Genesee Brewing Company Visual Identity Standards issuu by Rachel Suding

GENESEE BREWING COMPANY VISUAL IDENTITY GUIDELINES

Rachel Suding Visual Identity Systems, Fall 2017 BFA Graphic Design Program University of Louisville, Hite Art Institute Professor Steven Skaggs

GENESEE BREWING COMPANY VISUAL IDENTITY GUIDELINES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

08 12 38 60 74 82 88 92

History Identity Corporate Packaging Merchandise Advertising Digital Final Word

History

SINCE 1878

That is the year our story begins. The Genesee Brewing Company was founded in Rochester, New York, by Mathius Kondolf. To this day, it is one of the oldest and largest continually operating breweries in the United States. The brewery survived Prohibition, the Great Depression, a number of wars, and plenty of stock market turbulence and is still alive and kicking. In 1878, Genesee only served the state of New York. Today, in 2018, it serves all 50 states with as much pride and purpose as it has done for the past 140 years.

An older advertisement featuring Jenny, the Genesee girl, is shown to the right.

Identity

A NOD TO THE PAST

The history of Genesee is 140 years long, and much of the United States has evolved greatly between 1878 and today. Modern developments have enhanced the way that beer is brewed, but Genesee has always been able to maintain the same refreshing taste throughout its history. With such a rich timeline of events, it is inevitable for the visual identity to grow and change over time, much like modern society. Genesee needed to be reborn into the 21st century with style, grace, and an elegant reminder of its past.

To the right, a collection of old Genesee emblems and logos displays the rich heritage of the brand. The large oval in the center is Genesee's most recent logo.

Genesee Visual Identity Guidelines

Identity

LOGO DEVELOPMENT

The new Genesee logo was developed with the logos of the past in mind. Ultimately, the goal was to pay homage to the company's long-standing tradition of brewing. Because the company has existed in three different centuries, the vernacular style became a heavy influence during the initial logo sketches and conceptualization. Vernacular style had to be considered, but it was also important to bring a modern aesthetic to the brand as well. Blending the two styles was critical to the development of the final logo.

The development process took multiple sheets of tracing paper and a few different markers. Over 50 different logo sketches were created; a few are shown to the right.

Genesee Visual Identity Guidelines

Identity

PRIMARY LOGO

The new Genesee logo features a custom

are borrowed from the angled terminals

typeface inspired by the brewery's

in the wordmark. Either individual side of

vernacular logos in the past. This tall,

the wreath may be used as a standalone

slender sans serif features semi-circle

element for extra embellishment on all

arcs and unique angled terminals on the

materials. The wreath also pays homage

'G' and 'S' characters.

to logos of the past by giving an oval essence to the mark as a whole.

The gold wheat sprigs on either side of the wordmark represents the brewing

The text 'EST. 1878' serves as a reminder

process. This element is called the

of the great number of years that

wreath. The shear angles of the leaves

Genesee has been served to the public.

The Genesee logo is both modern and vernacular, blending the old with the new.

Genesee Visual Identity Guidelines

Identity

PRIMARY LOGO

The primary logo has both one- and two-

color applications should be used only

color versions for both color and white

when the two-color logo would not be

background applications. Both one- and

appropriate (i.e., window decals, etc.). The

two-color dark background application

logo may appear no less than 0.5 inches

may only be used with brand colors

high in print or 70 pixels digitally. There is

and patterns (see page 28). The one-

no maximum height; use discretion.

The clear space around the primary logo is defined below. The clear space to the left and right of the primary logo is equal to the width of the wreath. The clear space above and below the primary logo is equal to the height of the 'EST. 1878' text.

Identity

WREATH SEAL

The wreath seal is designated for use as a stamp on materials where the primary logo would not be appropriate in either the context of the application or in the space available for logo placement. Examples of this include, but are not limited to, bottle cap embellishments and logo placement on smaller digital advertisements. Like the primary logo, the wreath seal has both one- and two-color versions following the same application guidelines. The wreath seal may appear no less than 0.5 inches high in print or 35 pixels digitally. There is no maximum height; use discretion.

The clear space around the wreath seal is defined above. The clear space around the entire mark is equal to the height of the bottom-most leaf of the wreath, as pictured.

Identity

WORDMARK

The Genesee wordmark is designated for

for white backgrounds, white for color

use on corporate stationery materials

and dark backgrounds, and black for

such as the letterhead, business cards,

grayscale settings. The wordmark may

and envelopes. It is also used vertically

appear no less than 0.5 inches high in print

on some beer packaging. The wordmark

or 70 pixels digitally. There is no maximum

only appears in one-color versions: red

height; use discretion.

The clear space around the wordmark is defined below. The clear space to the left and the right of the wordmark is equal to the width of an 'E.' The clear space above and below the wordmark is equal to the kerning space between the 'N' and the 'E.'

Identity

CIRCLE SEAL

The circle seal is to be used exclusively for can and bottle packaging (refer to Packaging section, beginning on page 58). Its purpose is to add more embellishment to the can packaging and serve as a die-cut decal for the neck of the bottle packaging. It will typically be placed on a patterned background as shown on the opposite page. For this reason, the circle seal only appears in one color. It may not be recolored. The circle seal may appear no less than 1 inch in diameter. There is no maximum diameter; use discretion. It should never be applied to digital materials.

The clear space around the circle seal is defined above. The clear space around the entire mark is equal to the vertical distance between the perimeter of the circle and the 'G.'

Identity

LOGO MISUSE

For the Genesee brand to maintain full visual consistency, it is important to follow logo guidelines carefully. Many logo misuses are illustrated below and on the opposite page for clarity. Please note that the following guidelines apply to all logo variations within the visual identity system.

Do not add or remove elements to or from the logo.

Do not adjust the letter spacing in the logo.

Do not crop the logo.

Do not recolor the logo.

Do not stretch or skew the proportions of the logo.

Do not add a drop shadow, stroke, or any other type of

Do not rotate the logo or adjust the scale of individual

effect to the logo.

elements of the logo.

Identity

COLORS

Genesee Red has withstood the test of

Genesee Red

time and remains the primary color of

PMS

200 C (solid coated)

the brand. The introduction of Genesee

CMYK

03 / 100 / 70 / 12

Gold brings a touch of elegance and

RGB

186 / 12 / 47

timelessness as an accent color and is

HEX #BA0C2F

used for the Wreath as well as some typography in various applications. The only applications in which Genesee Red need not be present are packaging elements for beer varieties other than Original; thus, it should always be used in applications that are not grayscale. Genesee Gold Genesee Green and Genesee Blue are

PMS

7407 C (solid coated)

secondary colors that are to be used only

CMYK

06 / 36 / 79 / 12

for the packaging of Cream Ale and Light

RGB

203 / 160 / 82

beer varieties, respectively (see page 62

HEX #CBA052

for more information). Tertiary colors to be used for typography include Genesee Pale Gold in digital format for higher contrast between text and darker backgrounds, as well as black and white for all other text in print. No tints or screens should be made to any of the brand colors.

Genesee Green

Genesee Pale Gold

PMS

342 C (solid coated)

PMS

7403 C (solid coated)

CMYK

93 / 10 / 75 / 43

CMYK

01 / 11 / 58 / 02

RGB

00 / 103 / 71

RGB

238 / 212 / 132

HEX #006747

HEX #EED484 Black CMYK

00 / 00 / 00 / 100

RGB

00 / 00 / 00

HEX #000000

Genesee Blue

White

PMS

316 C (solid coated)

CMYK

00 / 00 / 00 / 00

CMYK

97 / 21 / 33 / 73

RGB

255 / 255 / 255

RGB

00 / 72 / 81

HEX #FFFFFF

HEX #004851

Genesee Visual Identity Guidelines

Identity

PATTERNS

The Genesee patterns are primarily used for packaging, but they may also be applied to shipping materials and web advertisements. They have been created with the two primary colors and the two secondary colors. The red pattern may be used freely, but the gold, blue, and green patterns may only be used for packaging materials. The patterns should never be recolored or distorted. The scale of the pattern may vary; use discretion when applying the pattern to various materials so that the shapes are discernable to the viewer.

The patterns are styled in Genesee Red, Genesee Gold, Genesee Green, and Genesee Blue as shown on the opposite page.

Identity

TYPOGRAPHY

There are two typefaces designated for

Gineso will be used for all body copy,

use on all Genesee materials. Factoria

captions, and all other text needs. There

and Gineso were both created in the 21st

are four weights that may be used:

century as odes to the vernacular period.

Extended Medium, Extended Regular, Extended Book, and Extended Light.

Factoria will be used for headlines, the

The tracking should be set to 0 and the

company address on stationery, taglines

kerning should be optical. Extended Light

(with the exception of web advertising),

is used primarily for dark body copy on

employee names on business cards,

white print materials. Extended Book and

call-to-action buttons on digital

Extended Regular may be used for white

materials, and beer variety names.

body copy on color or dark materials to

Factoria must always have tracking set

ensure legibility. Extended Medium is

to 50 and optical kerning, and only the

used for emphasis.

Demi weight is permitted for use.

The mood of Factoria is industrial and strong, and Gineso adds a touch of elegance and refinement. Both pay homage to the vernacular period while bringing a modern aesthetic to the table.

Factoria Demi ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 1234567890!@#$%^&*()+= Gineso Extended Medium ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890!@#$%^&*()+= Gineso Extended Regular ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890!@#$%^&*()+= Gineso Extended Book ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890!@#$%^&*()+= Gineso Extended Light ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890!@#$%^&*()+=

Genesee Visual Identity Guidelines

Identity

PHOTOGRAPHY

Photography is used for digital materials

photographed, they should be smiling

and all advertising. These are the

and candid. Do not use subjects

materials that will convince consumers

who are clearly intoxicatedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;it is

to choose Genesee over competing

extremely important to convey that

beverages. For this reason, it is

alcohol consumption should be done

important that the photography is fun,

responsibly. Examples of improper

warm, and inviting. The colors should

photography are shown below. Proper

be warm-toned and bright. Beer must

photography is to the right.

be present in all photos. If people are

Subjects may not appear intoxicated. This promotes binge

Never use photos displaying drinking and driving. This is

drinking and is irresponsible.

illegal and incredibly dangerous.

Warm shots of beer appeal to the consumer's sense of thirst.

Posed shots feel forced, so selfies do not meet

Full glasses are always a good choice and look refreshing.

standardsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;however, this shot is candid as it is from another perspective.

Involving beer in creative, wholesome activities conveys fun

Group shots of friends dining together show that Genesee

to the viewer, especially if the subject has a joyous smile.

pairs well with meals and dinner parties.

Corporate

STATIONERY

A personalized stationery set is provided for every Genesee corporate employee. This set includes employee-specific business cards and letterheads as well as company-wide envelope stock.

The full stationery set is pictured on the opposite page.

Genesee Visual Identity Guidelines

Corporate

BUSINESS CARD

Business cards contain personalized contact information for all corporate employees. The card includes the name and title of the employee, their phone and fax numbers, and their email addresses. Only corporate phone numbers may be included on the cardâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; no cellular numbers are permitted. All corporate business cards feature the same design. There are no color or design changes for different hierarchical tiers within the company. Corporate business cards are designated only for full-time corporate and brewery operation employees. Seasonal employees and interns do not receive cards.

The Genesee business card dimensions are 3.5" x 2", the standard U.S. size.

JENNY HOPS Head Brewmaster

P: 585.555.0541 F: 585.555.0000 E: jenny@geneseebeer.com

Genesee Visual Identity Guidelines

Corporate

ENVELOPE

Genesee envelopes will be red with white copy for the recipient and gold copy for the Genesee address. The wreath accents the right side of the front envelope and is reflected on the back as well. The back of the envelope also features the wreath seal in the corner of the flap. The inside of the envelope is white.

The Genesee envelope dimensions are 9.5" x 4.125", the standard #10 envelope size.

place postage here

445 SAINT PAUL STREET ROCHESTER, NY 14605

Marcos Industries, Inc. c/o Jane Robinson 241 Washington St Detroit, MI 49855

Genesee Visual Identity Guidelines

Corporate

LETTERHEAD

The Genesee letterhead features the company address, website, and general phone number in gold contained within a red bar across the top of the page. The wreath is multiplied over the right side of the page as a watermark with an opacity of 25%. The recipient information, body of the letter, and date are all set in Gineso. The employee's signature is written in pen with Genesee Red ink above their printed name and title.

The Genesee letterhead dimensions are 8.5" x 11", the standard U.S. letter size.

445 SAINT PAUL STREET, ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, 14605 · 585.555.2337 · GENESEEBEER.COM

June 11, 2016 Jane Robinson President, Marcos Industries, Inc. 241 Washington St Detroit, MI 49855 Dear Ms. Robinson: This is where one would insert a sincere congratulatory statement to a customer. Maybe it's because they were incredibly loyal to the business. Maybe they placed a phenomenal order that raised company profits by 25% through that transaction alone. Or maybe they just really, really admire Genesee beer. Honestly, who wouldn't? It has that rich, historical flavor that so many have loved throughout the years. Right here is where one would cut to the chase. You know, really get down to the nitty gritty of a message. Why are you writing to this customer (in this case, Ms. Jane Robinson, President of Marcos Industries, Inc.) in the first place? Make sure that you're making the reading of this letter worth the customer's time. After all, don't you think that it's a little strange to write to a customer solely because they helped increase your sales? That seems a little selfish. What's in it for them? You really have to think this through because you want them to return to you as a customer. That's a very important part of this letter— building a good customer-business relationship. So, make your words count, don't completely sugarcoat everything so that it's unbelievable, and always make sure your tone is appropriate. Tone is everything in something like this! I hope reading this helped you understand the importance of communication with a customer, and if you actually made it this far, I commend you. I also hope that my writing somewhat made sense—I'm not totally sure that it did, but I hope that you will have confidence in my abilities. Sincerely,

Jenny Hops Head Brewmaster

Corporate

SHIPPING â&#x20AC;&#x201C; NATIONAL

National shipping on ground will use box trucks to deliver wholesale beer orders. The body of the cab will be white with the primary logo above the windshield. The box will have a red pattern background with the wordmark, wreath along the side closest to the cab, and "New York's Oldest Brewery" tagline.

The Genesee fleet will serve all contiguous 48 states.

Genesee Visual Identity Guidelines

Corporate

SHIPPING â&#x20AC;&#x201C; LOCAL

Local shipping within a 150-mile radius will use freight vans to deliver smaller wholesale beer orders. The body of the van will be red. The wreath seal will be applied to the hood, the wordmark will be placed on the sides accompanied by a standalone wreath, and the back will host the primary logo along with the "New York's Oldest Brewery" tagline.

Back and 45Âş angle views of the Genesee van are pictured.

Genesee Visual Identity Guidelines

Corporate

SHIPPING BOXES

Genesee shipping boxes will feature the wordmark on the front of the box and wreaths applied vertically on all sides. The top of the box should only contain the shipping label. Boxes of all sizes must look the same. They will be used for shipping bottles, cans, and merchandise from the brewery webstore.

A merchandise shipping box is pictured on the opposite page.

Corporate

MAILING LABEL

Genesee mailing labels will contain the recipient's address and the company's address in different color blocks. Red hosts the wordmark and company address, and white hosts the recipient's address. The "Mail To:" label will be printed in Factoria. The wreath will accent the right side of the label, and the shipping barcode will be placed in the bottom right corner.

The Genesee mailing label dimensions are 6" x 4".

445 SAINT PAUL STREET ROCHESTER, NY 14605 585.555.2337 Â· GENESEEBEER.COM

MAIL TO: Jane Robinson President, Marcos Industries, Inc. 241 Washington St Detroit, MI 49855

Genesee Visual Identity Guidelines

Corporate

UNIFORM

All corporate and brewery operation employees at Genesee are issued polo shirts for the employee uniform. Red polos are designated for brewery operation employees as they will not show evident staining from the brewing process. White polos are for office employees. Both black and khaki pants are may be paired with either color. The polo will feature the primary logo in the top right corner.

The Genesee polo is simple but stylish and provides cohesion to the entire team.

Genesee Visual Identity Guidelines

Corporate

OUTDOOR SIGNAGE

Updated signs will replace those with the previous logo. These signs will use the primary logo for dark backgrounds. They are to be placed around the exterior of the brewery.

An updated pub-style sign is pictured above, and large signage on the back of the building is pictured on the opposite page.

Packaging

CANS

Genesee can packaging has undergone a makeover that will help bring it to the foreground and beyond its competitors. The new designs are simple upon first glance, but the featured pattern provides an extra boost of class and elegance. They are unique, attractive, and sure to stand out on the shelves.

The three fan-favorite Genesee varieties are pictured to the right: Cream Ale, Original, and Light.

Packaging

CANS

The flat can designs feature the wreath, pattern, vertical wordmark, and circle seal. The "New York's Oldest Brewery" tagline is set above the beer variety. Both will be set in Factoria. Below the beer variety is the alcohol-by-volume percentage as well as the size of the beverage in fluid ounces. This will be set in Gineso. United States federal law requires that the labels of alcoholic beverages must carry a goverment warning about the health hazards associated with alcohol consumption. It is absolutely imperative that this warning is applied to all packaging elements.

The Genesee flat can dimensions are 8.3785" x 4.5179", including the horizontal overlap.

NEW YORK’S OLDEST BREWERY

ORIGINAL

Barcode

4.5% ABV · 12 FL. OZ.

GOVERNMENT WARNING: (1) According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects. (2) Consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery, and may cause health problems.

LIVE AREA o tB

Tex

NEW YORK’S OLDEST BREWERY

LIGHT 4.0% ABV · 12 FL. OZ.

OVERLAP

LIVE AREA Tex

o tB

NEW YORK’S OLDEST BREWERY

CREAM ALE 5.1% ABV · 12 FL. OZ. Barcode

OVERLAP

LIVE AREA t Tex

OVERLAP

OVERLAP Neck Line

Neck Line

Barcode

Neck Line

Packaging

CANS

Can packing boxes will be covered with the corresponding pattern for the beer variety they are housing. The front of the box features the same text layout as the cans themselves; the only differences are the horizontal application of the wordmark and the scale of the text in comparison to the wreath. The top right corner of the box tells the number of cans in the box, set in Factoria. The sides of the box will have the wreath and the vertical wordmark.

The Genesee Original box is pictured on the opposite page.

Packaging

BOTTLES

The bottle labels are simple and graceful. Only the circle seal decal and bottlecaps will be seen from the carrying box, but the reveal of the label when the consumer lifts the bottle out of the box will be a pleasant surprise. The label has been refreshed into elegant cohesion with the rest of the brand.

The Original, Cream Ale, and Light bottles are pictured to the right.

Packaging

BOTTLES

The bottles are the only packaging

The government warning will be placed

element that use the primary logo,

on a separate label sticker on the back

which is centered on the label. The beer

of the bottle. This sticker will measure

variety is below the primary logo. The

2" x 1 ", and the warning will be set in 9 pt

top and bottom of the label are striped

Gineso over the Genesee Gold pattern.

with the gold pattern. This is the only instance of the gold pattern within the system. The "New York's Oldest Brewery" tagline will be set across the top stripe, and the bottom stripe contains the alcohol-by-volume percentage and

the fluid ounces inside the bottle. The circle seal will be placed on the neck of the bottle as a metallic decal, and the wreath seal will be applied to the tops of bottlecaps. The caps will be colored in correspondence to their beer variety.

Above: the Government Warning label is pictured. Right: the Genesee bottle label dimensions are 4" x 3.5" and do not wrap around the entire circumference of the bottle. The circle seal decal is 1.5" in diameter.

NEW YORK’S OLDEST BREWERY

ORIGINAL 4.5% ABV · 12 FL. OZ.

NEW YORK’S OLDEST BREWERY

LIGHT

CREAM ALE

4.0% ABV · 12 FL. OZ.

5.1% ABV · 12 FL. OZ.

Packaging

BOTTLES

The six-pack bottle carrier will borrow the same layouts used for the flat can design and can box design with some adjustments for scale. Keeping the general layout similar to the can packaging will provide consistency and consumer recognition in the sales setting. The sides of the package will feature the wreath, and the pattern will wrap around the entire perimeter of the box. The carrier handle will remain the color of the cardboard.

The Genesee six-pack carrier will make its presence known on the shelves.

Genesee Visual Identity Guidelines

Merchandise

APPAREL

All Genesee apparel designs should be simple. A basic t-shirt will have a Genesee logo on the front of the shirt and a tagline on the back. T-shirts may only be produced in brand colors. Shirt designs are not permitted to reference states of great intoxication or promote alcoholism in any manner.

An appropriate basic t-shirt design is pictured to the right.

Merchandise

APPAREL

Hats look best when they are kept as simple as possible. An embroidered logo or seal is all that is necessary for a hat. The primary logo, wordmark, and wreath seal are all appropriate hat emblems. The hat itself must adhere to the brand colors.

Appropriate hat designs are shown above. Any logo color variation may be used as long as it adheres to the visual standards.

Genesee Visual Identity Guidelines

Merchandise

GLASSWARE

Glassware will be kept simple as well. Nothing more than the wordmark, wreath seal, or primary logo is necessary for a clean design. The wordmark may be used vertically on the glass can to resemble the actual Genesee can packaging. The emblems may be sublimated in color onto the glass or etched monochromatically into the glass.

Stein, can, snifter, and pint glassware are all pictured above.

Genesee Visual Identity Guidelines

Advertising

BILLBOARD

Billboards should be clean and easy to read, but powerful in their message. Drivers only get a few seconds to read them as they are cruising down the street or highway, so it is important to keep the design simple with no more than a campaign tagline and accompanying visual element. Any text placed on the board will be set in Factoria as it is bold and clear. The contrast between the text and background should be high enough for the average driver to find it legible. A logo must always be present; preferably, it will be the primary logo or wordmark as they both contain the 'Genesee' text.

The billboard pictured features the 'Now Pouring' campaign, promoting Genesee's new expansion across the United States.

Genesee Visual Identity Guidelines

Advertising

MAGAZINE

Magazine advertisements should be appropriate to their environment. An appealing image should be used to entice the reader to try Genesee beer for themselves. Follow the brand photography standards (page 36) when selecting imagery. Alternatively, a small yet powerful image set among negative space will always leave an impression on a reader. A tagline should accompany the image, and the primary logo or wordmark will be placed at the bottom with the "New York's Oldest Brewery" tagline and a reminder to consume alcohol responsibly. Do not leave this reminder out of the advertisement.

The two advertisements pictured are part of the 'Now Pouring' campaign, featuring both the United States as a whole and Kentucky individually.

NOW POURING IN ALL 50 STATES.

NOW POURING IN THE BLUEGRASS STATE.

NEW YORK’S OLDEST BREWERY

Always drink responsibly.

Genesee Visual Identity Guidelines

Digital

WEBSITE

The website is clean and easy to explore. It features a sticky navigation bar that follows the viewer as they scroll down the page. They will be treated to warm photography, a beer finder, brewery history, a webstore, and general information. Only the primary logo may be directly applied to the website; other seals and marks are okay if they are shown in the imagery placed on the page. Web advertisements should feature either the primary logo, wordmark, or wreath seal accompanied by a tagline and call-to-action button. Taglines are to be set in Gineso to balance the button text that is set in Factoria.

The homepage is pictured above and to the far right.

Web advertisements should be produced in the following standard dimensions: leaderboard (728 x 90 pixels), square (300 x 250 pixels), mobile leader (320 x 50), and mobile expanded (320 x 100).

Genesee Visual Identity Guidelines

FINAL WORD

With this new set of visual standards, Genesee has been reborn into the 21st century while still maintaining the essence of its exceeding 125 years of rich tradition and heritage. It is making its mark as a brew for beer-lovers in our modern society, but it still has the same refreshing taste that long-time fans know and love. Adhering to the visual standards set by this manual will ensure that consumers around the United States will set Genesee apart from its competitors by finally visually connecting it to the fun, friendly product they have come to know and adore.