Differentiating Online Gallery Spaces within Larger University Branding Initiatives

William Paterson University underwent a lengthy Web branding campaign in 2010 that unified the online presence of the college. Overall university templates drive the design of every website on campus. While this may be appropriate for the vast majority of college departments and groups, it has remained important for the University Galleries, Art Department galleries and cultural art spaces to differentiate themselves online. Through a series of design phases and hard-fought compromises I have been able to give each of the online galleries its own unique design, while still complying with the overall University branding campaign. Using case studies as models, the paper identifies key aspects for integration into the William Paterson's cultural and gallery websites. By sharing the websites of the University Gallery, the Center for Chinese Art, the Center for Computer Art and Animation and the Art Department, together with the evolution of those sites throughout the process, I will demonstrate keys ways for online galleries to differentiate themselves within an overarching design scheme while still complying with university branding goals.