This document provides brand guidelines for Countingup, including sections on logo usage, colour palette, typography, and applications of the brand elements. The logo comes in 3 versions for different backgrounds and an icon is used for social media. Roboto and Nunito Sans typfaces are used. Colour palette includes primary and secondary colours. Examples show using the brand elements in documents, photography choices, and email layouts.
2. 2
Contents
Logo & icon
The logo p. 4
Incorrect logo usage p. 5
Using the logo on backgrounds p. 6
The icon p. 7
Logo and icon size p. 8
Colour palette
Colour palette p. 10
Typography
Typography p. 12
Using the typography p. 13
Grammar guide p. 14
Applications
Typography in Google Docs p. 16
Choosing photography p. 17
Visual styling p. 18
Google Slides p. 20
Email layouts p. 21
3. 3
Logo & icon
Countingup uses a different brand artwork for different situations. A set
of logos have been created for use on light, dark or busy backgrounds and
an icon for use on social media and mobile apps.
4. 4
2x
x
x
The logo
This is our logo. It comes in 3 versions
to use on light, dark or coloured/busy
backgrounds.
Minimum clear space
Original 2 colour
Inverted 2 colour
White version
5. 5
Incorrect logo usage
Don’t change the font of the logo
Don’t change the proportions of the
logo components
Don’t stretch or squash the logo
disproportionately
Don’t add any shadow or glow
effects to the logo
Don’t change the colours of the logo
Don’t rotate the logo
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5
4
6
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2
3
4
5
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6. 6
Using the logo on backgrounds
Incorrect logo usage
If the background is too dark it can make
it hard to see the logo. If the background
is red then the red icon component
would be hard to see, it would be
advised to use the white logo instead.
Correct logo usage
The original logo can be used if the
background is light enough and clean.
If the background is black, the inverted
logo can be used to ensure the contrast
is highest and most legible.
Use the original logo where possible as it
expresses our brand identity the best.
7. 7
6x
x
x
The icon
To be used for the Favicon, certain social
media and app stores where it would be
too small for the logo.
Minimum clear space
8. 8
Logo and icon size
There are minimum sizes for these brand
marks to ensure they are always legible no
matter in which format.
Minimum size
The smallest the logo can be is 27px in
height or 9mm in height.
Icon usage
In a situation where you would require a
logo smaller than 27px or 9mm in height,
it is advised to use the icon instead.
27px in height, 101px in width
27px in height, 27px in width 9mm in height, 9mm in width
9mm in height, 34mm in width
9. 9
Colour palette
Red is the main colour for Countingup as it’s energetic, warm and provides
visual impact. For the most basic colour scheme, Jelly Red, Coal Black and
white would work well. The grey and blue tones in the colour palette help
bring a sense of confidence, and trust to Countingup’s message.
10. 10
Colour palette
Primary colours
A basic, minimal layout which consists of
mainly typography can be achieved using
only these colours. Tints and shades can
be used for all colours where appropriate.
Secondary colours
These act as supporting colours for the
primary colours. Dark Red can act as a
shadow colour for Jelly Red, same for both
of the Teals, and the Purples.
Tints and shades can be used for all colours
where appropriate.
Jelly Red
#E63C2F
R230 G60 B47
C1 M87 Y83 K0
Pantone 179 C
Medium Grey
#BDC5C2
R190 G198 B195
C30 M17 Y23 K7
Pantone 441 C
Eagle Teal
#004D71
R0 G78 B114
C100 M58 Y33 K23
Pantone 3025 C
Visual Purple
#62259D
R99 G38 B158
C79 M91 Y0 K0
Pantone 267 C
Coal Black
#262829
R38 G40 B42
C75 M64 Y57 K72
Pantone 426 C
Midnight Teal
#003D51
R0 G62 B82
C100 M61 Y45 K42
Pantone 3035 C
Dark Purple
#3D0F50
R61 G16 B80
C89 M100 Y34 K32
Pantone 2627 C
Cash Green
#00945E
R0 G148 B94
C98 M5 Y79 K0
Pantone 340 C
Dark Grey
#4E5758
R79 G88 B88
C65 M48 Y49 K41
Pantone 445 C
Dark Red
#A22929
R161 G40 B40
C25 M94 Y83 K21
Pantone 7628 C
Citrus Green
#CEDC00
R206 G220 B0
C25 M0 Y98 K0
Pantone 381 C
Dark Citrus Green
#BBBB14
R187 G187 B19
C34 M14 Y99 K2
Pantone 7744 C
Light Grey
#EDEDED
R237 G237 B237
C8 M6 Y7 K0
White
#FFFFFF
R255 G255 B255
C0 M0 Y0 K0
Saffron Orange
#FF963B
R255 G143 B28
C0 M45 Y69 K0
Pantone 1495 C
Middle Blue
#6AD1E3
R106 G209 B227
C48 M0 Y9 K0
Pantone 310 C
11. 11
Typography
Countingup uses 2 typefaces, Roboto was chosen to reinforce the
clean, no-nonsense, yet empathetic aesthetic we are after for the use of
headings. Nunito Sans is a display font which was designed to be highly
legible even when the size of the text is small.
This section introduces the typefaces and presents a set of principles for
styling textual content.
12. 12
Typography
Large headings
Body text
We suggest not using Extra-Light and
Black weights as they would not be as
legible in a small size.
Roboto Thin
Roboto Bold
Nunito Sans Light
Light Italic
Regular
Regular Italic
Semi-Bold
Semi-Bold Italic
Bold
Bold Italic
13. 13
Roboto Thin &
Bold for titles
Roboto Thin for subheadings
Nunito Sans Bold for third subheadings
Nunito Sans Regular for paragraph body text. Bold can be used for
emphasis. Italics can also be used for emphasis.
Nunito Sans Regular for small text, annotations and captions.
Using the typography
Size 45pt, line height 54pt
Roboto Bold is to be used in
juxtaposition to Roboto Thin for
emphasis and not on its own.
Size 36pt, line height 45pt
Size 15pt, line height 27pt
Bold and italics can be used for emphasis.
Size 18pt, line height 27pt
Size 12pt, line height 18pt
The text sits on a baseline of 9pt. So the line height and bottom margins are always
a multiple of 9 (or if that’s not possible, 4.5). Different print and web layouts will have
different sizes to maximise readabilty.
This example could be suitable for desktop web view:
14. 14
Write the date as the day of the month,
followed by the name of the month in full,
and the four digit year
E.g. 7 April 2018
Grammar guide
Always use sentence case
Use sentence case even for headings and
titles. All paragraph body text will need a
full stop at the end. Titles, headings and
subheadings won’t need full stops.
Use British spelling
Ensure that words like colour, centre and
recognise, aren’t the American spelling.
Always use spell check.
Countingup is one word when in writing
Don’t spell it as separate words.
The U is lower-case.
No need to include http://www. at the
beginning of a URL and no / at the end
E.g. countingup.com
Use superscript ordinals in print and
cardinals for online
17th
September for print
17 September for online
We use the 24 hour time format
E.g. 14:35
Numbers as numerals followed by a word
E.g. 10 million
Postcode in all caps and space in between
E.g. W14 0QL
15. 15
Applications
This part of the guide will illustrate principles for using the logo, colour
palette and typography together. The following examples serve as
inspiration for basic layouts, additional design elements will need more
design considerations.
16. 16
Typography in Google Docs
Text will follow the baseline grid of 9pt though
it might fall out of it on occasion. Template is
available on request.
Roboto Thin for titles
Roboto Thin for subheadings
Roboto Thin for second subheadings
Nunito Sans Bold for third subheadings
Nunito Sans Bold for fourth subheadings
Nunito Sans Bold for fifth subheadings
Nunito Sans Bold for sixth subheadings
Nunito Sans Regular for normal text. Bold can be used for emphasis. Italics
can also be used for emphasis. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud
exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
“Roboto Thin Italics for quotes.”
Nunito Sans Italic and Nunito Sans Bold Italic for small text, annotations and captions.
Size 38, line spacing 1.18 spacing before: 9, after: 6
Size 30, line spacing 1.20 spacing before: 3, after: 6
Size 24, line spacing 1.25 spacing before: 0, after: 9
Size 16, line spacing 1.69 spacing before: 9, after: 0
Size 12, line spacing 1.13 spacing before: 5, after: 4
Size 10, line spacing 1.35 spacing before: 6, after: 3
Size 10, line spacing 1.35 spacing before: 6, after: 3
Size 13, line spacing 1.7 spacing before: 9, after: 18
Size 18, line spacing 1.50 spacing before: 0, after: 3
Size 10, line spacing 1.80 spacing before: 9, after: 0
17. 17
Choosing
photography
Countingup prefers uplifting photography
that heighten positive emotions.
Choose images that show a sense of
wonder, excitement, achievement or
confidence, fun and celebration; an
appreciation of the atmosphere.
Photos of people having fun, trying
something together or creating a good
memory, either on their own, pairs or
groups fit the Countingup brand well.
It’s preferred to include some colours of
the Countingup colour palette within the
photography. It would be ideal to have
part of the subject of the photo in red to
tie it in with the brand’s main colour.
18. 18
Visual styling
It is encouraged that designers maximise
creative freedom in order to achieve visually
captivating designs for Countingup. All we ask is
for these brand elements to be well incorporated
into both web and print designs where suitable.
Large white borders
Most recommended for print mediums.
Another example would be this
styleguide.
Big areas of white space or Jelly Red
The Countingup style likes lots of
breathing space, so it’s recommended
that lots of white space is used or
alternatively large blocks of colour. Our
favourite would be to use the brand
colour Jelly Red.
Large background photography
Photography can be used to emphasis
the brand values and create the right
atmosphere.
It’s no secret that navigating tax regulations can be a minefield for sole traders,
especially when it comes to knowing what you can and can’t deduct come
tax return season. Of course you want to take advantage of the maximum
deductions but you don’t want to run the risk of making a mistake on your
self-assessment and including something you shouldn’t.
Use this simple list of the top 10 deductible business expenses to help you
navigate HMRC tax rules and regulations.
Top 10 expenses
What can I claim?
19. 19
Our big splotches of Light Grey for
backgrounds
Make use of curved lines. Light Grey can
also be tinted lighter.
The title pattern matching with the
Mastercard
Tile pattern is available upon request.
Large, blurry, top-down shadows
Creating the drop shadow effect in
Adobe Illustrator
Go to Effect > Illustrator Effects > Stylise
> Drop Shadow and use the following
settings using the colour #000000.
Use these settings as inspiration for print
and web layouts. The effect we are after
is a subtle, blurry shadow where the light
source above the object.
20. 20
Google Slides
3 layout styles are provided in the Countingup Google Slides template
Ideally, the text size, colour and placement should not be altered. If a new layout is
needed, ensure to follow the grid lines. If there is too much text, spread the content over 2
pages instead of decreasing text side where possible. Template is available on request.
To toggle on the grid
Go to Slide > Edit master. From the master page, right click on a blank space and
select Image options. Adjust the image Transparency.
21. 21
Email layout
Mobile view
The Countingup logo is sized at 36px
height and sits at the top with top and
bottom margins of 36px.
The left and right margins of the email
are 36px.
The button is 45px tall with 4px radius
corners in Jelly Red. Font size 18pt, line
height 27pt bold white text.
Desktop view
The desktop view is the same as
the mobile view except for the areas
mentioned.
The white area where the main body
of the email has left and right padding
of 72px and top and bottom padding
of 36px. The maximum width of the
white area is 600px. Beyond this area is
coloured Light Grey.
Desktop 600pxMobile 320px
22. 22
Email layout typography
Desktop 600pxMobile 320px
Paragraph text
Size 15pt, line height 27pt,
margin after 18pt, Coal Black
Display text
Size 27pt, line height 36pt,
margin after 18pt, Dark Grey
Small text
Size 12pt, line height 18pt,
margin after 18pt, Coal Black
Hyperlinks and horizontal rules are in the
colour Jelly Red
Social media icons are in Eagle Teal
23. 23
Email layout illustration images
Desktop 600pxMobile 320px
Illustration
Place illustration at the top under the logo
with 36px margin above and below it.
Ensure to not distort the image ratio.
The ideal way to include an image for the
email is to have an illustration sized for
mobile view at minimum 178px high and
248px wide and have it centred. When
the image is seen on desktop, it should be
within the white area, still centred with
36px padding above and below it.
24. 24
Email layout photographic images
Desktop 600pxMobile 320px
Photography
A photo may sit at the top of the email
under the logo.
It is best to set the photograph as a
background cover to ensure it fills up the
intended area for both mobile and desktop
view and to also ensure to not distort the
image’s aspect ratio.
There should be a margin of 36px
underneath it before the text starts,