Design Guidelines for Custom & Affinity Clients
Harvard Business School Executive Education partners with leading global organizations to design and deliver programs directly linked to their unique business challenges.
The purpose of this page is to provide our Custom and Affinity clients with guidelines for using the Harvard Business School Executive Education name and identity in a way that maintains the School’s brand.
Logo Requests & Design Approvals
Your program director will work with you to approve logo usage and design efforts. All materials should adhere to the policies noted on this website. Do not attempt to recreate the logos or alter them in any way.
Logos
In any graphic context, “Executive Education” must be included for “Harvard Business School” to be used (e.g., “Harvard Business School Executive Education XYZ Leadership Program”).
This set shows all of the ways the Executive Education wordmarks may appear:
Our standard preference is to use the vertical logo. This set shows the position of the program name in Graphik Medium relative to the Executive Education wordmarks (any of the color variations above may be used):
Products & Merchandise
Merchandise designs must be approved by your director and follow the above guidelines.
Contact your program director for any logo file requests. Include type of product, the color of the product, and imprint area dimensions.
When using the School’s logos in products & merchandise, always follow these standards:
- The wordmark should always include the words “Executive Education.”
- Do not attempt to recreate the School’s logos or alter them in any way. Use the official logos provided by your program director.
The Harvard University Trademark Office requires that all products (t-shirts, mugs, etc.) depicting the official logos be produced by Harvard-approved licensed vendors. Orders placed through unlicensed companies will not be approved. Please reach out to your program director with any questions.
Promoting Your Program
Before promoting your program, you must contact your program director to ensure that any implied association with the School is accurate. Below are some guidelines as you develop the messaging and promote your program:
- Avoid language such as “sponsored by,” “in partnership with” (e.g., do not use “Harvard Business School in partnership with ABC Institute”). Instead, use “XYZ: A Harvard Business School Executive Education Program developed for ABC.”
- Use “participants,” not “students” in all communications.
- Spell out “Harvard Business School” in the first usage. After that, “HBS” may be used as an abbreviation (e.g., “HBS Executive Education,” “HBS alumni”).
- Include reference to “Executive Education” in the copy. Never abbreviate “Executive Education.”
- Use initial caps when referring to Harvard Business School Executive Education, as a proper noun (e.g., “This Executive Education program is designed for general managers.”). When referring to “executive education” in general, lowercase both words (e.g., “Investing in executive education is important in grooming future leaders.”).
- Ensure that the copy promotes the value and benefits of your program.
- Be collegial, articulate, precise, and direct.
Videotaping, Photographing & Recording Your Program
No videotaping or voice recordings of sessions are permitted during custom programs.
Special sessions conducted by members of your organization may be videotaped or recorded with the prior permission of both the individual(s) conducting the session and Harvard Business School. All recordings must be approved by your program director.
Any recordings made on campus are the property of Harvard Business School.
No still photography is allowed inside School buildings or classroom sessions without prior permission from Harvard Business School.
Photo Library
See the photography page for information on accessing the School’s photo database as well as selecting professional photographers. The usage rights for the images in the database vary and are listed in the sidebar of each photo, listed under “Select Usage Rights.” Most photos in the database can be used for Executive Education materials produced by the School but check each listing to confirm. Custom clients may use photos with “School-wide,” “School-wide & Clubs,” and “Unlimited” usage rights for internal promotion, but not externally.
If you would like to use other photos from the library, please reach out to your program director.
Alumni
Alumni are not permitted to use Harvard Business School logos for any use including gifts, event materials, clothing, print & digital materials, etc. for their own non-school sanctioned events. If you have any questions, please contact Alumni Marketing & Communications.