Brand Guidelines

Introduction

The BrandOur brand is equally as important to us as our utility meters. We aim to bring understanding to the issues that surround saving energy, while helping our customers to save money on their household bills.

Our utility meters are designed to be easily understood and we intend to carry this throughout our brand. This book contains information on both who we are as a company, and how to effectively apply the brand to the high standard we maintain.

Introduction

The Ewgeco energy meter is the only unit available which measure three separate utilities in one device. It is capable of keeping track of electricity, gas and water. The meters are also available with single gauges.

EwgecoEwgeco began life as a registered company in 2006, with the first meter prototype being introduced in 2007 at the Alba Centre in Livingston, Scotland. The inventor Tanya Ewing and business partner Ken McCorkindale, initially tested the prototypes successor in a small research group. Since then the units have been improved for the customers benefit and are now installed in a number of locations which range from small businesses to schools, to new build homes.

The award winning unit is designed to show the consumption of the three main utilities, water, gas and electricity, in a simple and direct manner. The “traffic light” interface is easy for all the family to understand and the device it’s self calibrated to suit the size of the premises and the number of users present. The unit can also be connected to the “My Ewgeco” website where the readings can be analysed and presented in an easy to understand format. The site is also a great place to receive tips on how to improve your understanding of energy conservation.

Introduction

ContentsChapter 1

The logoIncorrect Use

Colours, ImagesTypeface

Tone of Voice

Chapter 2Layouts

PresentationTarget Market

Chapter 3Associated Work

Contact

Discs

File DiscBrand Guidelines Disc

When using one colour for the logo, the colour must be either full black or full white. This does not include any form of grey.

Alternate versions of the logo can include the addition of green, orange and red, which imitate the ‘traffic light’ system of the meters.

There are three versions which can be used, with two emphasising particular parts of the name,

Chapter 1

The LogoThe most easily identified aspect of the Ewgeco brand is the logo. The logo also communicates the function of the company in the presence of the letters ‘E’, ‘G’ and ‘W’, which stand for electricity, gas and water.

Using the LogoThe logo is constructed only of a typographic representation of the company name. As shown in the diagrams opposite, the logo remains in the same font with the use of five colours in specific combinations.

The logo must always have adequate space surrounding the characters. The above diagram illustrates the spacing of the letters and the minimum amount of white space which should surround the logo.

Chapter 1

Use of colours other than those stated in the house style is not allowed

The logo must be kept in the same ration when presented, as well as in the same structure as previously shown.

Incorrect UseWhen applying the logo the letters must not be moved from the standard placement. In addition, the logo must not be stretched, squeezed or manipulated to a point where it is unidentifiable. It must also be used no smaller than point six. The colours used within the logo must also follow those set previously.

Alterations to the placement of the letters is not allowed. This includes stacking the letters, however changes to orientation is permitted.

Green #006838RGB 0 103 56CMYK 90 30 95 30

Amber #F15D27RGB 241 93 39CMYK 0 79 96 0

Red #C22620RGB 237 28 35CMYK 0 100 100 0

Chapter 1

ColoursThe colours selected are chosen specifically to link to the product and images put forth by the company. The use of the ‘traffic light’ colours tie directly to the interface present in the meter its self. In addition the use of the single colour, black or white logo, is intended to signify the simplicity of the device.

These colours are used throughout the print work and associated work to create a unified brand which customers can easily identify and relate to.

Chapter 1

Both example are vector graphics. The left image is rendered in greyscale but is realistic enough to be identifiable. The full colour example uses layered colour to produce a more realistic appearance while maintaining the look of a graphic.

Above is an example of the type of bitmap image used. Sourced images should be of a high quality and adhere to any copyright laws which apply to it’s use.

ImagesThe images used in publications by the company can be separated into two categories familiar to designers, vector and bitmap. The vector images can then be further divided into greyscale and full colour. All vector images, whether greyscale or colour should be rendered in a realistic style. There is a place for imaginative and abstract vector images but these publications are not that place.

All bitmap images should be of a high quality with the focus of the image easily identifiable. Like their vector counterparts the bitmap images can be separated into greyscale and full colour. Both can be used in the same publication but must be grouped together depending on which the images is. For example, in the placement of images, all should be full colour.

Chapter 1

Century Gothic Regular

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Century Gothic Italic

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Century Gothic Bold

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Century Gothic Bold Italic

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Century Gothic is easy to read and lends a clean and modern feel to the design it is used in.

TypefaceWith the exception of the logo itself, the type family chosen for the brand is Century Gothic. As the type face is a sans serif font it is legible and easily lends to the idea of modern technology. The typeface was also chosen due to the report by a Dutch printing company, Printer.com, that using Century Gothic is both cost effective and saver for the environment due to using 30% less ink. This lower impact to the environment is a key aspect of the knowledge that the brand wishes to share.

In the case of online works, a suitable substitute for the house font would be either Ariel or Verdana. These font families have similar qualities and would not look out of place when combined with the other elements of the house style.

Arial

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Alternative typefaces for when Century Gothic is not available, or in the case of online, not applicable.

Chapter 1

Tone of VoiceEwgeco are all about saving the customer money while encouraging them to practice “greener” habits. For this reason all communication with the customer must create a sense that the company is talking with their customers, as opposed to talking at them. The language used should put the customer at ease by using clear and concise sentences. Jargon should be avoided as much as possible, unless there is no other alternative. It is important to use language that provokes the customer’s interest.

It is also important that when sharing information with the customer that it comes across as a positive step for them to take. It is counterproductive to highlight the customer’s lack of knowledge in the area that is being discussed. For this reason the language should be specific and indicate why the topic is important and what benefits they include.

Chapter 2

Above is the four column grid layout shown in a double page spread. When placed as such the structure can be thought of as an eight column spread.

The diagram above illustrates the best use of white space within a layout. If information is placed in these areas it should be short and to the point.

Layouts The majority of layouts for booklets and similar print work follow the same grid structure. This consists of four main columns, which can become an eight column layout when pages are placed in a double page spread. The structure can be used effectively in both A4 and A5 format. The exception to this grid layout can only be found in leaflets, where the structure becomes a six column grid when in landscape format.

When placing the content in a layout, white space is a key element. It is important to only include text and images which help convey the information that is being presented. Overly large images in a vast quantity should be avoided.

When creating posters, there is a more freedom in the placement of images and text. However, the house style for the typeface, images and logo must be followed. This includes incorporating the required free space surrounding the logo.

Chapter 2

The above image shows the use of the structure in the context of a double page spread. Small amounts of information are included in the outer columns of each page but still maintain a suitable quantity of white space.

The example opposite shows the placement of images within the page. Images corresponding to the text are placed in a break in the text. Avoid the use of text wrap in layouts. The side image is placed to aid in page navigation.

The above image shows an example of a leaflet. This type of layout does not follow the required four or eight column. In the case of leaflets a six column layout is preferable. This allows the leaflet to be folded into three separate panels.

The example opposite shows an example of a poster used in an event connected to the brand. The poster follows the requirements set out by the house style but does not follow a set structure, allowing a small amount of freedom in the design.

Chapter 2

Some logging companies have a standard practice where fully grown trees are cut down and saplings planted in their place. The type of tree is usually fast growing to keep production moving.

PresentationAll materials used during promotion and associated work should be both ethically sourced and environmentally friendly. Ewgeco intends to encourage customers to make better choice in everything they do and as such leads by example.

Where possible materials used are almost completely recycled. In the circumstance where using recycled material is not possible, materials are used which come from renewable sources. An example of this practice is using paper produced by sustainable forests, which plants a tree for every one cut down.

Although recycled materials are preferred, the quality of the resulting product should not be compromised. It is possible to maintain quality using recycled material.

Chapter 2

Target MarketPredominantly Ewgeco is aimed at home owners and small businesses. In the case of home owners, they normally make decisions based on the needs of their household. For this reason promotion is aimed more at the whole family than professionals or students.

Educating the family about the environment they live in while communicating the value of the product is one of the main aims of the company. Typically the children of the household know more about advances in technology than the parents. The understanding that the children have of the different types of technology ultimately filters through to the parents. For this reason promotions must also easily speak to children/teenagers, and not just their parents.

Chapter 3

The Ewgeco Quiz Teacher’s Resource Pack contains three posters on renewable energy, a lesson plan, parent leaflets and digital versions of all files contained within the pack.

All content, including the box, are made from recycled materials.

Associated WorkThe Ewgeco Quiz

This project works with Ewgeco to promote a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. The quiz is aimed at secondary school children and encourages them to practice what they are learning as they go through the lessons which go specifically with the quiz. Students are take part in building the set used for the quiz as well as undertaking hands on tasks.

In addition to the Ewgeco Quiz Teacher’s Resource Pack, an online quiz exists to help the students understand how the game works.

Chapter 3

The online quiz asks questions associated with energy conservation and recycling to help educate customers about the best ways to make changes in their own lives. There are two versions of the online quiz, one aimed at the children and one at the parents. The children’s version contains characters which feature in an animation specifically created to be shown in cinemas. The creation of these other forms of promotion also follows the instructions set out by the house style.

These images show examples of how the house style can be translated into an number of different mediums.

The images to the left are taken from the online version of the Ewgeco Quiz. The characters are taken from the animation made for cinema audiences

Contact

Contact UsGeneral enquiries:

Inquiries in regards to the information contained here can be made through the company website. For more specific inquiries, direction to the correct member of staff can also be found on the company website.

Telephone: +44 (0)1738-447-741

Postal address :68 Hay Street

PerthPerthshireScotlandPH1 5HP

Discs

Files

Brand Guidelines