CNM Brand Standards

CNM’s Marketing and Communications Office provides comprehensive guidance regarding CNM’s brand and the way it is represented.

About the CNM Brand Standards

Since our opening in 1964, Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) has focused on providing high-quality, reliable, and comprehensive educational support for Albuquerque and the surrounding areas. As such, CNM branding is a comprehensive approach to representing our students and showcasing the impact that CNM has had on our community. 

The term "branding" refers to the writing practices, colors, logos, fonts, web typography, and seals CNM uses to create our brand identity. We have created guidelines for CNM branding practices on this page, including information on using CNM logos correctly. If you have any questions about CNM branding, please contact the Marketing and Communications Office. 

Table of Contents

Writing Practices

Brand Voice

The voice of CNM’s brand is youthful, helpful, and informal— while being informed. This reflects the diversity and breadth of knowledge of our student population. The voice of CNM’s marketing material is intended to create relatability between the brand and our potential students.

When considering choice of language for marketing material, colloquial and informal wording is preferred to overly professional or traditionally academic forms of communication; however, the voice of written or recorded content should inspire confidence with clear, concise, and informed communication created to assist students unfamiliar with higher education.

Naming Conventions 

Central New Mexico Community College is the official name and should be used on first reference to the College in all publications and other documents intended for outside audiences. The name may be shortened to CNM on second reference or when addressing audiences who will know what the letters stand for. It is also acceptable to use 'College' on second reference, though the 'C' must be capitalized. 

Never Use

  • CNMCC
  • CNM Community College
  • CNM C.C.
  • Central New Mexico
  • Central New Mexico C.C.
MCO Approval Requirements

CNM’s Marketing and Communications Office (MCO) provides professional and industry standard marketing services to the College and its constituents.

All publications or promotional materials published toward a large audience (the entire student body, the community, partners, etc.) must be approved by MCO. For more information, visit Section 11.01 of the Employee Handbook.

Any item bearing the CNM logo or graphics created for marketing must be approved by MCO prior to purchase, per section 32 of the IS-1804 Purchasing Policy. It is recommended to have these graphics reviewed annually to ensure compliance with any updates in branding.

Any outside organization or entity requesting to use CNM’s logo must obtain permission from the Marketing and Communications Office.

Inquiries can be directed to [email protected].

Official Colors 

Primary Colors

The primary colors for CNM branding are as follows:

Secondary Colors 

The following colors are secondary in CNM branding: 

If you have any questions about using the CNM logo correctly, please contact the Marketing and Communications Office. 

Official Logos

The logo is CNM's primary graphic symbol. The current logo was established in 2016 and replaces all prior versions. The success of the brand depends on the CNM logo maintaining a consistent appearance in all communications. In order to preserve the integrity of the logo, the following examples illustrate how logos should and should not be used. 

Logo Do's

When using CNM logos, do:

  • use CNM's official logo on all marketing materials, including brochures, flyers, and other publications. 
  • use the version of the logo that includes the lettering of our name spelled out on any materials created for a broad audience who may not be familiar with our brand. 
  • place the logo with an adequate clear zone, using the letter 'C' as a guide. 

Five CNM logos, blue text on white background, demonstrating proper formatting

Logo Don'ts

When using CNM logos, please do not:

  • distort the image
  • use low resolution 
  • use drop shadow
  • use multiple colors
  • use opacity
  • place in a rectangle
  • place on a busy background 
  • tile the image
  • warp the image

CNM logos showing what not to do, including distortion, low resolution, drop shadows, multiple colors, opacity, rectangle placement, busy background, tilted, and warped images.

CNM Fonts

The use of novelty and script fonts is discouraged in most instances because they are difficult to read.

Official Fonts 

CNM’s official fonts for use in publications are:

  • Mission Gothic Bold or Black (headlines and sub-heads)
  • Mission Gothic Regular or light (body copy)

Alternative Fonts 

If CNM’s official fonts are not available to use, please use:

  • Arial Bold (headlines and sub-heads)
  • Arial Narrow (body copy)

Web Typography 

The arrangement of type involves selecting typefaces, point sizes, line lengths, line-spacing, and letter-spacing.

Headings

The typeface for headers is Sanchez Bold and they are always hex #003A70 (Navy Blue). Font sizes are as follows:

  • H1: 45px (used for page titles)
  • H2: 31px (subheadings)
  • H3: 22px (smaller subheadings)

Links

Link-state colors are as follows:

  • Active: Navigation blue #0257A6
  • Hover: Navigation blue with underlined text
  • Visited: Tinted blue #2B84D6

CNM Seal

The CNM Seal

The seal is the most formal institutional identifier. Its use is limited to diplomas, transcripts, and legal documents. Individual offices, schools, and departments may not create seals for their own use.

Department or School Identifiers 

An identifier is created by the marketing design team at the request of a department or school. Departments and offices may use identifiers on stationery, apparel, and other items.

The only acceptable forms of identifiers are:

  • The identifier may only feature text below the logo.
  • The identifier must follow the appropriate color scheme as shown in the color section.