diff --git a/app/helpers/conference_helper.rb b/app/helpers/conference_helper.rb
index 14253b23..417a8d55 100644
--- a/app/helpers/conference_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/conference_helper.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
+DEFAULT_LOGO = 'snapcon_logo.png'
+DEFAULT_COLOR = '#0B3559'
+
 module ConferenceHelper
   # Return true if only call_for_papers or call_for_tracks or call_for_booths is open
   def one_call_open(*calls)
@@ -28,6 +31,24 @@ module ConferenceHelper
     markdown(ticket.description.split("\n").first&.strip)
   end
 
+  def conference_logo_url(conference)
+    if conference.picture.present?
+      conference.picture.thumb.url
+    elsif conference.organization.picture.present?
+      conference.organization.picture.thumb.url
+    else
+      DEFAULT_LOGO
+    end
+  end
+
+  def conference_color(conference)
+    if conference.color.present?
+      conference.color
+    else
+      DEFAULT_COLOR
+    end
+  end
+
   # adds events to icalendar for proposals in a conference
   def icalendar_proposals(calendar, proposals, conference)
     proposals.each do |proposal|
diff --git a/app/mailers/mailbot.rb b/app/mailers/mailbot.rb
index 8a7cb840..07249862 100644
--- a/app/mailers/mailbot.rb
+++ b/app/mailers/mailbot.rb
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@
 SNAPCON_BCC_ADDRESS = 'messages@snap.berkeley.edu'
 EMAIL_TEMPLATE = 'email_template'
 YTLF_TICKET_ID = 50
-DEFAULT_LOGO = 'snapcon_logo.png'
 
 class Mailbot < ActionMailer::Base
+  helper ConferenceHelper
+
   default bcc:           -> { SNAPCON_BCC_ADDRESS },
           template_name: -> { EMAIL_TEMPLATE },
           to:            -> { @user.email },
@@ -15,7 +16,6 @@ class Mailbot < ActionMailer::Base
     @user = user
     @conference = conference
     @email_body = @conference.email_settings.generate_email_on_conf_updates(@conference, @user, @conference.email_settings.registration_body)
-    @logo_url = logo_url(@conference)
 
     mail(subject: @conference.email_settings.registration_subject)
   end
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ class Mailbot < ActionMailer::Base
     @ticket_purchase = ticket_purchase
     @user = ticket_purchase.user
     @conference = ticket_purchase.conference
-    @logo_url = logo_url(@conference)
 
     PhysicalTicket.last(ticket_purchase.quantity).each do |physical_ticket|
       pdf = TicketPdf.new(@conference, @user, physical_ticket, @conference.ticket_layout.to_sym, "ticket_for_#{@conference.short_title}_#{physical_ticket.id}")
@@ -43,7 +42,6 @@ class Mailbot < ActionMailer::Base
   def acceptance_mail(event)
     @user = event.submitter
     @conference = event.program.conference
-    @logo_url = logo_url(@conference)
     @email_body = @conference.email_settings.generate_event_mail(event, @conference.email_settings.accepted_body)
 
     mail(subject: @conference.email_settings.accepted_subject)
@@ -52,7 +50,6 @@ class Mailbot < ActionMailer::Base
   def submitted_proposal_mail(event)
     @user = event.submitter
     @conference = event.program.conference
-    @logo_url = logo_url(@conference)
     @email_body = @conference.email_settings.generate_event_mail(event, @conference.email_settings.submitted_proposal_body)
 
     mail(subject: @conference.email_settings.submitted_proposal_subject)
@@ -61,7 +58,6 @@ class Mailbot < ActionMailer::Base
   def rejection_mail(event)
     @user = event.submitter
     @conference = event.program.conference
-    @logo_url = logo_url(@conference)
     @email_body = @conference.email_settings.generate_event_mail(event, @conference.email_settings.rejected_body)
 
     mail(subject: @conference.email_settings.rejected_subject)
@@ -70,16 +66,14 @@ class Mailbot < ActionMailer::Base
   def confirm_reminder_mail(event)
     @user = event.submitter
     @conference = event.program.conference
-    @logo_url = logo_url(@conference)
     @email_body = @conference.email_settings.generate_event_mail(event, @conference.email_settings.confirmed_without_registration_body)
 
     mail(subject: @conference.email_settings.confirmed_without_registration_subject)
   end
 
-  def conference_date_update_mail(_conference, user)
+  def conference_date_update_mail(conference, user)
     @user = user
-    @conference = @conference
-    @logo_url = logo_url(@conference)
+    @conference = conference
     @email_body = @conference.email_settings.generate_email_on_conf_updates(@conference, @user, @conference.email_settings.conference_dates_updated_body)
 
     mail(subject: @conference.email_settings.conference_dates_updated_subject)
@@ -88,7 +82,6 @@ class Mailbot < ActionMailer::Base
   def conference_registration_date_update_mail(conference, user)
     @user = user
     @conference = conference
-    @logo_url = logo_url(@conference)
     @email_body = @conference.email_settings.generate_email_on_conf_updates(@conference, @user, @conference.email_settings.conference_registration_dates_updated_body)
 
     mail(subject: @conference.email_settings.conference_registration_dates_updated_subject)
@@ -97,7 +90,6 @@ class Mailbot < ActionMailer::Base
   def conference_venue_update_mail(conference, user)
     @user = user
     @conference = conference
-    @logo_url = logo_url(@conference)
     @email_body = @conference.email_settings.generate_email_on_conf_updates(@conference, @user, @conference.email_settings.venue_updated_body)
 
     mail(subject: @conference.email_settings.venue_updated_subject)
@@ -106,7 +98,6 @@ class Mailbot < ActionMailer::Base
   def conference_schedule_update_mail(conference, user)
     @user = user
     @conference = conference
-    @logo_url = logo_url(@conference)
     @email_body = @conference.email_settings.generate_email_on_conf_updates(@conference, @user, @conference.email_settings.program_schedule_public_body)
 
     mail(bcc:     nil,
@@ -116,7 +107,6 @@ class Mailbot < ActionMailer::Base
   def conference_cfp_update_mail(conference, user)
     @user = user
     @conference = conference
-    @logo_url = logo_url(@conference)
     @email_body = @conference.email_settings.generate_email_on_conf_updates(@conference, @user, @conference.email_settings.cfp_dates_updated_body)
 
     mail(bcc:     nil,
@@ -126,7 +116,6 @@ class Mailbot < ActionMailer::Base
   def conference_booths_acceptance_mail(booth)
     @user = booth.submitter
     @conference = booth.conference
-    @logo_url = logo_url(@conference)
     @email_body = @conference.email_settings.generate_booth_mail(booth, @conference.email_settings.booths_acceptance_body)
 
     mail(bcc:     nil,
@@ -136,7 +125,6 @@ class Mailbot < ActionMailer::Base
   def conference_booths_rejection_mail(booth)
     @user = booth.submitter
     @conference = booth.conference
-    @logo_url = logo_url(@conference)
     @email_body = @conference.email_settings.generate_booth_mail(booth, @conference.email_settings.booths_rejection_body)
 
     mail(bcc:     nil,
@@ -148,22 +136,9 @@ class Mailbot < ActionMailer::Base
     @event = @comment.commentable
     @conference = @event.program.conference
     @user = user
-    @logo_url = logo_url(@conference)
 
     mail(bcc:           nil,
          template_name: 'comment_template',
          subject:       "New comment has been posted for #{@event.title}")
   end
-
-  private
-
-  def logo_url(conference)
-    if conference.picture.present?
-      conference.picture.thumb.url
-    elsif conference.organization.picture.present?
-      conference.organization.picture.thumb.url
-    else
-      DEFAULT_LOGO
-    end
-  end
 end
diff --git a/app/views/layouts/_mailbot_footer.html.erb b/app/views/layouts/_mailbot_footer.html.erb
index fc3d88a4..3cc8b3c3 100644
--- a/app/views/layouts/_mailbot_footer.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/layouts/_mailbot_footer.html.erb
@@ -7,11 +7,6 @@
     <%= stylesheet_link_tag "mailbot" %>
   </head>
   <body>
-  <% if @conference.present? && @conference.color.present? %>
-    <div id="border" style="background-color: <%= @conference.color %>">
-  <% else %>
-    <div id="border">
-  <% end %>
-  </div>
+  <div id="border" style="background-color: <%= conference_color(@conference) %>"></div>
   </body>
 </html>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/views/layouts/_mailbot_header.html.erb b/app/views/layouts/_mailbot_header.html.erb
index 674b56a5..12f9d4a5 100644
--- a/app/views/layouts/_mailbot_header.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/layouts/_mailbot_header.html.erb
@@ -10,15 +10,11 @@
     <%= stylesheet_link_tag "mailbot" %>
   </head>
   <body> 
-    <% if @conference.present? && @conference.color.present? %>
-      <div id="border" style="background-color: <%= @conference.color %>">
-    <% else %>
-      <div id="border">
-    <% end %>
+    <div id="border" style="background-color: <%= conference_color(@conference) %>">
       <div class="row">
         <div class="col-md-2">
-          <% if @logo_url.present? %>
-            <%= image_tag(@logo_url, style: "display:block;height:70px;width:auto;", alt: @conference.title + ' logo') %>
+          <% if @conference.present? %>
+            <%= image_tag(conference_logo_url(@conference), style: "display:block;height:70px;width:auto;", alt: @conference.title + ' logo') %>
           <% end %>
         </div>
       </div>
diff --git a/spec/helpers/conference_helper_spec.rb b/spec/helpers/conference_helper_spec.rb
index 101d083a..996ffeba 100644
--- a/spec/helpers/conference_helper_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/helpers/conference_helper_spec.rb
@@ -67,4 +67,26 @@ describe ConferenceHelper, type: :helper do
       expect(sponsorship_mailto(conference)).to match conference.short_title
     end
   end
+
+  describe '#conference_logo_url' do
+    let(:organization) { create(:organization) }
+    let(:conference2) { create(:conference, organization: organization) }
+
+    it 'gives the correct logo url' do
+      mailbot = Mailbot.new
+      expect(conference_logo_url(conference2)).to eq('snapcon_logo.png')
+
+      File.open('spec/support/logos/1.png') do |file|
+        organization.picture = file
+      end
+
+      expect(conference_logo_url(conference2)).to include('1.png')
+
+      File.open('spec/support/logos/2.png') do |file|
+        conference2.picture = file
+      end
+
+      expect(conference_logo_url(conference2)).to include('2.png')
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/mailers/mailbot_spec.rb b/spec/mailers/mailbot_spec.rb
index 65ea4213..6d3b64ad 100644
--- a/spec/mailers/mailbot_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/mailers/mailbot_spec.rb
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ describe Mailbot do
         expect(mail.body).to include('background-color: ' + conference.color)
       end
 
+      # TODO: test on non-default logo
       it 'assigns the email body with the correct logo' do
         expect(mail.body).to include 'snapcon_logo'
       end
@@ -93,28 +94,4 @@ describe Mailbot do
   context 'update notifications' do
     it 'is a pending test'
   end
-
-  context 'helper methods' do
-    let(:organization) { create(:organization) }
-    let(:conference2) { create(:conference, organization: organization) }
-
-    describe '#logo_url' do
-      it 'gives the correct logo url' do
-        mailbot = Mailbot.new
-        expect(mailbot.send(:logo_url, conference2)).to eq('snapcon_logo.png')
-
-        File.open('spec/support/logos/1.png') do |file|
-          organization.picture = file
-        end
-
-        expect(mailbot.send(:logo_url, conference2)).to include('1.png')
-
-        File.open('spec/support/logos/2.png') do |file|
-          conference2.picture = file
-        end
-
-        expect(mailbot.send(:logo_url, conference2)).to include('2.png')
-      end
-    end
-  end
 end