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Updated Handshake Logo and New Color Palette

Meghan Pippenger
  • Edited

I noticed on the Branding page and the Back to School Marketing Toolkit that there is an updated look to the Handshake logo as well the new color palette (minus the yellow). Sad because we have have a lot of the yellow Handshake chairs around our campus. Is there a date or timeframe when Handshake will officially change to this color scheme and update logo in the platform? When does this rollout occur? 

Meghan Pippenger

University of Kentucky  

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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • Official comment
    Tiffany

    Hi All,

    I wanted to jump in and address the concerns you've brought up!  We've been working with a design firm over the last few months to develop a new look for Handshake.  The goal is to reinvigorate the way we talk about and visually represent Handshake to make it more appealing to students, as well as our higher ed and employer partners.  Ultimately, we want to make sure that the look, feel, and tone of our brand reflects our mission! The new look includes some new colors, new fonts and a new tagline. We're incredibly excited about these updates - we've shared information via email over the summer and have been discussing them at our User Meetups as well.  The marketing toolkit we just launched also includes assets that reflect the new brand + share information on how you can use our new colors! 

    Our official rollout still hasn't happened, so our goal has been to arm our university partners ahead of time with as much information and as many assets as possible while still respecting your inboxes.  We'll have an official launch in the next few weeks. I'll also share that we are not asking anyone to change the way they market Handshake overnight - the yellow hand chairs and other Handshake swag you've created remain a really fantastic way to get the word out about our platform.  We hope that, over time, you'll be able to integrate our new colors and updated logo font into your marketing efforts - there's no rush :) 

    I hope this helps to address your questions!  If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to your Handshake point of contact.  We'll be happy to chat more!

    Brit & Tiffany

  • haley wragg

    Hi Meghan,

    100% agreed.

    I am disappointed by the lack of communication/warning on Handshake's part for a re-branding, especially considering that this is not a pivot - its a complete overhaul, as the Handshake blue color code is changing, and the Handshake grey and yellow colors are being omitted (the yellow being gone is shocking.)

    The logo itself is also changing, which is a huge concern for those of us that already ordered hundreds/thousands of dollars worth of Handshake swag for the 1920 academic year using the yellow coloring and old handshake logo. I have a lot of physical collateral, swag and assets we invested in that will now be obsolete when the new branding launches.

    I agree a timeline would be very helpful here, especially since the Handshake website still hosts the yellow color and old logo. I have not seen one, and they haven't even included information about it in the product roadmap emails.

    PS I am wondering if they are planning on discouraging us from using the yellow handshake chairs now? 

    Following this thread with you,

    Haley 

     

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  • Alex Lane

    I've also been frustrated by the lack of communication on this issue. While we haven't purchased the materials that you have Haley, we have had to significantly change around our schedule for creating our own University brand-compliant marketing materials and user guides for students. If we had known about this at the beginning of the summer, we would have had much more time to adapt our plan and make the necessary adjustments. Now, our Marketing manager is out on paternity leave and we have no collateral and are 2 weeks from classes starting. The lack of details and timeline has completed decimated my ability to accurately report up about when these projects I have been put in charge of will be done. Every time I've asked they've simply said there is more information coming. I'm hoping this get's resolved as quickly as possible. 

    1
  • William Jones

    I remember HS including this as an announcement at the Meetup earlier this summer. To be quite honest, I was happy as I prefer the more muted colors. That way we can finally integrate our own school colors into the brand without it clashing so much. We made the yellow work by not including our own Rutgers Pantone 186 but I think this (from what I’ve seen) will actually compliment the brands of more schools. That’s just my personal color opinion. Although my mom tends to think that I’m color blind lol.

    1
  • Lisa Ray
    • Edited

    We plan to make the changes as we update our website and materials over the course of the year (which we'd be doing anyway). 

    The new colors initially struck me as odd, but if there's anything I've learned it's that I am not a reliable predictor of what appeals to college students. Now I'm really getting to like them.

    I especially like the fact that the logo going forward with be either all black or all white. So simple! The branding info included in the back-to-school guide is helpful -- I encourage you all to review it. I think you'll find it makes things much easier.

    1
  • Kelly Rapp

    Hi - I'm just curious how the design firm came up with the new branding images. Is there somewhere we can see an explanation of how the new colors, font, etc. better represent the mission? Handshake the brand was so much associated with the yellow, and I thought the mission came across loud and clear in all communications and platforms. I know change is hard, and it's not up to me as just one university client, but I personally just don't like the new look (yes, I know that doesn't mean much in the scheme of things). Sometimes change is easier to accept when there's some reasoning behind it. We just implemented Handshake in July - so we don't have a whole lot invested in our own materials with the yellow Handshake brand - but I think I might not have been as attracted to Handshake without the familiar yellow. I'm sure there is a reason to move to the newer color scheme (and yes, we did see all the announcements that it was coming) - I was just wondering if someone from Handshake could share that reasoning. Thank you!

    0
  • Kelly Rapp

    Hi - I'm just curious how the design firm came up with the new branding images. Is there somewhere we can see an explanation of how the new colors, font, etc. better represent the mission? Handshake the brand was so much associated with the yellow, and I thought the mission came across loud and clear in all communications and platforms. I know change is hard, and it's not up to me as just one university client, but I personally just don't like the new look (yes, I know that doesn't mean much in the scheme of things). Sometimes change is easier to accept when there's some reasoning behind it. We just implemented Handshake in July - so we don't have a whole lot invested in our own materials with the yellow Handshake brand - but I think I might not have been as attracted to Handshake without the familiar yellow. I'm sure there is a reason to move to the newer color scheme (and yes, we did see all the announcements that it was coming) - I was just wondering if someone from Handshake could share that reasoning. Thank you!

    0
  • Brit

    Hi Kelly,

    Great questions! First of all, I definitely respect and appreciate your comment about the old brand (including the yellow) conveying our mission well and attracting you to Handshake in the first place.  

    When we were developing our new look, we started by landing on brand attributes - words we felt conveyed our company and our mission.  We ended up with Real, Intentional, Supportive, Vibrant, Actionable, and Optimistic.  When it came to picking colors, these attributes were in the back of our minds the whole time.  Furthermore, we recognized that the job platform space includes a lot of blue logos, so we wanted to move in a direction that stood out, while still staying true to those attributes.  The primary brand colors of red and turquoise give Handshake a boost of energy and an element of action.  Our secondary palette of cobalt blue and quartz pink add a sense of refinement and focus, balancing the energy of the primary colors.

    When it comes to a primary font, we landed on Suisse Int'l as our typeface because of its way finding quality - it's used in a lot of contexts that involve travel and journeys.  With that reference, we aimed to signal that we're helping students, universities, and employers find what they're looking for.  It's meant to be clear, instructive, actionable, and friendly.

    You'll see these same attributes reflected in all the other aspects of our brand too - the photography we're using, our graphics, and (most importantly) the "Find Your Next" tagline.

    I hope that helps give some context! Happy Friday!!
    Brit

    3
  • Kelly Rapp

    Thank you, Brit - I really appreciate the detailed explanation you provided. It is interesting to know a little more about the background of the new branding.

    Sincerely,

    Kelly Rapp

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  • Career Services

    Need the new red logo in a PNG, can I get this anywhere? Thanks

    Karen

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  • Larissa Chern

    Hi Karen,

    For updated logos, check out our back-to-school marketing toolkit! Once you open that link, simply scroll down to the "Keep" section, where you'll see our new logo package and brand guidelines. I'd recommend you all take a look at the toolkit if you haven't already – this resource contains a plethora of assets extremely helpful in showing students the value of Handshake.

    Best,
    Larissa

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