It starts with play.
Standards January 2014
Table of contents Welcome p1 Logo p2–10 Color p11–14 Typography p15–18 Photography p19–28 Graphic elements p29–34 Writing p35–40
Welcome! Welcome to the KaBOOM! style guide. Consistency is key in defining and reinforcing a brand. From colors and fonts to word choice, this guide will help you to be an active participant in building and maintaining the KaBOOM! brand.
If you have any questions about the KaBOOM! brand, please contact the marketing and communications team.
Logo At the heart of our brand, the KaBOOM! burst symbolizes the burst of energy that occurs when individuals and communities take action for play. Extreme care should be taken to maintain the integrity of the logo. This includes, but is not limited to, color, proportion, and the quality of reproduction.
This secondary version of the logo should only be used on the official KaBOOM! T-shirts and sweatshirts, and must not be used without the permission of the marketing and communications team.
The KaBOOM! logo: Clear space
Clear space The empty area surrounding the logo on all four sides is called the clear space. The clear space should be equal to the height of the tagline.
The KaBOOM! logo: Colors
Logo colors The color mixes for printing on coated and uncoated paper, as well as for online use, are indicated below.
Orange PMS: 166 C / 1665 U 166 CP: 0, 76, 100, 0 1665 UP: 0, 63, 95, 0 RGB: 242, 106, 36 HEX: #F26A24
Yellow PMS: 130 C / 130 U 130 CP: 0 32, 100, 3 130 UP: 0, 31, 90 0 RGB: 252,121, 81 HEX: #FCB515
Purple PMS: 2613 C / 2603 U 2603 CP: 72, 99, 0, 3 2603 UP: 54, 81, 0 0 RGB: 119, 41, 127 HEX: #77297F
Black
Note: the KaBOOM! tagline reverses to white when on a dark background.
The KaBOOM! logo: T-shirts
Logo on t-shirts The KaBOOM! logo frequently appears on t-shirts that are produced by our Community Partners. If the number of print colors are limited, there are four one-color options to choose from. All shirts that include the KaBOOM! logo must be approved by the marketing and communications team.
White logo on dark shirt
Black logo on light shirt
The KaBOOM! logo: T-shirts
Note: Ideally, the KaBOOM! logo will print in four colors.
Purple logo on light shirt PMS 2613 2603 CP: 72, 99, 0, 3
Orange logo on light shirt PMS 166 166 CP: 0, 76, 100, 0
The KaBOOM! logo: Placement
Logo relationships & size The KaBOOM! logo should not appear smaller than 1.5 inches wide or 1.142 inches tall and should be equal in visual weight or larger than accompanying logo(s). The logo should always appear to the left of any accompanying logos, or at the top if the logos are stacked.
1.5 inches wide
1.142 tall
The KaBOOM! logo: Incorrect use
Incorrect uses of the KaBOOM! logo To maintain the integrity of the KaBOOM! logo, avoid making any alterations including the following:
✘
✘
Logo is on an
Proportions of the
angle.
logo have been altered.
✘
✘
Logo is smaller
Registered
than minimum
trademark and
required size.
tagline are missing.
The KaBOOM! logo: Incorrect use
✘
✘
Background color
Color is not
is too close in
approved.
value to the logo color.
✘
✘
Logo is on
Old version of
a pattern
the logo.
Color Palette
KaBOOM! color: palette
Color palette The KaBOOM! color palette consists of three dynamic and inspiring colors. Proper use of these colors is crucial as they are strongly associated with the KaBOOM! brand.
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
Purple PMS: 2613 C / 2603 U 2603 CP: 72, 99, 0, 3 2603 UP: 54, 81, 0 0 RGB: 119, 41, 127 HEX: #77297F
Orange PMS: 166 C / 1665 U 166 CP: 0, 76, 100, 0 1665 UP: 0, 63, 95, 0 RGB: 242, 106, 36 HEX: #F26A24
Yellow PMS: 130 C / 130 U 130 CP: 0 32, 100, 3 130 UP: 0, 31, 90 0 RGB: 252,121, 81 HEX: #FCB515
KaBOOM! color: ratio
Color ratio Purple is the primary brand color and should be weighted more heavily than yellow or orange. Refer to the chart below for a general sense of proportion when determining the ratio of colors.
Typography
KaBOOM! typography
Typography AG Book Rounded Pro is the primary KaBOOM! typeface. The only time this font may be substituted is when working in a non-graphic environment such as PowerPoint or Microsoft Word, or for an online property.
Recommended weights AG Book Rounded Pro Bold abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz AG Book Rounded Pro Regular abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz AG Book Rounded Pro Italic abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
KaBOOM! typography
Headlines should be set in sentence case.
Headlines should be set in AG Book Rounded Pro Bold, 20 pt or larger.
Protecting the joy of childhood Yes, play—in all of its forms—is a powerful thing. According to a quantitative study from Insight Strategy Group, parents and children both see play as a way to relax and get rid of stress—as well as a solution to boredom. And for good reason—the most important thing to remember about play is its simplest definition: play is fun.
Body copy should be set in AG Book Rounded Pro Regular, between 8-10 pt.
Online & non-graphic typography When delivering a document in either PowerPoint or Microsoft Word, as opposed to outputting a PDF, Arial may be substituted as AG Book Rounded Pro will not display correctly if it is not installed on the recipients computer. Arial also may be used for online purposes if it isn’t possible to use AG Book Rounded Pro.
Photography
KaBOOM! photography: Kids at play
Kids at play In the KaBOOM! brand, blue sky represents optimism and possibility. “The sky is the limit!� Similarly, green grass represents an optimal place for play to transpire. Therefore, whenever possible, our photos should be shot looking up at a blue sky or looking down at green grass. Additionally, because we want the focus to be on children, when the photography is telling a story about play, no adults should be included.
KaBOOM! photography: Kids at play attributes
Attributes Every photograph of children used in KaBOOM! materials should reflect the following attributes: Genuine. Our photographs should reflect real kids participating in real activities. The subjects’ expressions and activities should look natural and not posed. Positive. Expressions should be positive and covey the joy of play. Playful. Children playing is at the core of everything we do, therefore, depicting children engaged in playful activities is essential. Active. We don’t just want kids to play, we want them to engage in active play. Active play can include anything from kicking a soccer ball to blowing bubbles to drawing. Unconstrained. The majority of our photos should depict kids playing outdoors in areas that are unfenced and convey a sense of openness. Uncluttered. To keep the focus on children and play, the photography should be simple and uncluttered. Any potentially distracting elements should be removed from the shot. Diverse. Our goal is to bring play to all children, therefore, it is essential that we represent all races throughout our materials. If an individual child is pictured, that child should most closely represent the populations we serve.
KaBOOM! photography: Builds
Builds Photographs of KaBOOM! builds should convey the teamwork and fun that is a part of the volunteer experience. Subjects should appear to be enjoying themselves and the viewer should get a sense of the camaraderie on the build.
KaBOOM! photography: Build attributes
Attributes Build photographs taken for KaBOOM! materials should reflect the following attributes: Genuine. Our photographs should reflect real people participating in real activities. The subjects’ expressions and activities should look natural and not posed. Diverse. We serve a diverse population, therefore, it is essential that we represent all races throughout our materials. Engaged. Build photos should show volunteers engaged in their work or with the camera.
KaBOOM! photography: Treatment
Treatment A photo of a child playing joyfully has the power to speak volumes about our mission and vision. There are two ways that photos can be included in materials as follows.
1
Large photos bleed off either left and right or top and bottom of the page. The alternate sides may be angular to add dimension to the piece.
KaBOOM! photography: Treatment
2 Smaller photos may be stacked to add visual interest beyond the visible photo. The photos that are in the background should be extremely simple featuring texture or color. The photos may be stacked either vertically or horizontally. Stacked photos that are on a white background should have a 10% grey border.
Graphic Elements
Graphic Elements: Elements Sky
Sky In the KaBOOM! brand, blue sky represents optimism and possibility. A blue sky suggests a pleasant day and, although we want kids to play outdoors all seasons, playing outside on a sunny day under a blue sky epitomizes the ideal of play. There is one sky image that is approved for use. To request the file, please see page x.
The sky image must always appear at the top of the page (printed or electronic).
Graphic Elements: Grass
Grass Green grass represents an optimal place for play to transpire and as a visual element is a wonderful way to ground a design. There is only one grass image that is approved for use. To request the file, please see page x.
The grass image must always be used at the bottom of the page.
Graphic Elements: Elements Angles
Angles The dynamic feel of the KaBOOM! logo is due in part to its angular shape. These angles have been brought into the KaBOOM! brand as visual elements to add the same energy and consistency throughout our materials. The angles should be simple, adding to the design without being overwhelming.
Sky, grass and angle samples Below are examples of acceptable treatments of the KaBOOM! graphic elements.
Welcome Play Experts! Design your dream playground today!
It starts with play.
Thank You! Thanks to the efforts of community members in Nebo and West Marion, there are two great new public playgrounds where kids can climb, slide, imagine, cooperate and just play! See you out there! Nebo Crossing 963 Harmony Grove Road Nebo, NC 28761 Creek Wise Park (at Grace Baptist Church) 930 Shady Lane Marion, NC 28752
Playful City USA
Playful City USA
Playful City USA Playful City USA (PCUSA) is a KaBOOM! advocacy initiative. The PCUSA brand is identical to the KaBOOM! brand with a few exceptions. To encourage participating cities to utilize our promotional materials, we have created a logo that is specific to this program. This logo should only be used on promotional materials that we make available to the cities such as buttons, bumper stickers and street signs. To tie this program to KaBOOM!, it is essential to include “kaboom.org” on all materials.
Include the KaBOOM! URL on all PCUSA promotional materials that don’t include kaboom.org
the KaBOOM! logo.
The Playful City USA logo: Colors
Logo colors The color mixes for printing on coated and uncoated paper, as well as for online use, are indicated below.
Purple PMS: 2613 C / 2603 U 2603 CP: 72, 99, 0, 3 2603 UP: 54, 81, 0 0 RGB: 119, 41, 127 HEX: #77297F
Orange PMS: 166 C / 1665 U 166 CP: 0, 76, 100, 0 1665 UP: 0, 63, 95, 0 RGB: 242, 106, 36 HEX: #F26A24
One color options.
Playful City USA: Street sign
Street sign On program specific brochures, one-pagers and online, the logo may only be included as a graphic element on the street sign as shown below. In these instances, the KaBOOM! logo should be present in the design.
Writing
Writing: Email
Email Email is a ubiquitous form of communication that provides us with the opportunity to show consistency and adherence to our brand. All Boomer emails should follow these guidelines.
Dear Oliver, We are very excited to hear about all the great work you are doing to bring play to the kids in your neighborhood! We also appreciate your willingness to share your ideas with others. I’m sure you will be an inspiration to many. I look forward to speaking with you in person next week.
All text should be
In Play,
black, Arial, 10
Evie
point.
Evie Trent Manager, Play Innovation 4301 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite ML-1 Washington, DC 20008 (202) 464-6430 kaboom.org // Twitter: @kaboom
KaBOOM!. It starts with play.
Writing: Email
This is the only information that should be included in a KaBOOM! email signature.
(First Name) (Last Name) (Title) (Street Address) (Suite) (City) (State) (Zip) (Telephone Number (xxx) xxx-xxxx) kaboom.org // Twitter: @kaboom KaBOOM!. It starts with play.
Please do not personalize your email signature by adding icons or imagery, including photos in the top right corner of the email header.
✘
✘
Brand resources and approval. For access to the KaBOOM! brand recources, email the marketing and communications team at marcom@kaboom.org. All materials that include the KaBOOM! or Playful City USA logos must be reviewed and approved by the marketing and communications team before distribution.