necessary to have signed release from employees, but any other persons must sign a release. 

Should you be taking photography outside, on MUSC property, you legally do not have to 

have a release signed particularly if it is a crowd scene. However we do encourage anyone who 

is easily recognizable and not part of a crowd be approached to sign a release. 

Use Professional Photography Equipment 

Be sure to use professional photography equipment including proper lighting sources. 

Photography Quality 

All photography should be shot at the cameras highest resolution. Any images used in print 

MUST be 300 dpi. Images for Web use should be 72 dpi. Images CANNOT be pulled from 

the Web and used for print. 

Content 

Photography for general public consumption should not be overly graphic in their portrayal of 

surgeries, before and after shots, etc. The intent is to educate not to frighten or make the viewer 

squeamish. Any photography involving animals and animal research must be approved prior to 

photography. There can be absolutely no promotional use of photos with animals. These should 

be confined to viewing by very select audiences: i.e. other researchers, or institutions involved 

in similar studies, etc. 


MUSC Photography Standards (Continued) 

Compliance 

The University and its affiliated sites, as well as MUSChealth.com, reserve the right to 

remove any photos if requests to make the photos compliant are not met. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Where can I find a photography release 

MUSC Marketing has put the Patient Consent Form on the Web. 

musc.edu/communications/releaseform 

Request from news outlets and other organizations 

Any external source (local or national media) that receives photography which was 

provided by MUSC must use courtesy of “Medical University of South Carolina.” 

Any further information or questions contact Brennan Wesley 843-792-1951 

(wesleyb@musc.edu) 


61

MUSC VIDEO Standards 

The Medical University of South Carolina has branding standards that must be applied to all 

broadcast and online video productions. This document provides guidelines for the appropriate use 

of logos, fonts, tags, lower thirds, music, video and sound quality. It also provides the proper approval 

process for posting to our websites as well as a resource directory for your video project. 

Reflect the Medical University of South Carolina Brand 

Be sure that your story reflects MUSC standards and tells our story in a compelling way. Adherence 

to the brand guidelines ensures that we communicate a consistent look and feel that reinforces the 

superior research, education and clinical care available at MUSC. All subjects should be comfortable 

on camera and should effectively communicate the MUSC experience. 

Video Release Forms 

Think about the many individuals and groups who will be impacted by your video. Make sure to 

get appropriate approvals from all involved including having a legal video release form signed by any 

and all persons that can be recognized in the video. It is not necessary to have signed release from 

employees, but any other persons must sign a release. Should you be filming outside, on MUSC 

property, you legally do not have to have a release signed particularly if it is a crowd scene. However 

we do encourage anyone who is easily recognizable and not part of a crowd be approached to sign a 

release. 

Video Planning 

Think through the video story board and plan your shots and locations beforehand. This will 

eliminate poor story lines, lighting, sound and inconsistent jumps in video which result in sub par 

quality. Prepare your interview questions in advance and think about the sound bites you need from 

your subjects. Video planning is one of the most important steps in the execution of quality video. 

Use Professional Video Equipment 

Be sure to use professional video equipment including proper lighting and audio sources. Professional 

external microphones should be used whenever possible. Most consumer product cameras provide 

poor quality audio and video for posting to the Web and may reflect badly on the MUSC brand. 

Video from Smart Phones is not considered professional quality and is not appropriate for posting to 

a MUSC website. “Flip video” is permissible but not recommended unless the sound and lighting are 

of a more professional nature. 


MUSC VIDEO Standards (Continued) 

Video Length 

Limit your final edited product to 2-3 minutes. This will keep the viewers engaged and provide 

a more effective result in your call to action. After 2-3 minutes attention by the viewer decreases 

dramatically and your intended message may be lost. If your story includes many subjects and 

runs the risk of being overly long, you should consider editing it into two separate videos. 

Music for Videos 

All music used in any video must be licensed. Using copyrighted music without a license is 

strictly forbidden and illegal. 

Video Identifiers 

Remember your video may be used in multiple places such as broadcast or on an approved 

website. Therefore it is important to properly identify all subjects in your video (patients, faculty, 

employees, and vendors) as well as the event or story being showcased. It is not necessary to 

add credits at the end of your production as the final tag frame should be a call to action with 

appropriate phone numbers and URL for MUSC. There should also be a link when possible on 

the hosting site to the proper page on MUSChealth.com, musc.edu or other MUSC websites. 

Content 

All video content should be appropriate for the intended audience. Videos for general public 

consumption should not be overly graphic in their portrayal of surgeries, before and after shots, 

etc. The intent is to educate not to frighten or make the viewer squeamish. Any video involving 

animals and animal research must be approved prior to filming. There can be absolutely no 

promotional use of videos with animals. These should be confined to viewing by very select 

audiences: i.e. other researchers, or institutions involved in similar studies, etc. 

Compliance 

The University and its affiliated sites, as well as MUSChealth.com, reserve the right to remove 

any video if requests to make the video compliant are not met. 

Design Guidelines 

All video produced must include certain standard design traits which will identify the video as 

sanctioned by MUSC. These standards will provide consistency of message and strengthen our 

Brand with a cohesive representation of the Hospital and University. The following video slides 

exemplify the elements that should be used when creating a video on behalf of MUSC. 


63


Opening Brand Slide 

All video should begin with the MUSC corporate logo on a white background as shown. The MUSC 

Children’s hospital has its own sanctioned logo which should be used. 

Medical University of South Carolina 

Opening slide for MUSC 

Hospital Authority videos 


University videos 


Children’s Hospital 

Logo Positioning on Screen 

Logos should be centered horizontally and evenly spaced vertically within the broadcast safe wireframes. 

Broadcast safe wireframe 

Broadcast safe wireframe 

Caption Standards 

Place captions in the lower third of the video frame. Use a translucent screen of the MUSC blue and 

a white font in the standard text font. Make sure to identify all key subjects with their official titles. 

Top Line Title Caption Text 

Standards 

Font Verlag Book 25 pt 

Tracking 3 

White 

Bottom Line Text Standards 

Font Verlag Book 18 pt 

Tracking 3 

White 

Background Translucent Screen 

Color 006699 (web safe) 

Opacity 70 % 



Physician abbreviations 

Use periods for M.D., Dr.P.H and Ph.D. only. All other academic degrees (DO, MBA, MHA, 

MSW, FACP, etc.) should include the letters only. Example: Marcy B. Bolster, M.D., FACP 

Outro Slide/Call to Action Slide 

All videos should contain an Outro Slide with a call to action slide when necessary so viewers 

can contact MUSC for further information and to insure the viewer associates this subject 

matter with MUSC. This call to action slide MUST include the corporate logo, phone number, 

and URL as shown below. There should also be a link embedded on the host page to the proper 

MUSC web page. 

Medical University of South Carolina 

For more information: 


843-792-1414 


musc.edu 

843-792-1414 


musckids.com 

843-792-1414 

Outro Slide 

Keep information text below logos inside the smallest line of copy in the logo. 

These slides should appear no less than five seconds. 


Where can I find a media release 

The Photography/Video/Story Release Form is available on the MUSC Communication 

Standards website at musc.edu/communications/releaseform 

What is the approval process for approving the video 

For MUSCHealth.com: All videos must be approved by MUSC Marketing’s Interactive 

Manager, Jane Kelley, (kelleyje@musc.edu) before being uploaded. Videos needing to be 

approved may either be posted to You Tube as unlisted and the link sent to spillan@musc.edu, or 

they maybe uploaded to an ftp site at ftp://ftp.musc.edu/users/kar/outbound/Danny_Spillane. 

Please include all of your contact information so you can be reached if there are any questions 

or corrections. 


65



Can other logos be used with the MUSC logo in the video 

Yes, co-branding can be used. These will be approved on a case by case basis according to 

communication brand standard guidelines. 

Request from news outlets and other organizations 

Any external source (local or national media) that receives video which was recorded by 

MUSC must use a courtesy super “Medical University of South Carolina.” 

Any further information or questions 

Please contact Interactive Manager, Jane Kelley 843-792-6632 (kelleyje@musc.edu) or 

Videographer/editor Danny Spillane 843-792-5487 (spillan@musc.edu) 



67

Changing What’s Possible

Communication Standards Manual - Medical Center Intranet

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?