EMAIL STANDARDS

Email signature best practices at Kellogg

To ensure that Kellogg is referred to correctly and consistently in email signatures, the following standards should be applied to your signature files. You may copy and paste these two e-mail signatures into your Outlook signature files, then update the relevant information.

Click here for detailed instructions on creating signatures in Outlook.

Brief signature
Use the informal signature when sending messages to regular contacts. Copy the entire contents within the box to preserve line breaks before and after the signature.

Detailed signature
Use the formal signature when sending messages to new contacts. Copy the entire contents within the box to preserve line breaks before and after the signature.

Email signature best practices at Kellogg

Note: To implement most of these practices, you need to set your default email to HTML, not plain text.

• Use common, legible fonts such as Arial 8-pt. type and minimal colored text. Kellogg purple is RGB 72-42-128.

• 3 to 4 lines is ideal, with a maximum of 72 characters per line (limit length to keep text on one line) and not more than 10 lines
• Be concise. Include:
  • Name with Kellogg class year or degree if appropriate
  • Title
  • School and University names
  • Preferred contact method
  • Website
• Include your preferred contact method. It is not necessary to include the many ways to get in touch with you, unless that is essential to your job.

• Have two signatures from which to choose: a brief version and a detailed version.
• Separate signature from content:
  --
  Begin the signature with a paragraph return followed by two hyphens, followed by a return. After the text, add one or two returns to visually separate your signature from other text on the page.
• In the detailed signature, include hyperlinked text to the Kellogg website, Kellogg Twitter and Kellogg Facebook (copy the sample above). You may replace links with others relevant to your department, but limit them to three links.
• In the detailed signature, use the shortest form of URL possible. At Kellogg, it is not necessary to include “www.” or to end the URL with a backslash “/”. Be sure to test the URL to ensure it is correct.
• At the end of your detailed signature, include the Kellogg credo, We believe that business can be bravely led, passionately collaborative and world changing. 

• Do not include:
  • Quotations that are not relevant to the Kellogg brand. Personal quotations may not represent the Kellogg or Northwestern brands, and you risk offending business associates.
  • Other non-work related information such as your personal Twitter, IM or Skype details

Images, logos and attachments in Kellogg signatures

• The Kellogg and Northwestern names should be represented in text, not in logo format.
• Do not create the signature as a graphic image. Most email clients store images as attachments. If you present your signature as an image, your correspondents will have a hard time knowing when you have sent a genuine attachment.
• Do not include a vCard in your standard message, although you may consider attaching it for first-time correspondence.

Confidentiality clauses

• Include a non-disclosure statement only if you are sending sensitive information.
• If you must use one, make it short. Suggested text:

  This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you are not the intended recipient you are notified that disclosing, copying, distributing or taking any action regarding the contents of this information is strictly prohibited.