Introduction This guideline has been developed to provide an outline of the usage of the Vancouver Chinese Student Association’s brand. It provides details on how to use words and images that will help to express and support the brand values. It should be used as a helpful resource to reinforce consistent application of visual elements in all VCSA communications. This includes publications, presentations, advertisements, websites, banners and all other marketing materials.
For further explanation of the brand identity guidelines and its contents, please email: info@hhvcsa.ca
Contents 1. About Our Brand 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4
Our Our Our Our
Brand Essence Brand Personality Target Audiences Brand Values
03 03 04 05
2. Basic Identity Elements 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8
The Logo The Logo: Minimum Sizes The Logo: Exclusion Zones The Logo: Color Usage The Logo: Incorrect Usage Brand Color Typography Photography
07 08 08 09 10 12 13 14
3. Extending the Brand 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5
Applications: Stationery Applications: Clothing Applications: Online Mediums Print Applications Campaign Applications
16 18 20 24 28
1. About Our Brand The Vancouver Chinese Student Association is a non-official student academic and social organization based in Vancouver dedicated to the goal of promoting social, intellectual and cultural activities for Chinese students who are studying in Vancouver. We provide platforms for Chinese students to meet new friends with different academic, cultural and social backgrounds, and to exchange and/or share information about their lives in Vancouver. We organize various entertainment and social activities,We also promote multiculturalism through building a better relationship between Chinese students and Canadians.
VCSA is founded by Chinese students, run by Chinese students, and is always here for Chinese students in Vancouver.
1.1 Our Brand Essence The Vancouver Chinese Student Association was founded on the belief that there are synergistic qualities between China and Canada, and there is much our cultures can learn from one another. We provide a forum for mutual respect and friendship. We are simultaneously the window to both China and Vancouver. Having a clearly defined, communicated and understood brand essence helps us: • project a single, strong and real image of VCSA • increase our recognition
• market ourselves more easily
• increase our membership and support
1.2 Our Brand Personality
Nice
Honest
Friendly
Enthusiastic
Easygoing
Diverse
Flexible
Loyalty
Approachable Honorable 03
Trustworthy
1.3 Our Target Audiences 5%
5%
90%
Chinese students in Vancouver Chinese students who are preparing to come to Vancouver Students who are interested in Chinese culture
04
1.4 Our Brand Values The foundation of our brand is a set of values which makes us who we are. We want people to believe in our association. We do this by living up to our core values:
Passion & Dynamism
We organize activities for students to enhance their life experience.
Fun & Friendship
These are the key reasons students join us — without it they leave.
Confidence
Our member like being part of an association that lives by its creed, and stands by its beliefs.
Honesty
The Vancouver Chinese Student Association’s commitment to open communication and dialogue promotes a healthy and open culture.
Solidarity
Community starts with honesty, trustworthiness and responsibility; these are essential for the integrity of our association.
05
2. Basic Identity Elements Having established the Vancouver Chinese Student Association’s positioning and values, we now need to bring them to life with a visual identity.
The following pages explain more about the brand elements and how to use them consistently across all media and communications.
All communications, including design for print, web, display or marketing collateral need to be signed off for final approval.
01
2.1 The Logo The Vancouver Chinese Student Association logo—the most recognizable visual brand element—should be featured prominently in all communications and needs to be used consistently and correctly.
The following pages explain more about logo usage. Please take the time to understand how it is applied so it will always appear consistently across all media and communications.
Standard Version
Vertical Version
Symbol Version
07
2.2 The Logo: Minimum Sizes
The measurements used for the logos are shown here. When deciding which of the logos to use, measure the width of the space available for the logo and follow the guidelines below. The standard version and vertical version can be increased from a minimum of 65mm long and 20mm wide to any size required. If a smaller logo is required use the symbol version shown below; it has a minimum size of 15mm. 15mm
20mm
Vancouver Chinese Student Association
15mm
65mm
2.3 The Logo: Exclusion Zones
The logo requires space around it in order to maximize its visual presence. An exclusion zone around the logo prevents any graphic element from interfering with its integrity. This is illustrated in the examples below. Any graphic element, including type, is only permitted to bleed up to the edge of the exclusion zone.
The exclusion zone (shown as “X”) is defined by dividing the width of the logo into four equal parts: therefore X = ¼ the width of the logo.
08
2.4 The Logo: Color Usage
The single-color Vancouver Chinese Student Association logo should be used whenever possible. Although our logo will generally be a solid color on a white background, we have created a negative logo for when this is not possible. To keep our brand fresh and exciting the logo can also be used in four brand support colors. These support logos must only be used on correspondence which is specific to teach respective field. These must not be used on general signage or stationery but can be used on things such as posters ad campaigns and other specific publications.
All-black logo
VCSA blue primary logo
White on solid background logo VCSA secondary support logos
体育娱乐
社会文化
生活学习
媒体传播
Sports & Entertainment
Society & Culture
Life & Learning
Media & Communication
09
2.5 The Logo: Incorrect Usage
Any changes to the shape and color of the Vancouver Chinese Student Association will change or diminish the important values, personality and meanings with which it is associated. Logos are, among other things, symbols of reputation: alter them, and you can subtly shift perceptions of the institutions they stand for (and not always for the better). For this reason, strict adherence to the correct signature structure and implementation is critical. The following are examples of the Vancouver Chinese Student Association logo applied incorrectly:
1
2
3
4
5
6 10
7
8
Another Logo
9
10
1. Never skew the logo.
8. Never try to choose your own typeface to recreate the logo.
2. Do not stretch or squash the logo.
9. Do not place the logo on a colored background or apply graphic elements, which will diminish or obscure its appearance. When over a colored background that close to our brand color or a dark color, the logo should be used in white.
3. Do not tilt the logo.
4. Do not try to re-create any part of the logo or modify the relationship between the symbol and the typefaces. 5. Never outline the logo.
6. Never add unnecessary treatments to the logo.
10. Do not place a graphic element or logo within the exclusion zone.
7. Never choose your own color to re-color any part of the logo.
11
2.6 Brand Color
Color is a powerful visual tool and provides a strong means of visual recognition. There is a primary VCSA color for our association and a palette of four secondary colors.
Primary Colour
Pantone CMYK
RGB
Secondary Colours
2925C
485C
367C
123C
298C
C80 M23 Y0 K0
C0 M98 Y100 K0
C48 M0 Y100 K0
C0 M20 Y100 K5
C65 M0 Y3 K0
R0 G154 B216
R238 G36 B36
R146 G200 B62
R243 G193 B8
R36 G195 B237
Printing special colors: the first Pantone row has a number which corresponds to a specific color in the Pantone Matching System (PMS). Ideally, the primary color palette for the Vancouver Chinese Student Association should print as special colors when print budgets allow.
four color process.
RGB values: when any of these colors are reproduced on-screen (e.g. in digital presentations or internet), they should be created with the appropriate RGB color values as indicated in the third row.
Four color process printing: the second row of colors are listed with CMYK breakdowns. They indicate the quantities of ink required to achieve each specific color when printing in
12
2.7 Typography
Typography plays an important role in communicating an overall tone. Carefully using our brand typefaces consistently makes VCSA highly recognisable. It pulls together VCSA communications and makes them more distinctive. The RTWS YueGothic (Chinese) font family and Candara font family are the VCSA’s primary typefaces; they should be used for logo, titles and headlines.
The secondary fonts are Microsoft Yahei, Lucida Grande family and FZJinglei. For body text please use in conjunction with the Microsoft Yahei as Chinese and Lucida Grande family as English. FZJinglei that should be used for our brand graphic designs.
Primary Typefaces RTWS YueGothic
造字工房悦黑常规体 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789!@#$%&
Candara
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789!@#$%&
Secondary Typefaces Microsoft Yahei
微软雅黑 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789!@#$%&
Lucida Grande
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789!@#$%&
FZJinglei
方正静蕾体 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789!@#$%& 13
2.8 Photography
Photography is an important element of the Vancouver Chinese Student Association’s visual identity. Photos are used to communicate good quality and emotions. Photos of beautiful scenery and photos of people smiling are preferred. Abstract photos must speak of clarity, dynamics and space. Good examples
Poor examples
14
3. Extending the Brand The following section brings all of the identity elements together to show the Vancouver Chinese Student Association’s brand in practice, and aims to guide everyone in extending the brand experience across various points of external contact. A consistent approach gives a uniform message of who we are as a brand.
3.1 Applications: stationery
16
17
3.2 Applications: Clothing
18
19
3.3 Applications: Online Mediums
20
21
22
23
3.4 Print Applications
24
25
26
27
3.4 Campaign Applications
Vancouver Chinese Student Association
Vancouver Chinese Student Association
Vancouver Chinese Student Association
Vancouver Chinese Student Association
Vancouver Chinese Student Association
Vancouver Chinese Student Association
Vancouver Chinese Student Association
Vancouver Chinese Student Association
Vancouver Chinese Student Association
Vancouver Chinese Student Association
28
29
30
31
32
33
01