GLOBAL BRAND STANDARDS
Imagine a chamber orchestra. If any chair is empty, any instrument or player is missing, the music suffers. It’s fundamentally altered. Incomplete. The delicate balance and harmony is gone. Our visual style is very much like that orchestra. The design elements on these pages create a bold, symphonic balance that we call our visual brand. Don’t lose the beat – please adhere to these guidelines to make beautiful brand music.
Our look and feel forms an equation. A series of key individual components add up to an extensible and flexible visual language. Combinations of those elements mark our materials as unique and ownable. From our digital channels to our business collateral to our buildings, we are creating a memorable embodiment of the brand.
LET’S EXPLORE...
01.02
OUR DESIGN TENETS
FOLLOWING THESE 10 DESIGN TENETS ENSURES SUCCESSFULLY BRANDED MATERIALS.
PLEASE USE THIS AS A CHECKLIST WHEN REVIEWING YOUR OWN BRANDED CREATIONS.
1. CLEAR
Does the design communicate clearly?
2. SIMPLE
Is the design free of extraneous clutter?
3. BEAUTIFUL
Is the design aesthetically pretty?
4. INTERESTING
Does the design pique the viewer to explore?
5. QUALITY
Does the design transmit a sense of high value?
6. BALANCED
Are all of the design elements in proper harmony?
7. BRANDED
Does the design adhere to these guidelines?
8. TARGETED
Was the design crafted to reach its audience?
9. UNEXPECTED
Does the design arrest in some way?
10. AUTHENTIC
Does the design feel like “us”?
01.03
OUR MARK + WORDMARK
WHEN THINKING OF OUR VISUAL IDENTITY, PLEASE KEEP THIS FIRMLY IN MIND...
WE ARE A BRANDED HOUSE, WITH KEY EXCEPTIONS.
-
There is only one central brand: Inmar Intelligence.
-
There may be business requirements for key acquisitions to remain separate with a descriptor “An Inmar® Intelligence Company” or “Powered by Inmar Intelligence®”.
-
There is also no dilution of our name or brand by adding anything to the wordmark itself other than our approved descriptor.
-
No products should have logos outside of consumer-facing products such as Swizl or LifeInCheck.
Our visual identity is made up of three distinct elements::
• THE MARK
• THE WORDMARK
• THE DESCRIPTOR
Some thoughts on our descriptor::
The descriptor was added to provide a clearer idea of what Inmar does and to convey that we are in the data/technology space.
The descriptor is always lower case to contrast the all-caps strength of the company name.
OUR MARK +
WORDMARK
THE MARK
THE WORDMARK
THE DESCRIPTOR
MARK ALONE
EMBODYING
5 KEY CONCEPTS:
1. Speed
2. Flow
3. Agility
4. Integration
5. Technology
WORDMARK ALONE
REVERSE
YES!
!
ALWAYS LEAVE SOLID SAFE SPACE
YES!
!
MAINTAIN MINIMUM SIZE
NO!
X
NEVER STRETCH THE LOGO
NO!
X
NEVER ALTER THE LOGO
NO!
X
NO UNREADABLE ENVIRONMENTS
01.04
OUR COLORS
PRIMARY COLORS
DEEP
PLUM
CMYK :: 100/98/16/0
RGB :: 48/53/132
PMS :: 2746C
HEX :: #303584
PRIMARY
ANCHOR
TIMELESS
TEAL
CMYK :: 85/29/44/5
RGB :: 3/135/140
PMS :: 321C
HEX :: #03878C
ACCENT
01
FIREY
SUNSET
CMYK :: 0/80/100/0
RGB :: 241/90/34
PMS :: 166C
HEX :: #F15A22
For TEXT and HYPERLINK user interface applications, use BURNT APRICOT.
HEX ::
#D2430F
CRISP
WHITE
CMYK :: 0/0/0/0
RGB :: 255/255/255
PMS :: ---
HEX :: #FFFFFF
RELIEF +
BALANCE
SECONDARY COLORS
SUMMER
GOLDENROD
ACCENT
03
CMYK :: 0/25/100/0
RGB :: 255/194/14
PMS :: 1225C
HEX :: #FFC20E
MIDNIGHT
BLURPLE
CMYK :: 100/100/20/40
RGB :: 29/22/85
PMS :: 2755C
HEX :: #1D1655
ANCHOR +
SMALL TEXT
FROSTED
GRAY
CMYK :: 8/8/2/3
RGB :: 222/220/228
PMS :: 5315C
HEX :: #DEDCE4
OFFSET
COLOR USAGE RATIO
ACCESSIBILITY CHOICES
OUR COLOR PALETTE OFFERS AFFORDANCE PER WGAC
CONTRAST GUIDELINES.
WCAG AAA
NORMAL TEXT AND LOWER
MIDNIGHT
BLURPLE
DEEP
PLUM
BURNT APRICOT
WCAG AA
NORMAL TEXT AND LOWER
WCAG AA
LARGE TEXT AND LOWER AND GRAPHICS
TIMELESS
TEAL
FIREY
SUNSET
You may only use the colors on this page. You may not add to this palette.
When should we use which color system?
CMYK
RGB
ON-SCREEN
Is it destined for on-screen use?
Use RGB.
HEX
ON-SCREEN
Is it destined for on-screen use? You can use HEX as well.
PMS
SPECIALTY
Special printing or environmental needs? Use Pantone.
These additional colors are only used for very specific applications. They are never to be used elsewhere.
TRANSITIONAL
GRAY
This deeper version of our FROSTED GRAY is only used in conjunction with brand transitions.
INTE-
GRAY-
TION
CMYK :: 39/33/18/0
RGB :: 160/160/180
HEX :: #A0A0B5
PANTONE VALUES
FOR OUR MARK
These additional Pantone colors are only used in directly in conjunction with the mark or in special cases such as environmental (office) design and building signage.
01.05
OUR TYPOGRAPHY
BENTON SANS is a modern, sans-serif font chosen for its simplicity, legibility and boldness. The modernity of this typeface underscores the “HONEST AND DIRECT” voice of the brand. It is used for all print materials and graphics.
HEADLINE / HEADER
HEADLINE / HEADER
SUBHEAD / CALLOUT / EMPHASIS (SENTENCE CASE)
BODY (SENTENCE CASE)
We’ve aligned on a new font for use in presentations ONLY with a little more personality that is available standard with Google Docs.
When creating digital presentations all decks will now use MONTSERRAT and general self-generated documents should continue to use ARIAL.
For websites and native mobile applications, please head to the OUR DOWNLOADS section of this site for embed codes and access to native Benton files.
01.06
THE ANGLE
AN ANCHOR FOR THE SYSTEM ::
The angle is designed to represent forward motion, acceleration and momentum. It captures the brand spirit of optimism and progress.
That’s why it always leans forward, from lower left to upper right.
YES!
!
MAINTAIN THE PROPER ANGLE
NO!
X
NEVER ALTER THE ANGLE
NO!
X
NEVER FLIP THE ANGLE
NO!
X
DON'T IGNORE THE ANGLE
01.07
OUR ICONOGRAPHY
We use a custom-created glyph set. It expresses the rich dimensionality of our solution set as a company.
Our icon set uses a unique grid that allows us to create glyphs from an isometric view. This approach creates a feeling of both TECHNOLOGY and DEPTH, both key attributes of the brand and our product and service offerings.
They are also designed to have high readability at a variety of sizes, even as small as 60px.
Our full set of icons has dozens. If you need something added, send us a request.
01.08
CUSTOM ILLUSTRATION
Our use of custom illustration in our materials marks them as uniquely ours.
Our offerings as a company are often very conceptual and complicated. These illustrations are a powerful way to express that complexity in an artful way. They also communicate personality in that mix as well.
Stylistically, they are gestural and metaphorical. They also leverage layering, dimensionality and color to create a sense of depth and interest.
We have a full range of these illustrations. Just ask by sending us a request if you need something specific.
01.09
HANDLING PHOTOGRAPHY
Photos are used within the design system to bring attitude, depth, humanity and immersion.
We use a few types of images within our overall design system -- Full-color photography, full-color photography with color overlaid gradients, and monotone images.
Images using gradients are largely created by Inmar Creative, but we have enabled some color-overlay gradients within our editable templates using transparent PNG files placed atop color pictures. This gives users flexibility to switch out for their own images, but to keep the effect.
Our monotone images are created using a very specific method in Photoshop to achieve consistency. We have an ever-growing library of those images. We’re very happy to add new ones to the mix as needed.
To distinguish ourselves amidst the “sea of sameness” with stock photo usage in the markets we serve, we create monotone versions of photos in our brand palette.
If color photos are used, they often have overlay gradients to help copy stand out and be more readable.
We also take our own photography. These are part of a growing photo library that we own. The same principles of immersion, intimacy, action and interest apply here as well.
Our subjects should be interested, engaged, happy and real. This underscores the sense of authenticity and personality of the brand and builds greater ownability throughout.
Visit our growing image library. We have dozens of images. If you need something added, send us a request.
01.10
PATTERN + TEXTURE
We have several types of patterns and graphic accents within the design system. They form an important link to the overall signature style and increase the accessibility of our materials and products.
The weight of our lines is proportional to the size of the piece and the elements within. A billboard will require thicker lines than a postcard or small web graphic.
SIGNATURE
ACCENT LINES
Stroked lines in our range of signature colors and at our branded 22.5 are used throughout the system to accent layouts and convey brand essence.
PHOTOGRAPHIC TEXTURES
Our photographic textures are meant to convey a non-representational feeling of data flow, technology, setting, or acceleration.
VECTOR PATTERNING:
A FOCUS ON ACCESSIBILITY
Vector patterns are also applied in a tone-on-tone fashion to increase contrast and differentiation. Our creative team has a full complement of these patterns. Please reach out for your need.
With several types of color blindness at play, patterning can help increase readability, regardless of shade or value.
01.11
TRANSITIONING ACQUISITIONS
YES!
!
ACCEPTABLE TRANSITIONAL VISUALS
We are proud to welcome new companies into our brand family. There is a very specific visual cadence we follow when doing so. This is the only acceptable approach to brand integration.
01
FIRST YEAR POST-ACQUISITION
YouTech, recently acquired by Inmar, is a retailer…
02
ONE INMAR
Inmar leverages our retailer platform / network to...
03
AN ACQUISITION-SPECIFIC EXCEPTION
As there may be business requirements for key acquisitions to remain separate with a descriptor “An Inmar® Intelligence Company” or “Powered by Inmar Intelligence®," we wanted to provide this example from the Aki acquisition. It does a good job of retaining the power of the original brand, but clearly ties it to Inmar.
01.12
BUILDING A DESIGN SYSTEM
It’s time to pull it all together. Let’s take a look at how these elements add up to a branded system.
Start with our central DESIGN TENETS:
1. CLEAR
2. SIMPLE
3. BEAUTIFUL
4. INTERESTING
5. QUALITY
6. BALANCED
7. BRANDED
8. TARGETED
9. UNEXPECTED
10. AUTHENTIC
IDENTITY
TYPOGRAPHY
ICONOGRAPHY
PHOTOGRAPHY
COLOR
ANGLE
ILLUSTRATION
TEXTURE
01.13
STYLISTIC EXAMPLES
OUR
WEBSITE
Perhaps our most important outreach tool in a digital marketplace is our website. It is a signature piece and a linchpin to both our marketing strategy as well as our brand expression.
The site is built modularly on a Drpual CMS. This allows us to create pages on the fly. Need something added to the site? Reach out to Marketing and we can help.
PLEASE VISIT INMAR.COM
TO EXPERIENCE THE FULL SITE.
It’s always best to view digital experiences in their native habitat. We’re just sharing some samples here to demonstrate how it encompasses the brand system in totality.
FULL HOME PAGE
IDENTITY +
STRATEGY +
MESSAGING +
CLARITY +
TYPOGRAPHY +
COLOR +
PHOTOGRAPHY +
ILLUSTRATION +
ICONOGRAPHY
EQUALS
A WELL BRANDED EXPERIENCE.
HOME PAGE DETAILS
SAMPLE PAGES FROM THE INMAR.COM HEALTHCARE EXPERIENCE
SAMPLE PAGE FROM THE INMAR.COM INFLUENCER EXPERIENCE & A PAGE DETAIL
PRESENTATION TEMPLATE
Beyond our website, this is perhaps the most shared expression of the brand. It is absolutely essential that our presentation materials stick to approved templates to ensure clear, consistent and attractive brand expression for this touchpoint.
LET’S EXPLORE A BIT MORE IN-DEPTH.
FOCUS:
ENGAGEMENT
You can see that the template is designed to be engaging and use the elements of the design system to generate interest and underscore contextual meaning. The contrast and punch of the approach also increases clarity overall.
FOCUS:
CLARITY
For clients and users that want to get right down to business, we have also provided clean, clear, simple layouts that put the information front and center and tell the straight story.
Everyone is instrumental.
A well-branded template is only successful though great use. Staying true to the spirit of the design system and not “going rogue” is a simple way to leverage the template correctly.
HERE ARE SOME SIMPLE RULES TO KEEP YOU ON TRACK:
LESS IS MORE.
No more than 7 lines of text per slide is a good rule. By reducing the density of the information on your slides, you increase its impact to the viewer.
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REDUCE PAGES.
You won’t get extra credit with your audience for a higher slide count. Be ruthless with your edits and stay true to the messages that matter. Lean and mean presentations get remembered.
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GET GRAPHIC.
Text is important, but graphics engage. Please use our more graphic layouts to break up your text and add interest to
your presentations.
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STAY BRANDED.
Stick to the clearly branded templates that we have. There are a TON of options in there for parsing your information. Of course, you can add slides and layouts as needed. Just use the template.
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Here’s a few dos and don’ts to help ensure your preso looks great and lands with real impact.
EXAMINE YOUR CONTENT FIRST...
01
Would you want to sit through this presentation?
02
Is all of this necessary... What else can you trim?
03
Are you being relevant and benefit-oriented for your audience?
CHECK YOUR VISUALS, TOO.
NO!
X
MAKE SURE NOTHING IS STRETCHED
NO!
X
DON’T FILL YOUR SLIDES COMPLETELY
NO!
X
DON’T INVENT NEW TEMPLATES
ADVERTISING
ABOUT
THE CAMPAIGN
The data made us do it.™
is a campaign idea.
Campaign ideas are short-term themes that are used to grab attention and create synergy across multiple communications.
Legal is currently conducting a trademark search on this idea.
CAMPAIGN
CONCEPT
THE DATA MADE US DO IT.™
SAMPLE HEADLINES ::
OUR CRYSTAL BALL SHOWED US DRIVING 30%NEW SHOPPERS TO YOUR BRAND THIS YEAR.
THE DATA MADE US DO IT.
A ONE-STOP, NON-STOP PROMOTION PLATFORM WITH REAL-TIME VALIDATION. JUST FOR YOU.
THE DATA MADE US DO IT.
WE SAVED A RETAILER $450,000 WITH STOCK REDUCTIONS.
THE DATA MADE US DO IT.
THE DE-LISTED PRODUCT WAS SAVED! NO CAPE REQUIRED.
THE DATA MADE US DO IT.
THE CONTENT WENT VIRAL.
THE DATA MADE US DO IT.
WE REMOVED $1 BILLION OF WASTE FROM THE SUPPLY CHAIN IN 2018.
THE DATA MADE US DO IT.
SAMPLE
CAMPAIGN
LAYOUTS
Even with color shifts on a particular application, the sum total of the design system clearly brands the materials.
ADDITIONAL
AD LAYOUTS
SALES SHEET
SAMPLE
SALES SHEET
PRO TIPS
BE
PITHY.
Try to stay under 10 words for a headline. Grab attention with benefit-oriented, provocative copy.
LESS IS MORE.
Communicate your essential points only. Allow the reader to focus on what you want them to.
GET GRAPHIC.
Would a graph, chart or image of a product or digital experience help drive the point home?
BE
CLEAR.
Avoid jargon, over-complexity or institutional thinking and phraseology.
STAY BRANDED.
Leverage forward the Inmar Intelligence brand in both voice and visual. Draw on its strength.
ADDITIONAL
SALES SHEET LAYOUTS
EXHIBITION
DESIGN
TRADE SHOW
BOOTH DESIGN
OTHER
BUSINESS COLLATERAL
BUSINESS
CARDS
FRONT
BACK
CAPABILITIES
PIECE
APPAREL
LANDING
PAGES
APPROACH
(WITH DETAILS INCLUDED)
EMAILS
APPROACH 01
APPROACH 02
01.14
A LIVING SYSTEM
This document, just like the system that it represents an ever-flowering experience. It is designed to be flexible and grow with use.
THIS SYSTEM TAKES THE ABOVE RULES AS ITS STRUCTURE AND EVOLVES FROM THERE.
Like any language, a brand comes to life through use. That usage will also reveal missed opportunities, new avenues for expression and ways to improve. All of that is firmly rooted in these brand standards and grows from there.