dsu brand guidelines

December 2015

De Montfort Students’ UnionBrand Identity Guidelines

Version 1.0


Contents

pg

1

How We Communicate Our LogoColour PaletteUsing Our LogoOur Sub-BrandsFontBad Examples Of Using Our LogoImageryApplication

2345-67-1112131415


How We Communicate

pg

2

De Montfort Students’ Union is an independent, student run and student led organisation. Here to involve, represent and inspire DMU students to make the most of their time at university. Every communication that comes directly from De Montfort Students’ Union or that the union is associated with should reflect DSU’s key aims and values. The overall feel of the Students’ Union brand is bold, stylish, professional – but with room for fun and personality. Information should be well presented and obvious what is trying to be said. The look should be clean, flat and full of bright colour (including white). These assets and instructions are to be used as a guide alongside your own creativity to make something special. All publications (digital and printed) produced including the DSU brand and logo must be sent to DSU Marketing and Communications for approval prior to release. For questions and approval requests please email [email protected]


Our Logo

pg

3

The DSU logo is one of the key parts of the DSU graphic identity and brand. People, regardless of language spoken or background instantly spot a logo and recognise what it represents. It is important that the logo is used consistently and correctly in all communications.

It’s an integral part of our identity, and it’s important that it’s highly visible at all times.

Our colours are bright and bold, and a really important part of our logo, so please never change the colour. This is the same for fonts and the shape, please don’t distort or adapt our logo in any way.


Colour Palette

pg

4

Our colour palette consists of

DSU Red A vivid and bright colour.

We also use DSU Black, Grey and WhiteThese complement our core colour and give us more flexibility when producing media.

Simplifying the colours we use guarantees a far more consistent approach to everything we do.

DSU Red

C: 0 M: 100 Y: 70 K:0R: 228 G:0 B:58Web: E4003A

DSU Black

C: 0 M: 100 Y: 70 K:0R: 228 G:0 B:58Web: E4003A

DSU Grey

C: 0 M: 0 Y: 0 K: 50R: 128 G: 128 B:128Web: 808080

DSU White

C: 0 M: 0 Y: 0 K: 0R:255 G: 255 B: 255Web: FFFFFF

Primary Colour

Secondary Colours


Using Our Logo

pg

5

Using the logo at the right size ensures readability and presents our identity in a consistent way.

We’ve provided minumum sizes of use that will help ensure consistency.

The minimum size our logo should ever be used is 30 mm. The website should not appear with the logo at this size.

The DSU website should appear under our logo wherever possible. If the logo is 60 mm or smaller the website address must be removed.

Minimum Size In Print

30 mm60 mm

The logo must be scaled proportionally at all times, to ensure it is not distorted for different media sizes.

If in any doubt [email protected] for guidance.

The DSU logo should be give ample space in all circumstances. We advise that the minimum another asset be closest to the logo is 30% height of the actual logo used - as demonstrated.


Using Our Logo

pg

6

The full colour logo should be used wherever possible, however it maybe necessary to use a solid black or white version of the logo for some media.

Mono Black Logo:You should only use the black logo when you are printing in black and white i.e. low res printing or newspaper.

White Logo:The white logo should be used when the background is too similar to the DSU Red. The website has been dropped in this example, for information see page 15.

Where to find our logoDSU staff can access the DSU logo on www.demontfortstudents.com/ourbrand It is available in various formats for both print and web.

If you require assistance please contact the Marketing & Communications Team.

Logo Variations


Our Sub-Brands

pg

7

De Montfort Students’ Union currently has many individual logos for each department.

The relevant sub-brand must be used alongide the DSU logo when appropriate. Depending on the type of content you can choose between either the landscape or portrait logo.

There may be times where the use of our sub-brand may not be appropriate, therefore separate logos can be created and used.

Such examples of this may be for larger campaigns, one of special events or individual trading entities.

If you require a new sub-brand please consult our Marketing & Communications Team.

Where to find our logo’sDSU staff can access the DSU logo including our sub-brands on www.demontfortstudents.com/ourbrand It is available in various formats for both print and web.

If you require assistance please contact the Marketing & Communications Team.


Our Sub-Brands

pg

8

Landscape

level 1

campaigns

course reps

executive

help deskactive

volunteering

representation


Our Sub-Brands

pg

9

Landscape

voice

tech

welfare

RAG

shop

societies

standout

student reps


Our Sub-Brands

pg

10

Portrait

active executive

volunteering

campaigns

level 1

course reps

representationhelp desk

shop


Our Sub-Brands

pg

11

Portrait

societies

techstandout

student reps welfare

RAGvoice


Font

pg

12

Our main typeface is the ‘Helvetica Neue’ family.

All of our literature produced in-house uses Helvetica Neue Regular. Small-caps are used across our branding including our sub-brands, all other weights and styles can be used indiscriminately for headers and design focused layouts.

Helvetica Neue is the typeface we use for our text content (just like the text you’re reading now).

If Helvetica Neue is unavailable you may revert to Arial.

Individual projects such as campaigns will bring a requirement for different typefaces to promote the event - there’s no restriction of the use of other fonts, but core elements such as our logo must always use our typefaces.

Helvetica Neue RegularabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZHelvetica Neue BoldabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Arial Regularabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

Arial Boldabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz


Bad Examples Of Using Our Logo

pg

13

These are some examples which illustrate how NOT to use our logo. Our identity should not be altered in any way.

Please do not...

- change the colour of the logo- apply drop shadows or other effects- warp or distort the logo- rotate the logo - it must always be upright- remove any part of the logo

Using the identity incorrectly can reduce consistency and weaken our brand, therefore the logo must always be used in the right ratio and in the correct colours.

Please ensure that if placed on a background there’s enough contrast and that breathing space is applied to allow our identity to stand out.


Imagery

pg

14

All imagery used must be representative of De Montfort Students’ Union and reflect our statement.

Use images that are dynamic and interesting which show students engaging within the Students’ Union - enjoying themselves, smiling getting involved.

It goes without saying then, try to refrain from pictures which are overly busy with disinterested students.

Always use full colour images and avoid applying fiters and effects.

Bad imagery

Do not use poor quality images that are blurred or out of focus and most importantly pixelated.

Ensure your images are appropriate for the type of media intended i.e. if the images will be printed on large scale make sure they have the capacity of being enlarged for print.

If you’re unsure just ask the Marketing & Communications Team.

This is a bad example - It is not an interesting image, the students are looking away and you cannot see them engaging.

This is a good example - The students are smiling and engaging.

This is a bad example - This image is out of focus with poor cropping.

This is a good example - This image is well cropped and focuses on the main subject.


Application

pg

15

Our full colour logo allows our identity to be placed easily on background images or colours, therefore it should be used wherever possible. The web address must be dropped when our logo is placed on a background image.

Whichever image or colour is behind our logo it’s very important to ensure the logo is highly visible and not compromised in any way.

We allow you the flexibility to choose where you position the logo but...

REMEMBER: common sense should be applied for each and every application!

December 2015


Version 1.0

Need help?

Yamini Prajapati-ChauhanGraphic Design Coordinator

Email: [email protected]

Adele ClarkeMarketing & Communications Manager

Email: [email protected]

dsu brand guidelines

Documents