VISUALÂ IDENTITY GUIDE 2017
Why a brand book? Global Autism Project is a community of passionate advocates working together to promote integration and acceptance of our global autistic community. While we're based in Brooklyn, New York, the Global Autism Project has a number of programs running across the globe. To ensure our presence is immediately recognized, we should always reflect and represent our standards and values. Our goal is not to restrict your creative voice or input, but rather to prepare you with all the tools you'll need to represent and promote the movement of the Global Autism Project. When we share one cohesive message, the world will hear our voices. Together, we will change the world for people with autism.
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GLOBAL AUTISM PROJECTÂ
VISUAL IDENTITY GUIDE, 2017
CONTENTS Our Movement Logo Colors Typography Photography Language Social Media Videography Resources
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WELCOME Let's make something beautiful, together. We're excited you're here! Since you're referencing our Visual Identity Guide, it seems you're interested in sharing our work with others. Thank you for that! Whether you're creating a social media campaign for fundraising, presenting to your community, or just want to learn more about our message, we're here to help. Feel free to email DESIGN@GLOBALAUTISMPROJECT.ORG for any art work you may need. Feeling those creative juices flowing? That's great too! Just follow our brand guidelines and reference our published work as you go. We all have the same vision. Let's be sure we communicate that vision with one, unified voice!
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OUR MOVEMENT Our Brand Mission Vision What We Do What Makes Us Different Values
OUR VISION We envision a world where all people with autism can reach their full potential, regardless of where they live.
OUR MISSION We promote the acceptance and integration of individuals with autism worldwide by training local communities in culturally relevant, sustainable practices.
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WHAT WE DO INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS By partnering with local advocates, we promote autism acceptance from the ground up.
SKILLCORPS
SkillCorps is an innovative volunteer travel program designed to promote collaboration, communication, and cultural consideration within the field of autism education.
LOCAL INITIATIVES Through our R.A.I.S.E. program, we employ autistic adults and promote the integration of autistic professionals in society. P. 7
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WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT? It's pretty simple, really; we listen, we ask, we listen again, and we help only those who ask to be helped. Our model is firmly rooted in sustainability. Our work is focused solely on building local capacity, never our own presence. We whole-heartedly believe that local people are the most qualified educators, advocates, and leaders in their communities, and our job is not to help them -- our job is to empower them. We believe the global autistic community is the loudest voice in the movement toward acceptance, and our job is not to speak for them -- our job is to cheer and amplify their message. GLOBAL AUTISM PROJECT
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OUR VALUES We have a shared vision, mission, and overall essence here at the Global Autism Project. Our voice, image, and mood should always reflect our core, founding values.
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Cultivate Leadership
BE LIMITLESS embrace failure
Foster Innovation! APPLAUD INDIVIDUALITY! STAY CURIOUS PRESUME COMPETENCE
Celebrate Accomplishments! PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY
MAKE A SUSTAINABLE IMPACT GLOBAL AUTISM PROJECTÂ
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LOGO Our Logo Versions Common Mistakes Size Placement
OUR LOGO The Global Autism Project logo is the face of our brand. It is recognized and displayed all over the world, and should always be treated with care and respect. In many parts of the world, the word autism is not commonly seen. Our logo may be the first time a community has seen the word autism, and we want to ensure it's seen in a way that's well represented.
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VERSIONS Our primary logo is one, single image and is available in three color options. While our secondary logo is made up of text, it is also an image and does not need to be recreated.
THINGS TO WATCH We love our logo and are proud to have it shown across the globe! The best way to use our logo is to leave it alone, but if you're unsure about our logo, here are some things to always avoid.
DON'T MANIPULATE Always avoid stretching, pinching, warping and manipulating. We don't want our world getting bent out of shape!
DON'T EMBELLISH Everyone likes rainbows, right? We do too. But let's keep those colors in nature, not in our logo.
DON'T ROTATE Our logo is round, so sometimes this can be challenging. A secret to keeping it straight is to always have the text level!
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SIZE AND PLACEMENT While using our logo, be mindful of size and spacing. The text is positioned both inside and out of the globe, which can sometimes make it feel off-center. Here are some best practices for size and space! GROUP PHOTO
WITH TEXT & IMAGE
TEXTURES & SHADE
FUNDRAISER TONIGHT! 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM When multiple people are in the image, you want to carefully consider placement and size. If there are fewer than 6 people in the photo, the logo should be smaller than each person's head. And always be sure our logo is not covering anyone's head! P. 15
When writing text on an image, you want to be mindful of where the logo and the text is placed. You never want the logo smaller than the subheader, and the logo should always stand on it's own. As our logo contains text, avoid placing it on the same line as your message. Align the edge with the first letter of text! GLOBAL AUTISM PROJECT
The logo should be placed in a corner against a background of a strong contrasting color. While the green is a darker background, it's also variable in texture and shade. Your ideal logo placement is against a solid background if possible.
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BACKGROUNDS The great thing about our logo is that you have multiple color options to choose from! We've mapped out the best options for using our logo on a variety of backgrounds.
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PALETTE Primary Colors Approach Supporting Colors
OUR FAVORITE COLORS Because we work all over the world, we get to see the way colors and textures can represent the spirit of a culture. To reflect the world's influence on our own unique culture, we have specifically curated a collection of colors that represent our dreams, our values, and our energy!
HEX: #2d395f RGB: 45, 57, 95 CMYK: 53, 40, 0, 63 PANTONE: 534C HEX: #6e7eb9 RGB: 110, 126, 185 CMYK: 41, 32, 0, 27 PANTONE: 7456C
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APPROACH Colors can invoke emotion, cultivate inspiration, and share the energy of a culture. Refer to our values, consider our vision, embrace the mission and choose colors that represent us best! The best way to share our story is to use our brand colors we've already chosen. If you're feeling creative or inspired, be sure you're only using colors that compliment our palette. If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask our design team at design@globalautismproject.org!
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HEX: #f47830 RGB: 244, 120, 48 CMYK: 0, 51, 80, 4 PANTONE: 165C
HEX: #fcc300 RGB: 252, 195, 0 CMYK: 0, 23, 100, 1 PANTONE: 7549C
HEX: #99e265 RGB: 153, 226, 101 CMYK: 32, 0, 55, 11 PANTONE: 7487C
SUPPORTING COLORS Our supporting palette is used primarily for accent colors, campaigns, and unique marketing tools. If you need a splash of color in your flier or email header, don't hesitate to use our warm tones alongside those deep, cool primary tones! The best way to create a balanced design is to use complimentary palettes.
HEX: #666666 RGB: 102, 102, 102 CMYK: 0, 0, 0, 60
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TYPOGRAPHY Our Fonts Alternatives
OUR FAVORITE FONTS Our primary brand font is Open Sans. We like to use Open Sans in variety of weights and widths, and often use it interchangeably.
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Open Sans Bold Open Sans Open Sans Light
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Open Sans Condensed Open Sans Condensed Light
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Open sans is our favorite font! Use standard Open Sans, or make it bold for titles and headings. We love Open Sans Light for body text!
Condensed fonts are great for subheadings, quotes, and captions!
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ALTERNATIVES A standard rule is to never use a serif font, always look for a sans font if Open Sans is not available. You're welcome to use the font that works best with your design, but remember to always be consistent throughout the design you’re working on.
Aileron Thin Aileron Regular Aileron Heavy Roboto Roboto Condensed
Source Sans Pro PT Sans
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STYLES TO AVOID When sharing a message, we want our voice to be readable. And while many fonts are aesthetically appealing, they're not always easily read. Our goal is clarity! So steer clear of the serif!
playful handwriting Blocky or Bubbly certificate style
Swirls and Twirls ANY SERIF FONT GLOBAL AUTISM PROJECT
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PHOTOGRAPHY Approach Cultural Consideration Examples Best Practices
APPROACH Our photographic message is firmly rooted in one, simple principle: respect. When you consider that our mission and vision is to promote global acceptance of people with autism, it should be clear that our goal is always to showcase the beauty and complexity of our autistic community. Our goal is never to cultivate feelings of sympathy when fundraising or sharing stories. Rather, we portray the people we work with as the dignified, inspirational people they are. The teachers we work with are our partners. The students we support are advocates. The images we share should tell a story of hope and triumph.
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CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS We love capturing the unique experiences of every culture we work with! But there are a few things to ask yourself when snapping photos in other countries:
AUTONOMY In what way can I show respect for a person's right to decline or consent to photography? How do I handle informed consent?
NON-MALEFICENCE (DO NO HARM) Am I creating and using photos in a manner that will do no harm to persons appearing in photos?
BENEFICENCE (DO GOOD) What is my intention or purpose for taking this photo? How can I use a photo to promote a good cause while ensuring that I do no harm to individuals in photos?
FIDELITY Am I using photos in a context that fairly represents the real situation, subject identity, or physical location of the image? What steps am I taking to properly credit the photographer?
JUSTICE Am I photographing people and communities with the same respect I would show to neighbors and strangers in my home country? P. 27
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CREDITING We should always give credit where it's due. When using an original image, be sure to add a brief credit line in your post. The caption can simply read, photo by:________________. If the photo was taken by one of our professional photographers and you'd like to share the image, simply request a branded version from our design team!
COLORS & FILTERS We work in a world of color -- and we usually like to keep it that way! We generally steer clear of black and white photos, and we really try to avoid heavy filters and noticeable edits. If your image needs a filter in order to look nice, we'd prefer you choose a different photo. Let's keep it natural and colorful!
YOUR PHOTOS You'll likely want to use some of your own photos when talking about Global Autism Project -- and that's absolutely fine! Here are a few pointers to keep your photography on track! Look for natural moments! We love to capture laughter and learning! Avoid the camera filter; we can always adjust later and edit as needed. Set your camera to high resolution for best quality. Most importantly, remember that our photographic message is focused on respect above everything else.
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EXAMPLES & POINTERS Capturing a natural moment of  joy is always a Global Autism Project favorite! Our goal is to promote acceptance of autism, so we only share images of happiness and success.
When photographing our work in action, we really try to keep the logo in frame!
We always welcome posed images of people being cheeky and fun!
LANGUAGE Brand Tone Personality Call to Action Our Message Words We Love
BRAND TONE When we talk about Global Autism Project, our tone must be unified and consistent. Our message can best be heard when we are one, clear voice! Our brand voice is optimistic, direct, and simple. We believe in potential, we cheer for the success of others, and we always want to inspire rather than explain. We use language that demonstrates our expertise, while also remaining clear and humble. We are energetic, but not peppy. We speak from our hearts with empathy -- not sympathy. Our voice is firm and unwavering, but understanding.
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PERSONALITY HOPEFUL We're a community of proudly hopeful change-makers! We believe global acceptance is possible, and we stand with anyone who believes the same. We speak from a place of optimism. Our vision is one of hope and positive change, and we set our goals accordingly.
EXCITED Celebrations are a regular occurrence around here! Our voice is excitable and joyful. We cheer for accomplishments and speak from a place of sincere enthusiasm!
CONFIDENT When it comes to our work, we're confident in our message. We consider ourselves experts when referring to the global gap in service provision for our autistic community, and we speak with conviction. As advocates for change, we refer to our goals with certainty. We don't say we'll try -- we say WE WILL.
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OUR CALL TO ACTION! YOU'RE INVITED... We're a community of advocates, of change-makers -- of doers! Who wouldn't want to be a part of that?! We ask people to join our mission by inviting them to be a part of it! We want people to know they're invited to join our team and participate in the work!
JOIN THE MOVEMENT! We aren't inviting people to watch our work from the sidelines, we're inviting people to join us in our mission! This is a movement for change, and we want the world to join.
WILL YOU? A strong call to action isn't fluffy -- it's direct. Our goal is not to ask if people are willing or able to join our work, we want to ask directly if they will join us in changing the world for people with autism. Plain and simple.
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OUR MESSAGE We believe that language is incredibly powerful. Which is why we put a lot of energy into carefully shaping our message -- specifically when talking about the communities we're supporting.
When referring to our International Partners: Our work is founded on the conviction that local people are the most qualified teachers, advocates, and leaders in the world. When we talk about our international partners, we refer to them as experts, we highlight their accomplishments, and we continuously emphasize that they are our partners, not the recipients of aid.
When referring to the Autistic community: Based on conversations with multiple stakeholders, we've chosen to embrace various perspectives when referring our autistic community. We understand that language plays a strong role in social understanding and identity, so we're always learning and listening. We believe in the movement of the (big A) Autistic Community, we support the self-advocates who prefer identity-first language, and we value the intentions of person-first language. We often say autistic person and person with autism interchangeably.
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Evidence - Based
SUSTAINABILITY
center of excellence
THE MOVEMENT GLOBAL ACCEPTANCE
FULL POTENTIAL BELIEVE IN CHANGE
EMPOWER
SKILLED VOLUNTEERS
CULTURALLY RELEVANT
Build Local Capacity TRANSPARENCY GLOBAL AUTISM PROJECT
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SOCIAL MEDIA Social Tone Platform Suggestions Sharing the Movement Examples
SOCIAL TONE While we like to keep our voice professional, we also like to engage in a playful tone with social media. The point of social media is to interact with others. This gives us a unique opportunity to connect with others and build our community. Our social tone is playful and inspiring. We aim to speak in a natural voice, as if we're starting a conversation with someone across the table!
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SHARING THE MOVEMENT
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Keep it likeable.
Keep the story going.
Getting a "like" on facebook is exciting and can really expand our reach. Just the same, an unlikeable post can go viral as well. Be sure to only share messages aligned with our mission and vision!
Our work, our movement, and our vision is simple: it's all about people. Whether it's a story from one of our incredible partners, the children they serve or our passionate volunteers -- there are countless stories waiting to be shared with the world.
Keep it positive.
Keep up the gratitude.
We're all working toward a common goal to support our global autistic community! And while there are some pretty hard realities for people around the world, we always want to highlight their potential, their success and the beauty of their stories.Â
We have so much to be thankful for, and what better place to shout our gratitude into the world than social media? We practice gratitude daily around here, and we love sharing it with everyone to see!
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Keep it transparent.
Keep it tagged!
We're committed to transparency at the Global Autism Project, so we encourage you to share our reports. We're excited about our work, and we love showing all the details of how it's done.
We use a variety of hashtags to spread our reach and our impact. #AutismKnowsNoBorders is our absolute favorite! #SkillCorps helps us celebrate our amazing volunteers. #ProjectAcceptance is our ongoing conversation around acceptance, and #GlobalAutism makes us easy to find!
/globalautismproject
@globalautism
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VIDEOGRAPHY Social Sharing & Messaging Gratitude Best Practices
OUR MESSAGE Video is one of the most powerful ways to share stories and our impact. Sharing a video from the field is the closest we can get to flying our supporters out to meet our partners. We introduce our partners and their students to our local network through videos, and we love to thank our amazing donors -- live from the field! Film is our favorite way to share our story, and our message is always relaxed, informative, and personable.
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GRATITUDE VIDEOS One of our favorite ways to share gratitude is with a personal video! Whether you're in the field working with SkillCorps, running a marathon, or just growing our team of supporters -- get out the camera and share your thanks! Introduce your donors to our partners, share your story and remind them that none of this would be possible without them.
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Consider lighting.
Form a relationship.
If you're taking the time to film an interview or record your own story, be mindful of your surroundings and look for quality lighting. The brighter the better! Outside is generally a great place to film, with natural sunlight.
If you're interviewing others or just talking directly to your audience, the goal is always to connect everyone involved. Connect your viewer to the person in the film, and they'll be engaged from start to finish.
Consider sound.
Listen to their story.
Just as lighting is important visually, you want to your audience to hear your message. Alternatively, sometimes street buzz and musical horns can add some excitement to your scenic, silent reel moments.
Don't be afraid of a silent pause, those are often the most powerful moments. Expressions can say it all sometimes! Whether you're interviewing someone or speaking from your own experience, take the time to have a conversation with your audience.
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RESOURCES Accessing downloads Source locations
DOWNLOADS Visit globalautismproject.org/media to access a series of downloadable files, images, and sources! You'll find the following files available for your use.
VISUAL IDENTITY GUIDE 2017 (PDF) PHOTOGRAPHS LOGOS FACEBOOK TIMELINE IMAGES TWITTER BACKGROUNDS FLIERS GENERAL FUNDRAISING KIT SOURCES & REPORTS
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If you have any questions at all, just ask us. DESIGN@GLOBALAUTISMPROJECT.ORG
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