Brand guidelines
Contents 1
Brand story
2
Brand vision
3
Brand values
4.1 4.2
Logo – Introduction Logo – Correct usage: colour, placement, background and sizing
5.1 Colour palette – Introduction Colour palette – Primary colours 5.2 5.3 Colour palette – Secondary colours 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4
7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5
Photography – Introduction Photography – Growth Photography – Technology Photography – People Photography – Examples
8.1 8.2
Tone of voice – Introduction Tone of voice – Expressing the values
9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4
Stationery – Letterhead Stationery – Compliment slips Stationery – Business cards Stationery – PowerPoint template
Typography – Introduction Typography – Typefaces Typography – Typeface in context and weights Typography – A few basic rules
Germains brand guidelines 2010
1 Brand story Germains is the world’s largest independent seed technology company, with nine locations in six countries. With a solid position in horticulture and world-class technologies in sugar beet, it was clear that if it could begin to realise its potential, it had the capability to grow, and grow quickly. Just over two years ago, it took its first steps to do just that. Following a series of initial business successes and improvement programmes our ABF parent agreed to a major programme of investment in both capital expenditure and people. Today, we are beginning to reap the benefits of that confidence and investment, and we have begun to show just what our organisation and our people are capable of. We have a new direction, and a renewed sense of purpose. Most importantly, we have a single, clear vision: “We maximise Nature’s potential”. If we’re to stay focused on this goal, and to maintain the passion and ambition that will help us achieve it, it’s essential that we’re all clear about our vision. By this we mean, not just what we do, and the money we need to make, but our reason for being; i.e. what Germains stands for as a business. These guidelines will help us do that. They will clarify who we are and what we stand for, they will show the values that are important to us, and demonstrate how we bring them to life through the elements that make up our brand, our behaviours and through the look, feel and content of our communications.
Paul Mullan Managing Director
Germains brand guidelines 2010
2 Brand vision Our Brand vision and values are the first steps in defining and distinguishing who we are and what we’re in business for – beyond simply making money. Our Brand vision expresses what we’re for rather than simply what we do. It keeps us on track as an organisation and helps us maintain our passion and ambition to realise our longer-term goals. It’s our guiding star and our reason for being. It’s this:
We Maximise Nature’s Potential
Germains brand guidelines 2010
3 Brand values Our values informs everything we say and do. Whilst “we maximise nature’s potential” encapsulates the approach that’s at the heart of our brand, the Brand values (shown right/below) express the attributes and qualities that characterise the way we work.
Customer Focused
Together our vision and values provide a yardstick for developing and assessing communications, decisions and behaviours, and ensuring that they are properly brand-aligned. If a piece of communication or a way of behaving fits not only with the Brand vision, but also with one or more of our Brand values, then we can be sure that it’s on-brand. And if it doesn’t, we can be equally sure that it isn’t.
Courageous
Passionate
Our Brand values: Courageous We have confidence in our convictions and are always prepared to ‘have a go’. Passionate We have passion for our business, our products and our customers. Accountable We deliver our own and our team’s targets/goals. Customer Focused We always put our customers first.
Working Together
Accountable
Working Together We think and act as one joined up company.
Germains brand guidelines 2010
4 Logo 4.1
Introduction
The Germains logo is a vital element of our visual expression. Its redesign is one of the most immediate ways in which we can show our customers, suppliers, partners, stakeholders and colleagues that Germains is changing, The new version has been created to better support our new vision and values. Reflecting our Customer Focused value, it is now fresher, more accessible, engaging and relevant. In addition, graphics, colours and typeface have been revised to make our logo more legible, more contemporary and better aligned with our Brand vision. The logo has been specially drawn to ensure that it is used consistently across all applications. The characters and spacing have defined relationships and should not be altered in any way. Do not attempt to recreate the logo, or to change or modify the colours.
Germains brand guidelines 2010
4 Logo 4.2
Correct usage: colour, placement, background and sizing
There are three versions of the logo; a preferred version, a negative version and a black & white version. Artwork for the logos is supplied as vector based EPS files and high resolution JPG files, and can be found on the Germains Intranet. Minimum size The logo is scalable, but only in proportion. Do not squeeze or stretch it in any way. The minimum size for using the logo in any print application is 30mm in length.
Preferred version – to be used wherever possible Minimum clear space
Clear space It’s important that the logo is shown to its best advantage. So leave sufficient clear space around it. The minimum amount of clear space is equal to the x-height (the height of lower-case type in the logo, excluding ascenders). Busy background
Negative version – for dark backgrounds only
Black version – for black & white reproduction only
The logo should not be placed on a busy background but if this is unavoidable it should be placed on a white banner.
30mm
Minimum size – shown in full size
Banner version – for busy backgrounds
Germains brand guidelines 2010
5 Colour palette 5.1
Introduction
Colour can act as a highly effective branding asset. As such, it makes up a key element of the Germains Brand. Not only can it help make our Brand identity and communications more immediately distinctive and ownable, but it can also project some key qualities that represent us and our approach. Our colours and – equally importantly – the combinations of colours that we use have been selected to reflect the Brand vision and bring standout, freshness and vibrancy to all our communications.
5.2
Primary colours
There are three primary colours in our palette. Even though it’s not shown here, there’s one more colour that’s an important part of our palette. It’s white – or rather white space. Ensuring that there is enough white space in our communications and applications allows the page to ‘breathe’, providing clarity, enabling the eye to focus more easily on the key elements within a layout, and helping us make our points clearly and quickly. These colours, singly or in combination, and supported where necessary by one or more of the colours in our secondary palette, should be used for all main branding opportunities and should appear across and throughout all applications. When using professional publishing and artwork software (InDesign, Illustrator etc.), or working with third party suppliers on design, advertising or artwork-based applications, the primary colours may also be applied as percentage tints. However, they should not be used for directly-generated work, especially when using standard word processing and presentation software (Word and PowerPoint etc.), as the accuracy and consistency of primary colour tints cannot be guaranteed.
Earth Pantone 418 C C0 M0 Y30 K75 R90 G90 B80
Natural Pantone 370 C C56 M0 Y100 K27 R93 G151 B50
Lush Pantone 382 C C29 M0 Y100 K0 R193 G216 B47
Germains brand guidelines 2010
5 Colour palette 5.3
Secondary colours
This is the secondary colour palette. These colours are designed to complement the primary colours and to add freshness and variety to communication. The secondary palette should be used for emphasis and/or highlighting, and should only be used in combination with at least one colour from the primary colour palette
Maize Pantone Hexachrome Orange C C0 M50 Y100 K0 R247 G144 B30
Aqua Pantone 326 C C75 M5 Y35 K0 R0 G177 B176
Mid Grey Pantone Cool Gray 7 C C2 M0 Y0 K37 R173 G175 B178
Sunshine Pantone 109 C C0 M10 Y100 K0 R255 G220 B0
Sky Pantone 2995 C C75 M20 Y0 K0 R0 G165 B225
Light Grey Pantone 428 C C2 M0 Y0 K18 R207 G212 B216
Germains brand guidelines 2010
6 Typography 6.1
Introduction
Throughout these guidelines, we talk about the Brand vision and values that are at the heart of our business, and the need for our communications to demonstrate and reflect them.
Primary Typeface
Typography is one of the elements that will help us achieve this – both in terms of the typefaces we use and the way we use them.
ITC Avant Garde Gothic Std Book Oblique ITC Avant Garde Gothic Std Bold ITC Avant Garde Gothic Std Bold Oblique
In combination with our use of white space and our choice and treatment of imagery, typography plays an important role in the look and feel of our communications, helping ensure that they’re consistent, ownable, clear and distinctive. Our primary typeface is ITC Avant Garde Gothic Std. There are two further typefaces that may also be used, GeoSlab703 and Century Gothic (see below for usage). These typefaces have been chosen to support our Brand because they are clean, modern, versatile and extremely legible both on screen and in print. Primary typeface will be used for the majority of print and web material. It comes in two different weights: book and bold. Each is also available in oblique (italic). Secondary typeface will be used to support the primary typeface. It comes in two different weights: light and bold.
ITC Avant Garde Gothic Std Book
Secondary Typeface
GeoSlab703 Light BT GeoSlab703 Bold BT Web/Office safe fonts
Century Gothic Regular Century Gothic Bold
Web/Office safe fonts should only be used for correspondence, emails and web pages, and not for print media. In circumstances where it is not possible to use Avant Garde Gothic, Century Gothic is the default font. You may use it in the following weights: regular and bold.
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Germains brand guidelines 2010
6 Typography 6.2
Typefaces
ITC Avant Garde Gothic Std
a bcdefghijklmn o p q r s t u v w x y z A BCDEFGHIJKLM N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 34567890!@£$ % ^ & * ( ) - + = , . GeoSlab703 Md BT
a bcdefghijklmno p q r s t u v w x y z A BCDE FGHIJKLM N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 34567890!@£$ % ^ & * ( ) - + = , . Century Gothic
a bcde fghijklmn o p q r s t u v w x y z A BCDEFGHIJKLM N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3456 7890!@£$ % ^ & * ( ) - + = , .
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Germains brand guidelines 2010
6 Typography 6.3
Typeface in context and weights Body copy
Emphasis
Sub-head
Headline
ITC Avant Garde Gothic Std Book
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
ITC Avant Garde Gothic Std Book Oblique
No
Yes
No
No
ITC Avant Garde Gothic Std Bold
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
ITC Avant Garde Gothic Std Bold Oblique
No
Yes
No
No
GeoSlab703 Light BT
Yes
No
No
No
GeoSlab703 Bold BT
No
Yes
No
No
NB: Century Gothic Regular and Bold should only be used for Office, Email and Web-based applications. Use regular for text and bold for headers and emphasis.
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Germains brand guidelines 2010
6 Typography 6.4
A few basic rules
Range left Keep type ranged left at all times. It’s neat, easy to read, and ensures that we can maintain a consistent style across a variety of different type sizes and column widths. So don’t justify, range right or centre type. Simple and clear Our readers are busy people. The more simply, clearly and legibly we present them with information, the more likely they are to take the time to read it properly. Judicious use of headlines, subheads, bold and italic type and bullet points will provide all the emphases necessary within a piece of text. Avoid anything more complicated as it’s more likely to be distracting than helpful. Keep it together There’s no need for unusual letter or word spacings. Use the normal settings wherever possible. For headlines and large type, particularly in artwork-based applications, advertising, print and exhibition banners for example, you may need to adjust the kerning (the space between the individual letters), but aim to close the spacings rather than open them up.
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Germains brand guidelines 2010
7 Photography 7.1
Introduction
Imagery is more than just decoration to break up a page full of text. It can be a powerful medium in its own right, helping to underline a point, tell a story, or elicit a response. More importantly, it’s also a very effective way to express our Brand and its values visually. Whoever you’re talking to, whether they’re customers, suppliers, colleagues or the public at large, it can help us make a more immediate, personal and meaningful connection with our audience. If you are looking for a suitable image, the picture library on the Germains Intranet should be your first port of call.
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Germains brand guidelines 2010
7 Photography 7.2
Growth
With ‘we maximise nature’s potential’ as our Brand vision, it’s essential that images relating to growth reflect that commitment. So when showing images of crops, ensure that the images you choose are likely to support our position of expertise and generate a positive response: i.e. plants should be healthy and – unless you are specifically using an image of a single plant or shot – abundant. One of our key Brand values is Customer Focused. So when you are using an image of a plant or a crop – even if you are using it purely as a symbol or to support or illustrate a general point or trend – reinforce that value by using one that is relevant to our customers and the services/products we provide to them (so choose lettuces and sugar beet over orchids and lilies).
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Germains brand guidelines 2010
7 Photography 7.3
Technology
Again, bear our Brand vision in mind when selecting images to illustrate a technology-based subject. Remember also that one of our key values is Accountable, and that in the Customer Charter on our website, we talk about environmental sustainability. All these attributes affect the way we choose technology-related images. Avoid anything that’s too clinical or stark, and look for images that have an organic element to them or that reflect our balance between nature and technology. Where possible, even in a lab environment, seeds (coated or uncoated) or seedlings should be part of the shot. Any image that you could imagine ICI, Dow or GSK using is probably the wrong one for Germains.
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Germains brand guidelines 2010
7 Photography 7.4
People
Our Brand values describe how we are, not just as a business, but also as people. So it’s clearly important that when we choose imagery that shows people, the way we portray them will affect how successfully we communicate those values. So ensure that the images you use reflect one or more of those values; particularly the ‘Customer Focused’ and ‘Working Together’ values – both of which a photograph can help us depict effectively. (Our ‘Courageous’, and ‘Passionate’ values are more complex, and should be interpreted rather than depicted over-literally) Look for images that depict small groups (twos or threes) rather than single individuals. Whether they are in environments that reflect our world or that of our customers, the relationships between the people is key. Subjects should be engaged, interacting as equals, and above all, the scene should look convincing and natural. Avoid anything that looks forced or clichéd (a common problem with images on many photo-libraries).
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Germains brand guidelines 2010
7 Photography 7.5
Examples
When choosing images, where and how you’ll be using them can be key factors in selecting the appropriate shot. Shape and size
InSites
If the image needs to fit into a tall, thin shape, or a long narrow one, look for images where the important elements already fit the proportion you need. The bigger the space the image will fill, the higher the resolution that you’re likely to need.The smaller the size of the image, the simpler it needs to be to work effectively – at 3cm square, a single tree against a blue sky will have more impact than an image of a forest, no matter how beautifully photographed.
INTRODUCTION CORPORATE UPDATE Paul Mullan’s quarterly overview. BUSINESS UNITS UPDATE News, updates and the latest developments from around the business.
Stories, case studies, news and views from around the business. In this issue: next steps following the employee survey, and we announce the winner of the ‘name our newsletter’ competition.
HEALTH & SAFETY Vic Rodda’s 5 golden rules for a safer workplace. NEW DEVELOPMENTS UK Operations Manager Jon Struther’s update on expanding capacity at King’s Lynn for the EU Sugar Beet team.
HUMAN RESOURCES Introducing Germains new performance appraisal system, and a new employee recognition award. ANNOUNCEMENTS The steps one woman is taking to combat breast cancer.
Treating and retouching If you are looking for a photograph to overlay type, graphs or other information onto, look for an image with a simple and uncluttered background. With today’s technology it’s easy to alter images. But unless the changes are simple ones (adjusting colours, cropping etc.), retouching is usually best left to a design professional.
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Priming Home > Seed Technologies Seed Coating
Cropping
Seed Technologies Seed health
Polymers & Machinery Quality Control team
Priming
Cropping can help make an image serve your purposes more effectively.You can use it to enlarge the main subject and draw the viewer’s eye to it faster, to eliminate any unwanted elements, or to change the shape or format of your image. The smaller the image, the more tightly you will need to emphasise the area of the picture that you want the viewer to see and the closer you should aim to crop in.
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Seed Coating
Seed health
Providing the optimal balance between the most rapid seed germination and the longest shelf life. read more
Germains offers three key technologies; encrustments, pelleting and filmcoating. read more
Removing seed-based fungal or bacteria pathogens and improving nutrient absorbtion to promote early emergence. read more
Polymers & Machinery
Quality Control team
Research & Development
Germain’s offers a wide range of Spectrum™ brand polymers for your coating system. Germains also offers a full line of precision rotary batch coating equipment for seed treating and coating applications. read more
Expert, experienced and highly qualified staff, working with industry leading processes and tools to maximise quality and support a more environmentally friendly approach. read more
Developing the next generation of priming and coating technologies, and innovating new seed technologies to improve agronomic performance. read more
Research & Development
Germains brand guidelines 2010
8 Tone of voice 8.1
Introduction
We have defined the values and qualities that best describe us as a business, and that we want to communicate to our various audiences – existing or potential customers, stakeholders, the business community at large, and even each other. In all our communications, it’s not just what we say that determines how we are perceived, but how we say it. In everything we write, whether it’s an email to a supplier, a letter to a customer, an article, a proposal or a web page, the same basic rule applies: no matter how large the potential audience for whatever we’re writing, we’re always communicating on a one-to-one basis. So think about your reader as an individual. Bear in mind their situation, their issues and concerns, their level of knowledge, what they’re likely to want to hear from you – and what they’re not – and talk to them accordingly.
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Germains brand guidelines 2010
8 Tone of voice 8.2
Expressing the values
We Maximise Nature’s Potential
Our Brand vision and values encapsulate the qualities that define and differentiate us. Those same qualities also determine the Germains tone of voice. Each Brand value gives us a number of attributes that help determine the way we speak as a brand. While you won’t be able to express all of them all the time, everything you write should be characterised by at least one attribute from each value. In summary the tone should be friendly, accessible. Above all else write as an individual not as a faceless corporation.
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Customer Focused
Working Together
Courageous
“We”, not “I”
Not what we do but what they need
Collaborative
Integrity
Honest
Open
Principled
Thoughtful
Generous
Exploratory
Go the extra yard
Keep the big picture in mind
Truthful
Accountable
Take responsibility
Passionate
Positive
Solutions not problems
Enthusiastic
Innovative
Dynamic
No waffle
Authoritative
Germains brand guidelines 2010
9 Stationery 9.1
Letterhead
Letterhead is provided as pre-printed stationery. Do not attempt to change or recreate the artwork or any of the elements. Do not attempt to create Word templates of the letterhead. Formatting: Set word margins as follows: •
Top: 64mm
•
Left: 16mm
•
Right: 16mm
•
Bottom: 26mm
Typeface: Century Gothic Regular (Century Gothic Bold for emphasis) Type size: 9 pt N.B. Whoever you’re writing to, whatever you’re writing about, bear in mind the guidance from the Tone of Voice section as you go.
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Germains brand guidelines 2010
9 Stationery 9.2
Compliment slips
Compliment slips are provided as pre-printed stationery. Do not attempt to change or recreate the artwork or any of the elements. Although compliment slips are a more informal way of communication than a letter or an email, they still give the reader a sense of who we are and what we stand for. So bear in mind the guidance in the Tone of Voice section – even for short messages.
Germains Seed Technology, Inc. 8333 Swanston Lane, Gilroy, CA 95020, USA T: +1 (408) 848 8120 F: +1 (408) 848 2124 E: info@germains.com
With compliments
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Germains brand guidelines 2010
9 Stationery 9.3
Business cards
Business cards don’t just say who we are; they also express some of our business values. Business cards are pre-printed. The colours, typeface and logo have been carefully chosen. Do not attempt to recreate them or change them in any way.
Lucy Miller Marketing Manager T: +44 (0) 1553 779 234 F: +44 (0) 1553 773 145 M: +44 (0) 7525 705 785 E: lmiller@germains.com
“We Maximise Nature’s Potential”
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Hansa Road, Hardwick Industrial Estate, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 4LG, UK
Germains brand guidelines 2010
9 Stationery 9.4
PowerPoint Template
A Germains PowerPoint template has been provided for you. Do not attempt to change or recreate it.
Some general suggestions: •
Absolute maximum of 5 points per slide
•
Whether slideshows are created for an internal or external audience, both look and feel should be aligned with the Germains Brand, its vision and its values.
•
Allow plenty of white space; allow your key points room to breathe
Keep type sizes and colours for titles, sub-heads and copy consistent
•
•
Slides should be a summary, to be expanded upon rather than read out verbatim
Keep charts and imagery simple and clear
Please refer to the Colour, Typography, Photography and Tone of Voice sections for more guidance.
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Germains brand guidelines 2010