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SINCE
BRITISH ACCESSIBLE TIMELESS TRUSTED
What you’ll find in the brand book INTRODUCTION
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BRAND STORY
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BRAND STATEMENT
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BRAND MISSION
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BRAND VALUES
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OUR CUSTOMER
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PERSONALITY & CHARACTERISTICS
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OUR COMPETITORS
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C ASUAL WEAR BRANDING
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FORMAL WEAR BRANDING
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HANGERS
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BRAND B ASICS
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R ACING GREEN BR AND BOOK
CONTENTS
BRAND VISION
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INTRODUCTION
Why we need a brand manual If you’ve ever tried to build anything without looking at the instructions, or watched your dad go red and turn the air blue doing something similar, you’ll understand why this brand manual is important to us. It contains everything there is to know about the Racing Green brand: from how we came about and what we stand for, to where we want to be and how we express ourselves through our words and imagery. So have a leaf through this manual. Get a feeling for what the Racing Green brand looks, sounds, and feels like today and you’ll understand how we’ve built a solid brand by staying true to the values within. Thanks for your time.
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INTRODUCTION
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B R A N D S TO RY
T H E BRITISH TE A M A CCE P TE D ( R EL UC TA N TLY) TO RA CE I N G R EEN BEC AU SE THE USA , G ER M ANY AND FRA N CE HA D A LR EADY HELP E D THE M SE LVE S T O R E D, WHITE A N D B LUE ... More than just a colour
Since 1990
Our name derives from ‘British Racing Green’ – the colour made internationally famous by the iconic British motor racing team of the 1900s.
Ever since its founding in 1990, Racing Green has taken enormous pride in keeping this indomitable British spirit alive.
The association began after the team, competing in the legendary Gordon Bennett Cup, reluctantly took a green livery for their race cars because the USA, Germany, and France had snaffled red, white and blue.
Never more than a stitch away from the story that inspired our name, we still blend the defining characteristics of our little island into our products.
But rather than grumble, the British team turned circumstance to their advantage and their predicament into pride. By the time steely Selwyn Edge won the cup in a British-made green Napier in 1902, British Racing Green had become much more than just a colour. British Racing Green had become a symbol of victory against the grain – of industry, endeavour and adaptability of a properly British variety. These are the characteristics that have inspired the Racing Green name and continue to define the character of our brand and business today.
R ACING GREEN BR AND BOOK
Today Racing Green means classic British menswear made timeless for the modern man.
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USA GER
FRA
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B R A N D S TAT E M E N T
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Racing Green is a contemporary British menswear brand. We make considered and accessible on-trend menswear, focusing predominantly on timeless looks and classic style. Our commitment to affordable design, ethical sourcing and best practice production makes us a sustainable and trusted brand and business. Our goal is to be recognised as a market leading, aspirational lifestyle brand.
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B R A N D S TAT E M E N T
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O U R V I S I O N I S TO BE ONE OF THE
BRAND VISION
LEADING MENSWEAR R E TA I L E R S I N T H E U K . T R A D I N G I N E V E RY M A J O R R E TA I L D E S T I N AT I O N BY 2 0 2 0 .
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Partners We will nurture a winning network of consumers, media contacts and suppliers that together create a mutual, enduring value.
Products By providing a portfolio of quality products that anticipates and delivers what men want to wear.
Profit By maximising brand profits in all areas whilst being mindful of social and environmental responsibilities.
Productivity By striving to become a leaner, faster moving and more effective brand.
R ACING GREEN BR AND BOOK
BRAND MISSION
The Racing Green brand mission sets out how we’ll achieve our vision to be number one while remaining true to our values. It’s all about the four Ps:
B R A N D VA LU E S
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B R A N D VA LU E S
What this means There are some things that will never go out of fashion. The Beatles, Peacoats, Aston Martins... these are all classics which have stood the test of time, looking and sounding just as good as they did back in the day. This is what we mean by timeless. We aspire to create timeless British menswear by focusing our attention on classic design and fits that last. Combining subtle detailing and carefully chosen fabrics, our products are faithful to iconic British style.
How we demonstrate it Desirable fabrics Attention to classic styling Function and form
R ACING GREEN BR AND BOOK
What this means Exclusive is the exact opposite of what we want to be. That doesn’t mean we lack class, we just don’t like clubs that leave you on the doorstep for wearing the wrong shoes. Our designs reflect this attitude, creating accessible styles and versatile looks for our consumers – smart-casual looks that can be adapted to suit all occasions. We’re not concerned with being fashion-forward but being responsive to what appeals to our consumer. Inspired by iconic design and finished with subtle detailing, we create functional yet stylish pieces that hold their own, or layer up perfectly, to suit every social situation.
How we demonstrate it Carefully crafted products Hand picked fabrics Attention to design and detail Easy to wear Casual and understated Inspired by trends not trend led
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B R A N D VA LU E S
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BRAND VISION
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What this means Fish ‘n’ chips, mods and rockers, tea and scones, summertime and showers… Britishness isn’t something that’s easily summed up. But we can all agree there are some uniquely eccentric, humorous and symbolic combinations that make Britain great. At Racing Green we’ve taken influence from them all. And then some... From the classic cuts and colours of our clothes, to the way we look and talk, Racing Green represents the very fabric of Britishness. We are dedicated to the production of clothes that reference classic British design and character.
B R A N D VA LU E S
How we demonstrate it Understated modesty Calm and collected Inspired by iconic style and design Quiet confidence Chivalrous and honourable Proud to be individual
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B R A N D VA LU E S
Trusted. What this means Every long-lasting relationship is built on trust. The kind of trust demonstrated by meaningful action not just words. From creative conception, throughout the production cycle and all the way to retail, we demonstrate our integrity and reliability by delivering quality and value at every stage. Investors and stakeholders trust us to maintain an ethical supply chain and best practice production methods. Our consumers trust us to improve the design and fit of key pieces and collections, and consistently deliver products they want.
How we demonstrate it Carefully crafted products Social and corporate responsibility Attention to quality design Best practice production Competitive pricing Value for money
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B R A N D VA LU E S
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OUR CUSTOMER
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B ACON SARNIE. GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE. DAY AT THE FOOTY. DATE WITH THE MISSUS. Whether it’s a day at the football with the lads or a night at the theatre with the missus, our man wants a functional and flexible wardrobe. Whatever the occasion, he wants a look that works and clothes that allow him to have a good time. That’s all that counts. He loves a smart-casual layered look because it lets him express his individual style, without being too flashy. He might have working or middle class roots, but you wouldn’t know – because he doesn’t dwell on it. He’s proud of where he’s from and likes a brand that feels the same way. That’s why he wears Racing Green.
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P E R S O N A L BI TR YA N & DC V H IAS RI O AN CTERISTICS
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The way we talk Racing Green has a distinct tone of voice that reflects the brand values, and accentuates the brand personality and characteristics. We’ve highlighted four of the main characteristics of our tone of voice to help you understand how we sound.
Straight-talking
Down-to-earth
We’re direct. We get straight to the point. Accessible language and simple sentence structures isn’t dumbing down. It’s just easier to read.
We keep it real. We aren’t best friends with our consumers, so we don’t get all chatty. We keep it casual, relevant and informative instead.
Quick-witted
To the point
We’re witty yet understated with our humour. We use wit in our language, but we don’t go overboard with the funny stuff.
We don’t try too hard. We keep it relaxed, calm and collected, simple and easy. There’s no need for elaboration (or exclamation!) if we say something right the first time.
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PERSONALIT Y & CHAR ACTERISTICS
S T R A I G H T- TA L K I N G . Q U I C K - W I T T E D. D O W N - T O - E A RT H . T O T H E P O I N T.
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LOGO
BRAND BASICS
COLOUR
Racing green
British style
Ground colour
Green Pantone 5535 c C 81 M 56 Y 70 K 65
Red Pantone 194 c C 26 M 96 Y 66 K 18
Cream Pantone 9060 c C 5 M 3 Y 10 K 0
TYPOGRAPHY
GILL SANS REGULAR
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BRIC FA
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H LI IS F R AC I N G G R E E N . C O. U K