JULY 2019 BRAND STYLE GUIDE
SCHULTE GROUP BRAND STYLE GUIDE
Welcome To The Schulte Group We are an independent accounting and financial advisory group in Cincinnati, Ohio that provides tailored and holistic income solutions. We combine the sincerity of a family office and the sophistication of a 40 year income management team to help our clients gain wealth clarity to create, preserve, maximize and enjoy their wealth. We keep the client at the center of every decision by offering complete income counsel and solutions that best fit their whole life, not just one piece. We take the time to educate and inspire clients setting them up for long-term success. We are authentic and transparent, focusing on financial mindset equally to financial assets, and being generous with our time and resources. As the world of financial advisory gets larger and more disconnected there is no better time than now to welcome you to the all new Schulte Group of brands. A group that collectively and cohesively supports each other on our mission for wealth clarity and connection. We appreciate your respect and collaboration to maintain our identity in an intentional and consistent manner to truly capture the essence of our brand.
OUR PILLARS Tailored Guidance. We are wholly invested in guiding clients toward clarity and confidence in their unique income planning and draw on 40 years of financial expertise and life counseling to educate, empower and inspire clients based on their needs. Specialized Team. Our team consists of CPAs, MBAs, CFPs, real estate experts and certified life counselors who together deliver customized advice and strategies based on each client’s specific financial needs. Holistic Strategies. We offer complete income planning and management from accounting and tax preparation to investment strategies and transition counseling across our three companies.
Table Of Contents
OUR PERSONALITY The character traits below represent the human nature and values of our brand. It is how we consistently behave through all experiences so the people we touch feel comfortable and familiar with us. Competent. We are confident and capable. We are forward-thinking and go beyond what most offer. Trustworthy. We are honest, open and accurate. Our reputation is built on integrity and trust. Sincere. e act with care and empathy and treat people like family. We know the power of personalization. Passionate. We live and breathe financial planning. We take great pride in what we do. We have a youthful spirit with an old soul. Polished. We are put-together and sophisticated. Our work is organized and well planned.
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Logo Design Primary Logo Variation Logos Logo Spacing + Size Restrictions
10-11 12 13
Typography Primary Fonts Font Usage
14-15 16 17
Color System Color Palette Primary Logo Color Genres
18-19 20 21
Illustrations Iconography Patterns
22-23 24 25
Photography Photographic Style Photographic Background + Framing
26-27 28 29 30 31
Applications Signage Business Collateral Keynote Presentation Business Cards
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Logo Design
01 Our logo is the touchstone of our brand and a valuable asset to help people recognize and remember us. Maintaining its integrity and consistency is essential.
1. Primary Logo | 2. Sister Brand Logos | 3. Logo Spacing + Size | 4. Restrictions
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SCHULTE GROUP BRAND STYLE GUIDE
PRIMARY LOGO Say hello to the new Schulte Group, Brass Tax branch! Competent, polished and sincere, the new logo speaks to the fact that while we may be keeping up with the times, we are staying true to our values and standards. The serif script font helps to symbolize our professional commitment to building trusted and lasting relationships. Using the swirls in the main font conveys connection and personal touch while creating a nostalgic bank aesthetic. The art-deco style rectangle pairs well with the script font to give it grounding and stability. The gold and navy color palette offer a high-end quality vibe to stand apart from the more common neutral and saturated colors of financial competitors.
TWO COLOR LOGO
ONE COLOR
SISTER BRAND LOGOS Our Schulte Group branches, Schulte Certified Public Accountants and Schulte Financial Group, share our same values and standards and therefore their logo and visual identity follow suite. Using different colors to distinguish themselves, the logos carry the same meaning, consistent look and visual appeal.
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SCHULTE GROUP BRAND STYLE GUIDE
LOGO SPACING + SIZE Our logo embodies our brand. It is the brand summed up in one neat little package. Therefore, the logo must stay intact at all times to be perfectly legible and without obstructions. The clear space around the logo is the empty space that should always remain untouched by other typography and graphics. The logo needs to be a hero easily standing out when used. Use the length of the A to measure the minimum amount of clear space allowed on each side of the logo. To preserve legibility the locked up logo should never be scaled smaller than 1.5� horizontally.
Whenever you use the logo, it should be surrounded with clear space to ensure its visibility.
1.5� If you use the logo icon as a single object, it also needs clear space all around.
RESTRICTIONS Our logo is very important to us and we have put a lot of thought and love into designing it just right. We ask that designers and users respect the thought and craftsmanship that has gone into the logo by keeping it in its pure form and within the rules as outlined in this guide. Don’t rotate or distort the logo in any way - that includes adding unnecessary and unattractive text decorations like drop shadows or outlines. Here are a few examples of some ways you should never consider using the logo.
DON’T rotate the logo
DON’T crop elements
DON’T outline elements
DON’T stretch the logo
DON’T add effects
DON’T change colors
DON’T use on similar colors
DON’T interrupt with graphic
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Typography
02 Typography is 95% of design - it’s a driving force in all forms of communication art.
1. Primary Fonts | 2. Font Usage
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SCHULTE GROUP BRAND STYLE GUIDE
PRIMARY FONTS Typography is a powerful brand tool when used consistently. Brass Tax logo utilizes two typeface families called Blackout and Gill Sans. The first is Blackout, a bolder, script, serif typeface that is used for headings in print, posters, billboards and web applications. This typeface may be used in all caps but is reccommended to be used in a cap and lowercase combination. The second is Gill Sand (regular), the thinner typeface in the family used for a sub-headline when needed. This should be used in an all cap format when used for sub-headlinings and normal structure for paragraphs so that it is more legible for larger bodies of copy.
Blackout ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 12345678910
Gill Sans ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 12345678910
FONT USAGE Blackout is only to be used for prominent headlines and should never be smaller than 15 point size. Kerning or character spacing should be set to auto. And line spacing between the headline and the subhead should always be 42 point.
The Schulte Group GUIDING WEALTH CLARITY
Gill Sans can be used for subheading or body copy and should never be smaller than 15 point. Kerning or character spacing should be set to auto. And line spacing between the headline and the subhead should always be 34 point. To the left, we have demonstrated how to use header + body fonts together.
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Color System
03 Color influences behavior and decision making and can impact the way people perceive our brand in ways that aren’t always apparent, such as how certain hues can evoke feelings of joy, warmth and trust.
1. Color Palette
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SCHULTE GROUP BRAND STYLE GUIDE
COLOR PALETTE Color is an integral part of brand identity. Consistent use of the color palette will not only reinforce the cohesiveness of the brand, but color also serves a psychological purpose by communicating a certain feeling to our audience. Our color palette does not have set primary colors, as any combination can be used together at any time. This palette communicates our conservative, orderly, and inviting approach.
C5 M4 Y11 K0 R239 G236 B224 HEX #efece0 C0 M0 Y0 K0 R0 G0 B0 HEX #GRADIENT C86 M43 Y74 K38 R26 G85 B67 HEX #1a5543 C98 M93 Y43 K53 R20 G22 B60 HEX #14163c
PRIMARY LOGO COLOR GENRES We want to make sure that our logo can find a home on any surface. For this reason, we offer different color genres that include a full color, two color, one color (black), and one color reversed (white). When the background may be too dark in color to the main, full color logo the two color logo should be used, as it is white and gold.
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Illustrations
04 Illustration is a powerful brand cue that can reinforce primary messages and make the complex simple in our communications.
1. Iconography | 2. Patterns
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SCHULTE GROUP BRAND STYLE GUIDE
ICONOGRAPHY The icons are pictograms displayed on-screen or print layout to help navigate through content. Icons are hand-drawn and outlined in with a single color. The icons should never change colors except when used in other branches. Brass Tax should be gold, navy blue, and light yellow. Schulte Financial Group should be gold, green, and white. Schulte Certified Public Accountants should be gold, navy blue, and white.
PATTERNS To fully create the Schulte Group identity; the brand uses a combination of handcrafted patterns and icons that support the principles already established by the logo, color, typography, and photography. The main idea is creating elements that support the competent, trustworthy, thoughtful, passionate, and polished brand personality. Each of our patterns has structured “art-deco-like� textures that overlap to show that we are always combining each of the strengths to deliver our customers the best quality of work possible. To keep designs unique but still consistent with the brand identity, the floral and geometric patterns can be pulled out and used on their own, or in a combination as we have done throughout the guide title spreads. Never redraw or use similar patterns, these will serve as an individual, and recognizable stamp to the brand.
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Photography
05 Our visual system uses photography to convey our brand personality and establish a meaningful emotional connection with the people it touches.
1. Photographic Style | 2. Photographic Background
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SCHULTE GROUP BRAND STYLE GUIDE
PHOTOGRAPHIC STYLE The photographic style of Schulte Group mirrors the sense of conversational, authentic and in-the-know that the brand embodies. To ensure our images represent our brand and, in turn, engage viewers and help them feel part of the experience, make sure the photographs: • Utilize bright lighting with extra exposure • Capture authentic moments of enjoyment • People should be shown at ease and content rather than posed, staged or overly cheerful • Viewers should feel as if they were in the photographs themselves • Present natural environments. Allow little imperfections - not overly manicured
PHOTOGRAPHIC BACKGROUND + FRAMING Photos can be used as a whole rectangle or square image or cutout for a creative more custom feel. An overlay pattern can be used behind a photo or the header background can be used on top of a photo. Either way, these photos should primarily be full color for better visibility and relatability.
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Applications
06 Our brand can be brought to life in various applications. From digital presentations to merchandise and signage, the same brand style guidelines apply.
1. Signage | 2. Business Collateral | 3. Keynote Presentation | 4. Business Cards
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SCHULTE GROUP BRAND STYLE GUIDE
SIGNAGE Most signage should be used on white or very light colored backgrounds so that the full-color logo can be used. Patterns are always encouraged to be used to draw attention and set you apart from competitors.
BUSINESS COLLATERAL Merchandise should be products that are relevant to the Schulte Group. And could include folders, business cards, letterheads, notebooks, etc.
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SCHULTE GROUP BRAND STYLE GUIDE
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION The keynote presentation is a comprehensive example of how to use the brand identity together in a cohesive and consistent way. Use this as a model for best use of photography, icons, patterns, and fonts.
BUSINESS CARDS This business card designs demonstrate how to bring in hand-crafted and structured elements such as fonts and colors along with the logo in the most simplistic but effective way.
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SCHULTE GROUP | MADE BY ELLIE BRANDS | © 2019