Eligibility
BRAND GUIDELINES
A brand is what people remember
about us when we aren’t around.
What exactly do we mean by a brand? It is far more than just a logo or a slogan. A brand is the impression left by everything that we say or do.
When you get right down to it, every organization, product and service has a reputation. That is what branding is all about. By following the guidelines outlined in our Brand Guidlines, you will help the City of Carlsbad speak with one voice in all that we do, create positive relationships with the people we serve and convey value to our taxpayers.
The City of Carlsbad maintains high standards that support an excellent quality of life.
The City of Carlsbad responsibly manages the resources entrusted to us.
The City of Carlsbad works in partnership with the community.
LOGO AND SEALS
The logo provides a friendly, approachable identity for the City of Carlsbad. The logo is used in all internal and external communication generated by city staff, except certain legal and ceremonial uses that use the city seal.
City of Carlsbad Logo
The logo provides a friendly, approachable identity for the City of Carlsbad. The logo is used in all internal and external communication generated by city staff, except certain legal and ceremonial uses that use the city seal. The logo includes two key elements – “C” symbol and its associated logotype consisting of the words “City of Carlsbad.” The logo provides a friendly, approachable identity for the City of Carlsbad. The logo is used in all internal and external communication generated by city staff, except certain legal and ceremonial uses that use the city seal. The logo includes two key elements – “C” symbol and its associated logotype consisting of the words “City of Carlsbad.”
Symbol
The symbol conveys forward movement, juxtaposed against the stable type. It references Carlsbad’s natural elements, such as an ocean wave, a bird of paradise (official city flower), green spaces and a sunset. The three elements are arranged to represent collaboration, as well as the three elements of the city’s sustainability policy – social, economic and environmental.
Colors
The type is a dark blue with hints of purple – similar to the color found in the city flower. The symbol features gradients of orange, green and blue, representing the colors found in Carlsbad’s environment. The gradients lend softness and texture.
Font
The typeface (Utopia) conveys stability and professionalism. The serif elements ground the logo to form a stable foundation. The words “City of” are given prominence to emphasize the fact that this logo represents the city organization, not the city location.
Clear space and minimum size
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The logo must always maintain a space equivalent to the size of the letter “L” in the word “Carlsbad,” around all edges.
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To maintain legibility, the logo should never appear smaller than 1.375 inches (1-3/8”), horizontally. The only exception is on business cards.
City of Carlsbad seal
The city logo should be used for most cases, but in some instances the seal is acceptable, such as legal documents and ceremonial uses. Incorrect and altered versions of the city seal have been created over the years. Always verify the seal you are using is the correct one, as shown below.
Clear space and minimum size
Maintain a space equal to or greater than the width of the sun in the logo. Do not use smaller than 5/8 inch
TYPOGRAPHY
The use of fonts is another way our community can recognize something coming from the City of Carlsbad. We use standard MS Office fonts for correspondence, PowerPoint presentations and other materials produced by staff. The city's communication team uses two families of fonts specifically created for graphic design.
Approved Standard Fonts
Myriad Pro and Utopia are the preferred fonts for city materials. In general, Myriad Pro should be used as the main font choice for headline, titles, body copy. Utopia should be used sparingly. Do not use Myriad Pro Italic unless necessary for book or event titles. Do not use in weights or styles other than what is shown.
MS Office Fonts
When working in Microsoft Office applications, such as for memos and other correspondence, reports and presentations, use Cambria and Calibri.
Calibri should be used for body copy.
Typeface Usage
Headings
Vary serif and san serif fonts and weights in headings for emphasis and to create visual interest. In general, serif fonts should not be bold; san serif should not be italicized.
Body Copy
The goal is easy readability, so base text size on the audience and where and how the copy will be read (handout, on screen, outdoor banner, etc.). In general, use these guidelines:
Preferred size is 10.5 pt. in 85% Black
MS Office documents: 12 point font for text is preferred for most audiences.
10 point is the minimum and should only be used for captions and other secondary information.
Italics
San Serif fonts are preferred for body copy. Semibold san serif fonts are preferred for signage and banners. Serif fonts should be used sparingly and primarily for accents in headlines and subheads, and may be italicized.
Bulleted Lists
Use the standard round bullet in Myriad Pro. Text indentation, punctuation and bullet color can vary as long as attention is paid to the overall look of the body copy.
En Dash
Use an “en dash” with one thin space on each end to separate text and for listing date ranges.
Periods, Commas and Exclamation Points
Use one space after periods and commas. Do not use a comma before the conjunction in a simple series.
Avoid exclamation points!
COLOR
The City's color palate represents the colors found in
Carlsbad’s environment; oranges, greens and blues
Primary Colors
PANTONE 287 PC
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RGB 0 70 139
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HEX/HTML 00468b
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CMYK 100 75 2 18
PANTONE 021 CP
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RGB 244 121 32
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HEX/HTML f47820
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CMYK 0 65 100 0
PANTONE 2935 PC
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RGB 0 111 186
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HEX/HTML 006fb9
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CMYK 100 52 0 0
PANTONE 1495 PC
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RGB 248 156 77
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HEX/HTML f89b4d
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CMYK 0 46 78 0
PANTONE 370 PC
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RGB 83 149 54
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HEX/HTML 529535
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CMYK 62 1 100 25
PANTONE 116 PC
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RGB 255 214 0
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HEX/HTML ffd600
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CMYK 0 14 100 0
PANTONE 376 CP
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RGB 130 195 65
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HEX/HTML 82c341
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CMYK 54 0 100 0
Supporting Colors
Gray
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RGB 77 77 79
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HEX/HTML 4d4d4f
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CMYK 0 0 0 85
PANTONE 7501CP
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RGB 232 217 180
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HEX/HTML e8d9b4
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CMYK 6 10 30 2
PANTONE 526 CP
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RGB 105 38 134
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HEX/HTML 692686
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CMYK 69 100 0 8
PANTONE 600 CP
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RGB 252 246 176
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HEX/HTML FCF6B0
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CMYK 2 0 39 0
APPAREL & PROMOTIONAL
City apparel should be an extension of the city brand. When possible use pre-screened vendors that already have the logo and other brand elements set up.
Logo and color consideration
Use the right logo for the right background. For example, the full color logo should not be used on a medium blue, green or orange background because part of the logo will “disappear” on those backgrounds.
When in doubt, use a white logo on a dark background.
Specialty & Promotional Items
Specialty items such as mugs, water bottles and Frisbees, should reflect the city brand. Judgment should be exercised when it comes to size; if the full logo fits on an item at its minimum size (1.5” across), it should be used.
On smaller items where space is limited, for example on pens and pencils, the words “City of Carlsbad” may be used instead of the logo. Do not alter the logo by changing the relationship between the type and the symbol so it will fit on a small specialty item.
