Documentation

Brand Guidelines

Comprehensive brand standards and usage documentation for ACN Agency's visual identity system.

Contents

Brand Overview Color System Typography Logo Usage Voice & Tone Photography Digital Standards Contact

Brand Overview

ACN Agency's brand identity is built on three foundational pillars: Aesthetics, Craft, and Narrative. Every element of our visual system — from our logo to our typography to our photographic choices — should reinforce these principles.

Our brand represents our commitment to strategic rigor, obsessive attention to craft, and the belief that every organization has an authentic story worth telling. The identity system exists to give that story a visual form.

Core Principle: Every application of the ACN brand should reflect our commitment to enduring design over trend-chasing. We create identities that stand the test of time.

Color System

Primary Palette

Our color system is anchored in the tension between deep burgundy and warm gold — a combination that communicates authority, warmth, and timeless elegance.

#1A0A0A

Deep Burgundy

Primary Background

#C9A962

Gold

Primary Accent

#FAF9F7

Cream

Primary Text

Secondary Palette

#2D1212

Burgundy Light

#D4B97A

Gold Light

#0D0505

Burgundy Dark

Typography

Primary Typeface — Cormorant Garamond

Cormorant Garamond is our primary typeface for headings and display text. Its elegant, high-contrast letterforms communicate the refinement and intellectual depth that define the ACN brand.

Font Family: 'Cormorant Garamond', Georgia, serif Weights: 300 (Light), 400 (Regular), 500 (Medium), 600 (SemiBold), 700 (Bold) Styles: Roman and Italic Use: Headlines, titles, display text, pull quotes

Secondary Typeface — DM Sans

DM Sans is our secondary typeface for body text and UI elements. Its clean, geometric forms provide excellent readability at small sizes and create a sophisticated counterpoint to our serif display type.

Font Family: 'DM Sans', system-ui, sans-serif Weights: 300 (Light), 400 (Regular), 500 (Medium), 600 (SemiBold) Styles: Roman and Italic Use: Body text, UI elements, captions, labels

Type Scale

  • H1: 7rem / 1.15 line-height — Display headlines
  • H2: 4.5rem / 1.15 line-height — Section titles
  • H3: 2.8rem / 1.2 line-height — Subsections
  • H4: 1.8rem / 1.25 line-height — Component titles
  • Body: 1.125rem / 1.75 line-height — Paragraphs
  • Small: 0.875rem / 1.5 line-height — Captions, labels

Logo Usage

The ACN logotype is a custom wordmark set in a modified version of Cormorant Garamond, with extended letter-spacing and precise optical adjustments. It should always be used in its provided form — never redrawn, distorted, or altered.

Clear Space

Maintain a minimum clear space around the logo equal to the height of the "A" in the mark. No other graphic elements, text, or imagery should intrude on this space.

Minimum Size

The logotype should never appear smaller than 24px in digital applications or 10mm in print.

Color Applications

  • Gold on Dark: Preferred — use on deep burgundy or dark backgrounds
  • Cream on Light: For light/cream backgrounds only
  • Reversed: Single-color applications where reversed out of imagery

Do Not: Apply the logo in colors other than approved palette. Do not add drop shadows, outlines, or effects. Do not rotate or skew. Do not separate the letters.

Voice & Tone

Our Voice Characteristics

  • Authoritative: We speak with expertise and confidence, grounded in research and experience
  • Elegant: Our language reflects the sophistication of our work — never casual, never pretentious
  • Direct: We communicate clearly and efficiently, without unnecessary jargon or complexity
  • Warm: Beneath the polish, we maintain genuine warmth and accessibility

Tone Adjustments by Context

  • Website Copy: Authoritative and elegant — showcases our strategic thinking
  • Social Media: More conversational while maintaining professionalism
  • Email Communication: Warm, personal, and solution-oriented
  • Presentations: Confident, data-grounded, and visually supported

Photography Guidelines

Our photography style is characterized by considered composition, natural lighting, and a documentary sensibility. We favor authenticity over staging, and real moments over constructed ones.

Photography Principles

  • Natural Light: Prefer available light or minimally modified natural sources
  • Authentic Moments: Capture genuine interaction and emotion over posed shots
  • Considered Composition: Every frame is composed with intention — rule of thirds, leading lines, considered negative space
  • Color Harmony: Images should harmonize with our gold/burgundy palette

Image Treatment

Post-processing should maintain the integrity of natural tones. Avoid heavy filters, extreme color grading, or stylistic effects that date quickly. Slight desaturation and warm tone shifts are acceptable to align with brand palette.

Digital Standards

Web Environments

  • All digital applications should use the specified Google Fonts embed codes
  • Color values must match brand specifications exactly (no approximation)
  • Minimum touch target size: 44×44px on mobile
  • All interactive elements must maintain 4.5:1 contrast ratio minimum

Animation Guidelines

Motion should enhance rather than distract. Use smooth easing curves (power3.out, power4.inOut) and respect user preferences by providing reduced-motion alternatives. Animations should feel purposeful, not decorative.

Contact Information

For questions regarding brand standards, licensing, or partnership inquiries: