Brand Standards Guide.

Transcription

1 Brand Standards Guide

2 Introduction The Dutch Group is a trusted, innovative regional marketing organization that is committed to being the leading marketer of convenient products and services within the markets served. The development of The Dutch Group s new brand identity was influenced by the need to express the following qualities and attributes, which we identify as our core values: Honesty Service Trust Quality Joy Respect 2 Vision Team Potential The Dutch Group s brands are valuable assets, requiring proper care and management. Consistency and accuracy in the way the brands are expressed and reproduced will build brand strength and increase brand awareness over time.

3 Resources If you have any questions regarding the correct usage of any of The Dutch Group s brands, or if you would like to request artwork files, please contact: The Dutch Group P.O. Box 2323 Columbus, MS T: E: brand@thedutchgroup.net 3 A full brand usage policy is available online at All employees using brandmarks and/or symbols should be familiar with the guidelines contained within this guide and the usage policy available online.

4 Table of Contents Who Is The Dutch Group? Family of Brands 6 Core Values 7 Brand Guidelines Brand Voice 9 Logo 11 Typefaces 12 Type-Anatomy 13 Symbol 14 Logo Color & Options 15 Clear Space Requirements 17 Background Applications 18 Misuse Examples 20 Color Palette 21 Business Forms 22 Stationery 22 Business Cards 23 Envelopes 24 Powerpoint Templates 25 Electronic Communications 26 Approval Process Approval Process 28 4

5 Who Is The Dutch Group? 5

6 Family of Brands The Dutch Group is more than a single brand it is a family of brands. Each brand, while standing alone, serves to complement the others. Current and future sub-brand logos and brandmarks should adhere to the brand standards outlined in this guide. 6

7 Core Values At The Dutch Group, how we accomplish our mission is as important as the mission itself. Our nine pillars symbol represents The Dutch Group s nine core values and symbolizes its supportive role. Honesty Trust Joy Service Quality Respect Vision Team Potential 7

8 Brand Guidelines 8

9 Brand Voice The Dutch Group brand voice is that of a trusted friend. It is human and real, helpful and confident. Our brand voice represents technical expertise, to be sure, but it is also born of a connection with our consumers and a deep understanding of their daily lives and the role we play in them. We have a sense of humor and a perspective on the world and our place in it. Yes, we are experts. But we are not robots. We do not lecture or communicate in corporate speak, but rather in the voice of our customers. 9

10 Brand Voice Examples Not The Dutch Group Brand Voice At Dutch Lubricants, we understand how your combustion engine works. Oil is forced from the pump through an oil filter and pressure fed to the main bearings and oil pressure gauge. From the main bearings, it passes through feed-holes into drilled passages in the rotating crankshaft, which lubricates the cylinder walls and piston pin bearings by dispersing oil. The Dutch Group Brand Voice Taking care of your equipment can be complicated. Luckily, at Dutch Lubricants, we re more than lubrication experts. We are trusted advisors. And we offer a wide range of solutions to make sure your equipment is running great, helping you avoid downtime and stay on the job. 10

11 Logo The Dutch Group logo consists of two components: a symbol and a brandmark. The established size and positioning relationships between these two components that define this logo must never be altered. The brandmark consists of two typefaces, Champion and Baskerville, which have been crafted in a bespoke cut unique to The Dutch Group. Be sure to use an approved artwork file rather than attempting to re-create the logo. Approved artwork files can be found at: Symbol Brandmark 11

12 Typefaces The Champion font provides a contemporary contrast to the more traditional Baskerville, with italics signifying a forward-looking, visionary company. The contrast between each will help aid memorability amongst audiences, and there is a warmth to the Baskerville characters that brings home some of the family-values inherent in The Dutch Group. Baskerville Italic abcdefghijklmn opqrstuvwxyz

13 Type-Anatomy The strength and solidarity in the Champion typeface emphasizes the trustworthy and committed brand traits of The Dutch Group. a b a a b a a a b a a b a 13

14 Symbol The family of nine pillars represents The Dutch Group s supportive role as well as its core values. Symmetry has been used in art and design throughout history to create equilibrium and flow between different elements. Architects use symmetry to create support systems, just as The Dutch Group s symbol signifies support. 14 Anytime the nine pillars symbol is used, it should reflect this symmetry. The spaces in between the pillars are the same width as the pillars themselves. Careful attention must be paid to the aspect ratio of the symbol, in order to prevent loss of symmetry. Always use an approved artwork file, rather than trying to recreate the symbol.

15 Logo Color The Dutch Group logo is expressed in two colors, Pantone 336C and Rich Black. This proprietary color combination must be used consistently across all internal and external communications. Dutch Green P 336C C: 89 M: 35 Y: 75 K: 24 (print 4-color breakdown) R: 0 G: 106 B: 81 (broadcast and web breakdown) Great care should be taken to ensure accurate color reproduction when the logo is applied to all types of paper and materials, as well as web and broadcast channels. 15 Always obtain approval from The Dutch Group brand standards team if you have a unique situation requiring an exception to these guidelines prior to production. See contact information on page 3 of this document.

16 Logo Color Options The Dutch Group and its affiliate logos can be reproduced in three ways: Dutch Green: This is the preferred color. Make sure to use Dutch green (P336C) on all color materials. Black: Use this color option only on black and white materials. White: Use this color option only on black and white materials or dark backgrounds (see example of dark background on page 18). 16 These are the only approved uses of The Dutch Group and its affiliate logos. No other color-schemes are permitted for any use.

17 Clear Space Requirements The Dutch Group logo must clearly stand out wherever it appears. One way to ensure this is by maintaining clear space around the logo. Clear space is an area that is kept free of any other text, graphic elements or other visual distractions. Please ensure that a clear space of 1/4X is maintained around the logo, where X is the height of the symbol. More than this clear space is always acceptable. 17

18 Background Applications The primary background colors are Dutch green and white. Positive The Dutch Group logo can be displayed in two versions, a positive expression (a green and black logo on a white or light color background), and a reverse expression (a white logo on a green background). The positive expression of the logo is preferred in most applications. The staging of the colored logo against a white background is more impactful in its expression. Reverse 18

19 Background Applications In special situations where the background color cannot be Dutch green or white, the black and white logo must be used. Positive The black and white logo option can be displayed in two versions, a positive expression and a reverse expression. Reverse 19

20 Misuse Examples The Dutch Group logo has been carefully created to work across a broad range of applications. This logo configuration should not be modified or recreated in any way. This page illustrates some, but not all of the possible misuses. If you do not have the proper logo artwork, please contact The Dutch Group home office contact on page 3 of this document or go to (too little space between symbol and brandmark) (misaligned brandmark) 20 (logo compressed / aspect ratio not maintained) (correct logo)

21 Color Palette Primary and accent colors The Dutch Group primary color is Pantone 336C. It has a professional and confident look, while offering differentiation from more common reds and blues. Primary Color P 336C ( Dutch Green) C: 89 M: 35 Y: 75 K: 24 (print 4-color breakdown) R: 0 G: 106 B: 81 (broadcast and web breakdown) Accent Colors The approved accent colors are Pantone 335C, P 335C P 331C Pantone Green C, Pantone 333C, Pantone 331C and Rich Black and White. R: 0 G: 124 B: 102 R:186 G: 234 B: P Green C Rich Black R: 0 G: 153 B: 124 R: 0 G: 0 B: 0 P 333C White R: 94 G: 221 B: 193

22 Stationery This is the approved standard format for company stationery. Any exception to this format must be submitted for approval. Correct business unit logo and branch address should be used instead of home office information, if applicable. Always use an approved artwork file for logos. 22 For information on the approval process and approved artwork files, please go to

23 Business Cards This is the only approved standard format for company business cards. Any exception to this format must be submitted for approval. For information on the approval process, please go to 23 Division Logo

24 Envelopes This is the only approved standard format for company envelopes. Any exception to this format must be submitted for approval. For information on the approval process, please go to 24

25 Powerpoint Template Dutch-branded powerpoint templates have been created to save you time when preparing company presentations. These templates are available online at 25

26 Electronic Communications When using The Dutch Group or any of its affiliate logos in electronic communications, always make sure to use an approved artwork file. Do not attempt to recreate the logo(s) and do not use unapproved files. In order to improve consistency in electronic signatures, it is strongly recommended that you adhere to a pre-approved format when using a company logo in an or other electronic signature. The recommended format and approved artwork files are available online at 26

27 Approval Process 27

28 Approval Process All brand elements of The Dutch Group and its affiliates should be carefully protected in order to build brand strength and increase brand awareness over time. All advertising in any medium must be submitted to The Dutch Group s home office for prior written approval: Prior to production, requestor must submit all materials that use The Dutch Group or any of its affiliate logos or reference The Dutch Group or any of its affiliate brands to The Dutch Group Brand Standards group via at: brand@thedutchgroup.net. Submissions should include: Copy of marketing plan or media schedule with planned use of materials. A response will be provided within two weeks with one of the following directions: Approved as submitted Approved with changes Denied For details on pre-approved materials and the full company policy on brand usage, please visit 28 Materials should be marked DRAFT at the top of the page.

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