Follow these simple principles to keep your video content recognisably Cambridge.

Our visual identity adapts across platforms and audiences. Think of it like an audio equaliser – adjusting the tone, style and design helps you reach your audience effectively. Whether you're making an upbeat recruitment film or a formal annual report summary, use our visual identity to stay engaging, relevant and recognisable.

Use the logo correctly

In every video, you should:

  • include the logo in the top left of the thumbnail so viewers browsing social media know it’s official
  • end every video with the animated University logo outro
  • not use the animated outro at the start or any introduction slides – viewers want to watch straight away

Collaborative projects

If you’re working with external organisations, you should:

  • place the Cambridge logo on the left
  • position any partner logos alongside it with even spacing and visual balance
  • not include production company logos unless required for copyright acknowledgement

Use the right fonts

Use Cambridge’s official fonts for all on-screen text:

  • Feijoa for headlines, titles and quotes
  • Open Sans for subheadings, body text and subtitles

You may use Roboto Medium for subtitles. This is YouTube's default font for subtitling.

Add titles and subtitles

When adding titles to a video, you should:

Subtitles

Subtitles should be clear and easy to follow.

When writing them, you should:

  • transcribe exactly what is said
  • ensure they appear as soon as speech starts
  • use a maximum of 2 lines per subtitle
  • break lines after natural pauses such as commas or phrases
  • use white, 55px, Open Sans Regular text on a solid black, square-edged box, with 20px padding
  • use different colours for campaign subtitles only if there is strong contrast for accessibility

Positioning

The positioning of titles and subtitles will depend on the video format. Keep all text inside the safe areas so it's easy to read on mobile and social media.

Check that titles, captions and subtitles are managed to avoid text overlapping on screen.

Keep your important visuals and motion inside the Action safe zone. Titles and captions should be in the Title safe zone. This helps ensure they are visible on screen on different devices.

  • The Action safe zone is 90% of the total screen.
  • The Title safe zone is 80% of the total screen.

Landscape videos

Place titles bottom left for right-aligned and centre-aligned speakers. Place them bottom right for left-aligned speakers.

Place subtitles bottom centre.

Vertical videos

Place titles top centre and subtitles bottom centre.

Use narrative graphics well

You can use graphics to support your message. They are a powerful tool to help:

  • show facts and figures clearly
  • engage viewers who are watching without sound
  • reinforce the Cambridge brand

Keep transitions simple

Avoid flashy effects. A clean cut between shots usually works best. This keeps the focus on the story.

Design strong thumbnails

Well-designed custom thumbnails help to attract viewers. Create thumbnails that:

  • are custom, rather than auto-generated
  • feature a clear video frame or custom image
  • use short, sharp text (around 5 to 6 words)
  • use bold colours from the Cambridge colour palette
  • include the University logo to show that the video is official

Include the logo in thumbnails on YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and X to help people spot Cambridge content at a glance.