August 3, 2026 Marketing and Communications Update
This is an exciting time as we prepare for the fall semester. This month we launch our new brand anthem during the Freedom 250 auto race. The race is being held on the streets of Washington, D.C. for the first time ever. We have a new graduation content package that is updated for the August 8 summer graduates. Plus, there is more helpful information and resources.
Howdy, University MarComm Community,
This month marks the start of a truly historic year for Texas A&M University. As we welcome the new academic year, we are preparing to celebrate major milestones that reflect who we are as an institution, what we stand for and the impact Aggies continue to make in Texas, across the nation and around the world.
This month, we will launch our new brand anthem during the Freedom 250 race, bringing the Texas A&M story to a national audience at a moment of historic significance. The Freedom 250 offers a powerful national moment for reflection, taking place in the symbolic heart of the nation, where the Capitol, the Washington Monument and memorials dedicated to generations who built, defended and advanced this country stand as reminders of both our history and our future. As America celebrates 250 years and Texas A&M marks 150 years, we have a unique opportunity to reflect on the values that have connected our university and our nation for generations. At the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, Texas A&M will have a primary sponsorship with Meyer Shank Racing, featuring a custom Texas A&M-branded livery, fire suit and helmet, with Indy 500 reigning champion Felix Rosenqvist.
The anthem is more than a celebration of Texas A&M; it is a reflection of our enduring belief that what we build together is greater than what any one of us can build alone. For 150 years, Aggies have lived this commitment through service, leadership and a shared responsibility to make a difference. It is a reminder that the strength of our nation depends on people willing to show up for one another and work together for good.
Texas A&M’s Red, White and Blue Game returns this season as a special opportunity for the Aggie community to come together to celebrate our nation and the values that unite us.
This year’s game holds particular significance as we commemorate two landmark milestones in our country’s history: the 250th anniversary of the United States and the 25th anniversary of Sept.11. Together, these anniversaries invite us to celebrate the enduring ideals of freedom, service and opportunity while honoring the courage, sacrifice and resilience that have shaped our nation. The proceeds of the game shirt sold by Maroon Out will go to the renovation of the Hall of Honor in the Memorial Student Center to include Medal of Honor recipient Matt Williams ’25.
This semester represents a significant moment in our history: the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Texas A&M. This is a time to honor our traditions, celebrate our progress and look ahead to the next 150 years of leadership and impact. From our classrooms and research labs to our military heritage, public service and global reach, Texas A&M continues to answer the call to serve a purpose larger than ourselves.
We are excited for what this semester and year will bring and grateful for the opportunity to tell the Texas A&M story together — a story rooted in service, strengthened by unity and dedicated to working together for the good of America.
Graduation Content Package – Updated
As we prepare to celebrate our summer graduates on Aug. 8, the Graduation Content Package has been updated to support commencement communications across the university. Commencement at Texas A&M is the moment when achievement, purpose and tradition come together. Use this package to help recognize the Class of 2026 summer graduates on your channels while maintaining a consistent university voice across our community.
View the Graduation Content Package
American Caldwell Global University Visibility Rankings
The American Caldwell Global University Visibility Rankings for 2026-27 are here. Based in Washington, D.C., the Global University Visibility (GUV) rankings measure the visibility of universities in every country. The GUV rankings are a comparative measure of university brand visibility in a 12-month period.
Texas A&M University ranks No. 6 in the world in American Caldwell’s latest GUV rankings, continuing a rapid rise among the world’s most visible universities.
Texas A&M ranks No. 5 among all U.S. universities, No. 2 among U.S. public universities and No. 1 overall in Texas in the 2026-27 rankings, placing Texas A&M among the world’s most talked-about, searched, visited, followed and watched institutions of higher education. The two-year trajectory is especially notable. Since 2024, Texas A&M has climbed from No. 21 to No. 6 globally, a gain of 15 spots; from No. 14 to No. 5 among U.S. universities, a gain of nine spots; and from No. 3 to No. 2 among U.S. public universities. Texas A&M has now held the No. 2 position among public universities for two consecutive years.
American Caldwell noted that Texas A&M “increased its visibility considerably,” citing significant increases in news mentions and video views. The methodology is based on third-party, publicly available indicators, including news mentions, search interest, social media following, website visitors, web references, online footprint and video views.
View the American Caldwell content package
Texas A&M 150th Celebration Campaign
The 150th Celebration Campaign will reinforce how Aggies have always stood together as a force for good. For our 150th anniversary, we will celebrate in a way that honors our legacy and anticipates our future, while reinforcing our larger universitywide Force for Good Brand Platform. The predesigned campaign assets should complement, not replace, brand platform messaging, tone and visual style. Access to 150th marks and editable templates requires a university login.
View the 150th Celebration Campaign Content Package
America 250
The 250th anniversary of the United States provides a unique opportunity to reflect on the ideals that have shaped both our nation and Texas A&M. As Texas A&M celebrates its own 150th anniversary in this historic year, we will use this milestone to tell the story of our enduring land-grant mission — expanding opportunity through education, developing leaders of character and advancing research that improves lives. In this content package, you will find a mix of resources, planning and details that will help us continue to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States for the rest of this anniversary year.
View the U.S. 250th Content Package
LiveWhale Calendar Transition
Texas A&M is transitioning from the LiveWhale calendar platform to a new calendaring solution, Localist. The anticipated completion of this transition will be before the start of the spring 2027 semester. The university is no longer providing new calendar groups or LiveWhale training for new users. More information about training and the use of the new calendar platform will be coming soon. If you have calendar feeds on your websites, please take an inventory and let the Enterprise Communications team know by emailing calendar@tamu.edu.
New Campus Aerial and Brand Visual Media Assets
Over the last year, we have been adding to our library of photos that we share with the university community. Linked below, you will find hundreds of new photos and melt reels for all of our brand photography and video styles on campus. This also includes new aerial photos of the main campus taken last month! Thank you to the teams that make these photos and videos!
Available Communities of Practice
Design Counsel
Design Counsel is a creative space for Texas A&M’s visual storytellers — a place to share ideas, spark inspiration and help shape what’s next for creativity and collaboration across the university. Each meeting dives into a new topic in marketing and communications, with lots of room to learn from one another and offer support.
We will take a break in July and resume regular meetings in August. Be on the lookout for an RSVP form in the upcoming weeks.
For more information, please contact Melissa Loudermilk, Designer for Brand Services, at mloudermilk@tamu.edu or via Slack or Teams.
Register for upcoming meetings
Internal Communications Community of Practice
Internal communications covers a wide array of responsibilities and expectations among our faculty, staff, students and even external affiliates, and we are here to help! Join us on Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 10 to 11 a.m., as we rotate to our next key topic and offer flexibility in the second half hour to troubleshoot, answer questions and identify ways to support your needs.
This month, we will focus on matching messaging to the most effective channel, using practical examples to help you decide which platform is best for your content. Then, let us help you ensure your content is successful with a straightforward checklist that guides you away from common mistakes and helps you confidently hit publish or send.
Join the Aug. 19 Internal Communications office hours
Aggie UX Training and Support
The Division of Marketing and Communications Web team hosts virtual office hours every third Thursday from 10 to 11 a.m. These sessions include a different demo every month for using Aggie UX in Cascade, WordPress and Figma. Other practical advice for creating web content, applying best practices and using the Aggie UX design system is available on the MarComm site, including a list of on-demand online trainings. Be sure to sign up for Aggie UX-specific communications by joining the Aggie UX email list.
Research Communicators Network
The Divisions of Research and Marketing and Communications cohost a biweekly meeting for communicators to connect, share updates and collaborate around promoting Texas A&M’s research enterprise. These meetings are a valuable opportunity for everyone who attends, and we encourage you to send a representative if you do not have someone already participating from your unit, college or school.
When: Every other Tuesday, 10 a.m.
This informal virtual gathering is open to all communicators supporting research initiatives and researchers themselves. It’s a chance to ask questions, get feedback and align on research messaging across the university.
Contact Tim Doty, Assistant Vice President for National Media and Public Relations, or Rusty Cawley, Director of Research Communications, to be added to the calendar invitation.
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