Co-branding

Co-branding at YSM falls into two distinct categories. The first is a formal logo lockup: an official pairing of the YSM or Yale Medicine wordmark with another organization's identifier that signals an institutional relationship or partnership. The second is informal co-presentation — materials such as scientific posters, event programs, or collaborative communications where the identifiers of multiple contributing organizations appear together to accurately reflect shared authorship or participation. In all cases, co-branded materials must comply with Yale University trademark standards and YSM brand guidelines.

Any co-branded logo lockup of the YSM or Yale Medicine wordmark with the identifier of another organization—such as a partner institution, health system, or research consortium—requires approval from the YSM Office of Communications branding team and/or the Dean's Office and/or the Office of General Council prior to development or use. Once approved, official lockups will be provided by the YSM Office of Communications or the Office of University Printer to ensure they meet Yale identity standards and applicable trademark requirements. To initiate a co-branding request, contact ysm.brand@yale.edu.

The design principles below apply to any context where the YSM wordmark appears alongside another organization's mark—whether on a conference poster, a community event flyer, or a co-sponsored program. In these instances, logo placement must not imply an official affiliation between the organizations, and the following design guidance should be followed:

• Hierarchy and placement: The position and size of each identifier reflects the organizational relationship. When YSM is the primary or lead institution, the YSM wordmark appears first (left or top, depending on orientation) and at equal or greater prominence. When YSM is a secondary or supporting partner, the lead organization's identifier may appear first, with the YSM wordmark following. If the relationship is equal, identifiers should be presented at the same size and in a consistent format/layout.
• Size and proportion: Partner identifiers should be sized proportionally so that no single mark visually dominates in a way that misrepresents the relationship. The YSM wordmark should never be scaled so small that it becomes illegible or appears incidental.
• Separation: A clear visual break must appear between identifiers. This may take the form of a vertical or horizontal rule, a defined gutter of white space, or a combination of both. Identifiers must not touch, overlap, or be positioned so close together that they read as a single mark or formal affiliation.
• Safe space: The YSM wordmark's clear space requirements must be maintained on all sides, including where it abuts a partner identifier or divider element. Refer to the YSM Brand Center for safe space specifications.
• Backgrounds and color: Each identifier should appear in its approved form on a background that meets its own contrast and legibility requirements. Altering the color of either identifier to accommodate a shared background is not permitted.
• No new marks: At no point should the combination of two identifiers—through enclosure, shared graphic elements, or other design choices—read as a new, unified logo or formal partnership agreement.