PIECES OF THE STORY
BACKGROUND STORY 1.1
C O M PA N Y H I S T O R Y
1. 3 C O M P E T I T I O N 1. 5 U S P
THE MAIN CHARACTER 2 .1 I D E N T I T Y 2.3
LEGAL MARKS
2.5 INTEGRIT Y 2.7
U N A C C E P TA B L E U S A G E S
SUPPORTING CHARACTERS 3 .1 TA G L I N E 3.3
SECONDA RY GR A PHIC S
3.5 T Y POGR APH Y 3.7 PHOTOGR APH Y
VIVID DETAILS 4 .1
COLOR BREAKDOWNS
4.3
COLORED IDENTIT Y
4.5
C O L O R E D B A C KG R O U N D S
4.7
U N A C C E P TA B L E C O L O R
THE STORY UNFOLDS 5 .1 A P P L I C AT I O N S 5. 27 BUSINESS S YS TEM 5. 29 WEBSITE 5 . 31 S Y S T E M G R I D
BACKGROUND STORY
CHRONICLE
CO M PA N Y H I S TO R Y
CHRONICLED HISTORY One of the most admired and respected publishing companies in the U.S., Chronicle Books was founded in 1967 and over the years has developed a reputation for award-winning, innovative books. The company continues to challenge conventional publishing wisdom, setting trends in both subject and format, maintaining a list that includes fine art titles in design, art, architecture, and photography. Titles of note include Martha Zamora’s Frida Kahlo: The Brush of Anguish (1990), and Nick Bantock’s Griffin & Sabine (1991). Originally slated for an edition of 10,000, this interactive book became the most talked-about title of the year and a New York Times best-seller for 50 weeks. Then the two subsequent volumes in the trilogy, Sabine’s Notebook and The Golden Mean, were also Times best-sellers. The company then brought the same innovative philosophy to cookbooks with its four-color release of Sushi (1981) which sold over 90,000 copies and is still in print. Chronicle Books also publishes James McNair’s eye-catching cookbooks, and all of the perennial best-sellers having sold over 1 million copies. The Children’s list was launched in 1988 and has published the best-selling Mama, Do You Love Me? (over one million copies in hardcover), Ten Little Rabbits (450,000 copies) and also N.C. Wyeth’s Pilgrims (100,000 copies). The list has now grown to include not only traditional picture books but also affordable paperbacks, board books, plush toys, and novelty merchandise. In 1992, Chronicle Books launched its Gift division to develop ancillary products such as the fun Griffin & Sabine address book and writing box, the best-selling 52 Deck series, and also a motorcycle journal and address book based on the rare Harley-Davidson image archives.
1 .1
Above right, the original chronicle logo that was designed in 1967.
1. 2
CHRONICLE
COMPETITION
ON TWO FRONTS Chronicle has some serious competition. From other giant publishers, to online retail giants, everyone is fighting for the readers eyes and wallet. With that said, the saying “It’s hard to stand out in a crowded room” never rang so true. In order to do this, a unique and intriguing identity had to be developed. Also, given the quirky and open-minded fan base that we have, the identity couldn’t be nearly as boring as the rest.
1. 3
DIRECT
INDIRECT
Above left, most of the main competitors for Chronicle are fellow publishers. Above right, book stores also give some big competition.
1.4
CHRONICLE
USP
A UNIQUE TALE Our unique selling point is just one of the many elements that separates us from our competitors. Many of our readers are artists and/or creatives of some sort that look towards us for ideas, inspiration, and mental getaways. Our new USP reflects exactly what we set out to do!
1. 5
Inspiring individuals with unique and imaginative experiences.
THE MAIN CHARACTER
CHRONICLE
IDENTITY
THE MAIN CHARACTER Our new logo is a bit more deep than our old one. The mark symbolizes an open door. When readers crack open one of our fine books, they are exiting their surroundings and entering the doorway into a new world. It also has visual cues toward a book standing upright. The typeface used has also been majorly updated, and treated in a careful manner to convey friendliness and intelligence all at the same time.
2 .1
On top, the centered logo is the version that is typically used in the system.
On the bottom, the horizontal version of the logo is used sparingly, only in instances that require something longer.
2.2
CHRONICLE
LEGAL MARKS
IN A NON-FICTION WORLD As intrusive as it is, every identity needs to have a legal stamp on it in the market place. Here is the new Chronicle identity shown with its required Trademark stamp. As much as we’d love to live in our imaginary and beautifully clean designed worlds, we can’t dream this one up. Are you happy now legal world?
2.3
2.4
CHRONICLE
INTEGRIT Y
PUT THOSE GLASSES ON No blurry vision allowed on this one. It’s important that these specifications remain true, and are always carried out time after time. The proportions of the identity are as shown on the right page, and never to be altered. The new Chronicle logo can also shrink down pretty small and still hold up. Even one of the shortest stories around could bear this baby!
2.5
CAP HEIGHT
X=X- HEIGHT BASELINE
C L E A R S PAC E=2 X
MIN SIZE=8MM HIGH
2.6
CHRONICLE
U N AC C E P TA B L E U S AG E S
A DIFFERENT STORY There isn’t much to say about this one. After reading the previous page, you know better than to go torturing the new Chronicle logo (that is unless you work for Penguin). Save yourself from the witch hunt; don’t mess up a beautiful thing.
2.7
CH RO NICLE
2.8
SUPPORTING CHARACTERS
CHRONICLE
TA G L I N E
IT HAS A RING TO IT Not to be confused with our unique selling point, this is our tag line. Do you remember the story about the new identity as a doorway into another world? Well, with our new tag line we are urging our readers to walk on in!
3 .1
3.2
CHRONICLE
SECONDARY GR APHICS
A HELPING HAND Every successful identity system employs the helping hand of secondary graphics. Since we wheel and deal books all day long, why not use that visual language to let this world know who we are? Classic elements from literature, paired with carefully thought out typographic treatments and specific copywriting lend a tremendous helping hand to our new look.
3.3
3.4
CHRONICLE
TYPOGRAPHY
A LITTLE TYPECASTING All of our fun and witty sayings would be half as effective if they weren’t presented through beautiful typography. To the right are the three Chronicle typefaces. Chronicle Main is used only (and we mean ONLY) for the logotype. The other two typefaces come into play throughout everything else we do, from our business system to our shipping boxes.
3.5
CHRON ICLE M A IN
A B C D E FG H I J K L M O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
12 . 5 P T 19 P T L E A D I N G +40 0 TR ACKING
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 # ! ?
CHRONICLE SANS
A B C D E F G H I J K L M
12 . 5 P T
O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
+40 0 TR ACKING
19 P T L E A D I N G
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 # ! ?
CHRONICLE SLAB
A B C D E F G H I J K L M O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
12 . 5 P T 19 P T L E A D I N G +40 0 TR ACKING
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 # ! ? 3.6
CHRONICLE
PHOTOGR APHY
FOCUS DEEPLY There really is nothing like vivid photography. Since we have so many amazing photography books in our vast catalogue, we would be criminals not to employ it from time to time. On the next couple pages, the three main photographic styles we use are laid out and explained visually and literally (in this case, don’t those two mean the same thing?)! To the right is our main photographic style. A shallow depth of field is used and vividly focused detail ends up being the result of the foreground.
3.7
3.8
CHRONICLE
3 .9
PHOTOGR APHY
On the left is our head-on style of photography. This usually is used to showcase larger items that can’t be shot with a macro lens.
Above is our 3/4 shot that we usually use for medium sized subjects.
3 .1 0
VIVID DETAILS
CHRONICLE
COLOR BREAKDOWNS
PMS: BL ACK 2 C M Y K : 5 3 , 5 9, 5 6 , 2 8 R G B : 1 0 2 , 8 9, 8 7
P M S : 717 C M Y K : 1 , 8 0 , 8 9, 0 R G B : 2 2 0 , 8 8 , 51
P M S: C O O L G R AY 1 CMYK: 0, 2, 2, 8 R G B : 2 3 3 , 2 2 9, 2 2 6
COLORFUL IMAGINATION How boring would our world be without beautiful colors screaming at us everyday? Luckily, not all of our new colors scream at anyone, but they do let them know that there’s something fun and exciting is going down. A ton of care has been taken into showcasing fun and exciting colors, while at the same time communicating subtlety and intelligence. Too bad cat’s can’t see in color, otherwise we’d say everyone in your house will benefit from their delight!
4 .1
PMS: 637 C M Y K : 7 9, 0 , 1 4 , 0 R G B : 8 5 , 18 3 , 2 13
PMS: 4 625 C M Y K : 3 7, 7 7, 8 6 , 4 7 RGB: 92, 54, 37
P M S : 74 0 6 C M Y K : 0 , 4 7, 9 1 , 0 R G B : 24 2, 15 5, 47
PMS: 329 CM Y K : 10 0, 53, 58, 20 R G B : 41, 9 0 , 9 6
PMS: 583 C M Y K : 3 0, 18, 75, 0 R G B : 18 5, 18 4, 10 5
On the left page are the main colors of the new system. On the right, all of the secondar y colors.
4.2
CHRONICLE
COLORED IDENTIT Y
DIFFERENT GENRES It would be impossible to have our identity effectively work in only one color. To the right are the three main ways the identity is colored. The most common in the system is the one displayed on top. This is due to the materials that the logo is typically printed on, as well as the given backgrounds tonal range that could effectively allow the use of our dark brown/ gray and red at the same time.
4.3
4.4
CHRONICLE
COLORED BACKGROUNDS
UNIQUE BACKGROUNDS This new identity needs to be able to apply itself onto a myriad of different backgrounds, materials, and textures. Displayed on the right are the main ways this identity functions on colored and textured backgrounds.
4.5
Up top, the main options and executions of the logo coloring depend on what the background color is.
On the bottom, the identity displayed on top of textured and photo backgrounds.
4.6
CHRONICLE
U N AC C E P TA B L E C O L O R
SLOPPY TRANSLATION Look to the right. Make sure nothing of the sort ever happens to this new logo. The previous pages were carefully written specifically to make sure this page never had to exist, yet it still does. That’s because some people don’t listen. So listen up!
4.7
4.8
THE STORY UNFOLDS
CHRONICLE
A P P L I C AT I O N S
NEW RELEASES The next several pages showcase how the new Chronicle identity functions out in the real world. There are dozens of examples showing the various treatments and approaches this system takes to show the world our brand new face. From functional bookmarks, to big delivery trucks, to designerly wall clocks, the new Chronicle identity shows its handsome face unabashedly wherever it goes.
5 .1
5.2
CHRONICLE
5.3
A P P L I C AT I O N S
5.4
CHRONICLE
5.5
A P P L I C AT I O N S
On the left, the Chronicle wall clock. What studio could do without the time beautifully displayed?
Above, a Chronicle coffee cup sits in a newly opened Chronicle Coffee Shop.
5.6
CHRONICLE
5.7
A P P L I C AT I O N S
5.8
CHRONICLE
5 .9
A P P L I C AT I O N S
On the left, the new uniform is a fun t-shir t that displays the employees strengths.
Above, our new name tags display the employee’s name along with a their fun title.
5 .1 0
CHRONICLE
5 .11
A P P L I C AT I O N S
5 .1 2
CHRONICLE
5 .13
A P P L I C AT I O N S
On the left, the new sign and storefront to the Chronicle flagship store.
Above, the new reception area is displayed with comfy and funky furniture.
5 .14
CHRONICLE
5 .1 5
A P P L I C AT I O N S
5 .1 6
CHRONICLE
5 .17
A P P L I C AT I O N S
5 .1 8
CHRONICLE
5 .1 9
A P P L I C AT I O N S
Above, the new sign that will be used at trade shows, book fairs, and big events.
5.20
CHRONICLE
5.21
A P P L I C AT I O N S
5.22
CHRONICLE
5.23
A P P L I C AT I O N S
5.24
CHRONICLE
5.25
A P P L I C AT I O N S
5.26
CHRONICLE
5.27
BUSINESS SYSTEM
5.28
CHRONICLE
5.29
WEBSITE
On the left, the brand new Chronicle home page. Any image is simply clicked, and the user is navigated into the website.
Above, the updated blog section of the website that is sure to get plenty of use.
5.30
CHRONICLE
5.31
SYSTEM GRID
5.32
NOTES FROM THE AUTHOR D E S I G N E R : Beau Monroe I N S T R U C T O R : Todd Hedgpeth C O U R S E : Identity 2 P H O T O : Beau Monroe & Google Images B I N D I N G : California Office S O F T WA R E : Adobe Creative Suite 5 O S : Mac OSX P R I N T E R : Epson Photo 1400 PA P E R : Red River 60lb. Premium Matte