Email signature guide

On-brand emails

Every communication from VIU should reflect the brand – including the emails you send. These guidelines for email signatures ensure the VIU brand is clearly and consistently conveyed in your communications.

Required elements

  • your first and last names
  • your position or title
  • your department or area within VIU
  • the university’s name, spelled out in full
  • the VIU site you’re located at if not Nanaimo (Cowichan, Parksville-Qualicum, tiwšɛmawtxʷ, Deep Bay Marine Field Station, Milner Gardens, etc.)

Optional elements

  • your physical location (building and room number)
  • your pronouns
  • additional contact information such as phone numbers, fax number (only if this is a preferred or frequent method of communication)
  • social media accounts (do not use images or icons) with either addresses specific to your department or area, or VIU’s main social media addresses:
    • Facebook: viuniversity
    • Twitter: viuniversity
    • Instagram: viuniversity
  • VIU Indigenous territorial recognition. The approved wording is:

The VIU community acknowledges and thanks the Snuneymuxw, Quw’utsun, Tla’amin, Snaw-naw-as and Qualicum First Nation on whose traditional lands we teach, learn, research, live and share knowledge.

Avoid

  • using images or graphics in signatures. They appear as attachments and can confuse the recipient, delay the email and clog recipients’ inboxes. They also can be blocked by certain systems or load incorrectly to display something other than what you intended.
  • quotes or sayings. While these may be positive messages, they reflect your personal views and may not represent the official position of the University. They can be misinterpreted by recipients as being official VIU communication.

Layout for email signatures

  • Use Proxima Nova for the font, in 11 point size. Outlook's default font, Calibri, can be used if you don't have Proxima Nova.
  • First and last names and Vancouver Island University must be in bold type.
  • All other type is regular, without italics.
  • Text should all be black or VIU’s dark blue (#003B5C)
  • Use a single line space  to separate groups of information.

Use a single line space to separate groups of information. Contents of the signature should be grouped together as follows:

  • name and position
  • location and contact info — department, location, phone/fax number(s)
  • social media accounts
  • territorial acknowledgement

Email signature examples

Minimum signature

Jennifer Smith
Email Signature Specialist

Department of Emails
Vancouver Island University
Ph: 250.753.3245

Maximum signature

Jack Smith | Pronouns: he/him/his
Email Signature Specialist

Department of Emails
Vancouver Island University
Cowichan campus
Building 700, Room 100
Ph: 250.753.3245
Cell: 250.753.3245
Fax: 250.753.3245

Facebook: viuniversity
Instagram: @viuniversity
Twitter: @viuniversity 

The VIU community acknowledges and thanks the Snuneymuxw, Quw’utsun and Tla’Amin, on whose traditional lands we teach, learn, research, live and share knowledge.