Brand Voice

Content

BRAND VOICE

INTRODUCTION 2

BRAND IMAGE AND PERSONALITY 3

BRAND ATTRIBUTES 5

STRENGTHENING YOUR BRAND 6

CORE IDENTITY 7

BRAND POSITIONING 8

GRAPHIC STANDARDS

BRAND STANDARDS 11

POSITIONING STATEMENT AND PROGRAM LOGOS 12

LOGO MISUSE 13

COLOR PALETTE 14

COLOR SYSTEMS 15

TYPOGRAPHY 16

COLLATERAL 17

Content

Introduction

The purpose of the Brand Voice Document is to serve as the definitive reference for perspectives and procedures regarding the handling of the Southwest West Central Service Cooperative (SWWC) brand, and how SWWC communicates and expresses itself as an organization. It is to be implemented in concert with the SWWC Graphic Standards Guide.

Southwest West Central Service Cooperative is a public agency created as a result of cooperative activities that began in the early 1960s to perform educational planning and assist districts in meeting students’ educational needs. Since that time, the co-op has expanded its services within the education sector and beyond, with a large, loyal membership base to support its services in special education, insurance coverage, technology services, cooperative purchasing and administrative services.

Moving forward, SWWC continues its mission to “support and enhance the work of its members by providing programs and services that meet their needs,” and holds firmly to its vision: “By striving to be innovative, collaborative and responsive, we will be the premier service agency for our members.” To realize continued growth and success to a new generation of educators, administrators and business professionals, it is essential that the co-op continues to evaluate and understand its brand, as it is intricately connected with achieving its mission and vision. Delivering a single unified message to all audiences will strengthen, define and increase recognition of the SWWC brand.

This Brand Voice Document intends to provide background, context and practical rules and guidelines for the SWWC brand and its use in communications. With your commitment to the standards outlined in this document, the co-op will present the strong and unified message that is so important to our communication efforts. Deviation from these guidelines may create confusion and dilute the SWWC brand.

Introduction

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Should you have a question that you believe is not herein

adequately addressed, please call HenkinSchultz Creative Services,

(605) 331.2155. Thank you for your help and commitment to

building and maintaining the SWWC brand identity that reflects the history

and the future of excellence we represent.

Brand Image and Personality

3

Brand Image and Personality

A branding session with SWWC provided valuable insight about the organization’s brand image – how the brand is viewed today, both internally and externally. The brand image can contain brand attributes or descriptive features that characterize a product or service and consumer’s perceptions of that product or service. They can be positive, neutral or negative.

The brand image may or may not match up with the stated mission of the organization or its capabilities and accomplishments. As a result, an organization can have brand equity – a set of assets and liabilities linked to an organization’s name and logo that adds to or subtracts from the value provided by the organization. Brand equity can also be positive, neutral or negative.

The brand personality is defined by specific attributes that are currently associated with the brand. As with the brand image, they can be positive, neutral or negative, and may or may not match up with the actual performance of the organization. The brand personality adds dimension to the brand identity.

We can articulate the current SWWC brand image and brand personality based on the findings from the branding session with division representatives and leadership of the co-op.

Brand Image and Personality

With a long history of service to public schools, cities and other governmental entities across Minnesota and the surrounding states, SWWC has earned a reputation for providing effective and relevant resources to support students, teachers, administrators and other governmental bodies. Years of experience have positioned the co-op as the organization that best understands the needs of the various groups it serves. In addition to these positive attributes, a negative attribute is that the organization has no clear brand image for many of its targets with a significant number of prospects unaware of who it is or what it does. Moreover, a significant number of customers are aware only of the services with which they have direct contact.

SWWC is well known for its enduring service to public schools, cities, counties and other governmental agencies across Minnesota and is a leader, providing educational and affordable 21st century resources through resource sharing and economies of scale. It has earned the trust of its members and supports students, teachers and administrators in the sectors it serves.

Current Brand Image

Current Brand Personality

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Brand Attributes

While the SWWC brand image and brand personality both contain attributes that are positive, they still do not capture SWWC’s complete brand. Unlike many brands that have a negative brand image to combat, it is the lack of a clearly defined brand that presents your biggest challenge to enhancing SWWC’s brand equity. As your markets expand, building the strength and understanding of the mission of your brand will increase your success.

Strengthening your brand will require that you build on all of the favorable qualities of the SWWC brand image and brand personality, and expand them to include a greater sense of modernity, technical excellence and a clear vision of its purpose across all service areas.

SWWC’s positive brand attributes are qualities that not only identify the strength behind the SWWC brand, but also help establish a tone for communications. The following SWWC positive brand attributes must be articulated in various ways through the core brand identity.

• Through innovation, leadership and service, SWWC provides a comprehensive range of special education services, teaching and learning services, risk management and health insurance services, and administrative services programs to meet the needs of its membership throughout the region.

• The large and growing membership is an enduring source of innovation based on 50 years of experience in your service areas.

• SWWC uses data-driven strategies to understand the needs of members, recognize future trends and inform planning and decision-making process.

• SWWC participates in local, state and federal advocacy efforts to positively influence political decisions and legislation that impact members.

• You support and enhance the work of SWWC members by providing programs and services that meet their needs.

BrandAttributes

Current BrandAttributes

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These attributes should be used as a measurement device for all co-op communications by asking a simple

question: Does the message portray SWWC as at least one or several of

these attributes?

Strengthening Your Brand

Our branding session indicated that there is a series of attributes that are important to members but are largely lacking in the current brand image and brand personality. Following are the positive attributes that SWWC can already claim about its brand, but must be better communicated and promoted in your marketing strategies to better connect with your target audience and build brand equity.

• SWWC has more than fifty years of experience, providing an unparalleled understanding of the needs of the education industry.

• SWWC offers a wide variety of service lines through the cooperative organization. It’s a one-stop source.

• SWWC has an active membership.

• SWWC has built many strong relationships that continue to grow and enrich the experience with the brand for its members.

• SWWC offers services outside of Minnesota.

• SWWC is a modern, forward-thinking organization that seeks to expand its membership and range of services well into the future and across a greater geographical area.

StrengtheningYour Brand

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Core Identity

Brand identity is the desired brand construct that integrates the organization’s mission and goals; consumer desires and perceptions; competitive advantages; and desirable aspects of the brand personality and brand image.

The brand identity should be, to some degree, an aspiration that allows the organization to continue to stretch and grow. However, it is critical that the brand identity not be too far removed from the current brand image, otherwise it may prove to be unachievable or not credible perceptually.

The core identity is defined by the timeless and universal essence of the brand that should be directly or indirectly conveyed in all internal and external communications. Major elements of the core identity include brand personality, brand tone and brand relationship. The descriptions of each of these elements in regards to SWWC are supported by the branding session findings.

Brand PersonalityLike a person, a brand can have multiple attributes that, when combined, create personality.

SWWC’s Brand Personality If describing SWWC as if it were a person, we would reference its experience, its history and impact on the industry and the region, and its commitment to enhancing the work of its members by building strong relationships and continuing to provide the most modern and effective programs. Additional personality traits would include: active, innovative, trustworthy, collaborative, supportive, a leader.

Brand RelationshipBrand relationship is the summary statement that gives voice to the way in which the organization wants clients and partners to express their relationship with the brand.

SWWC’s Brand RelationshipA familiar, loyal and successful long-time personal friend and professional partner.

Brand ToneThe brand tone, including both the voice of the organization in written materials as well as the appearance of communications should reflect the brand identity, brand personality and the brand relationship.

SWWC’s Brand ToneFriendly, empowering, supportive, reliable, straightforward and professional.

Core Identity

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Brand Positioning

This positioning statement is straightforward and descriptive. It’s shorthand for the products and services you offer and should always be used with the logo (below).

Straightforward and professional, it is perfectly aligned with your brand tone, identifies your industries and clearly speaks to the services you provide. The word “resources” suggests to your target markets that you provide services that will help them accomplish their goals.

Brand PromiseSouthwest West Central Service Coop is dedicated to providing unparalleled education and administrative services, innovative solutions and uncompromising support to our members and the communities we serve with integrity, respect and responsive action.

Your brand promise must reflect your core commitments to your partners and clients, and begins with your mission statement, vision, values and priorities.

Brand Positioning

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Brand Positioning

Mission StatementWe support and enhance the work of our members by providing programs and services that meet their needs.

VisionBy striving to be innovative, collaborative and responsive, we will be the premier service agency for our members.

Core Values: • Integrity: We believe integrity is the foundation for our actions. We are honest, trustworthy, respectful and ethical. We are committed to always do the right thing.

• Service: We believe service is a commitment to serve our members, potential members, coworkers and others. We care about them, listen to them, and work to address their issues. Satisfying those we serve is a priority for everyone in the agency.

• Respect: We believe respect is treating everyone with courtesy, politeness and kindness. Respect encourages open and honest communication and recognizes the contributions, opinions and ideas of all. In essence, respect is treating others as you wish to be treated.

Strategic Priorities: • Build strong relationships with our members to support and enhance the work we do together.

• Use data-driven strategies to understand our members’ needs, to recognize future trends and to inform our planning/decision making process.

• Participate in local, state and federal advocacy efforts to influence political decisions that impact our members.

• Engage our members through ongoing, responsive and timely marketing and communication efforts.

• Develop human resource policies that engage our staff, recognize staff talents, and invest in recruiting, retaining and developing our staff.

• Administer fiscal policies that create a sustainable agency – one that is able to support programs and services and provide investments in the development/implementation of new programs/services.

Brand Positioning

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Graphic Standards

Brand Standards

The SWWC identity is included in the design and collateral materials. Branding success depends on the consistent and frequent use of key elements, which produce a positive and lasting impression in the minds of those we serve.

The SWWC identity was created to ensure consistency between the many groups that comprise the organization and make each group identifiable as part of the whole.

The SWWC logo is hand-designed and should be reproduced with great care. It should appear on all communications and be used in compliance with the standards shown in this guide.

Never produce your own logo or allow vendors to produce a logo for projects you are coordinating. The original logo must be obtained and used. The proportions of the SWWC logo and its elements may not be modified in any way.

Use the logo that incorporates the positioning statement whenever possible.

The Southwest West Central Service Cooperative LogoThe preferred logo is in color and is shown with and without the positioning statement. Use the logo with the positioning statement whenever possible. Only when necessary should a black and white, one color or reverse logo be used.

IdentityPRIMARY LOGO

PRIMARY LOGO - BLACK & WHITE

PRIMARY LOGO - REVERSE OPTION

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Positioning Statement and Program Logos

The SWWC positioning statement – part of the primary and secondary logo – should appear on all communication, be used in compliance with the standards shown here and should be reproduced with great care. The full logo with positioning statement is preferred.

There will be some circumstances in which the positioning statement will be used independent of the primary and secondary logos, for example, on program specific letterhead where the SWWC logo is the secondary logo.

The SWWC logo will often be used in conjunction with the logos of associated programs including:

Belview Learning CenterBlue Mound Learning CenterNorth Central Learning CenterProject Search – Southwest MinnesotaRed Rock RidgeCosmos Learning Center

When used as the secondary logo, the SWWC logo should appear in grayscale so it does not detract from the primary program logo.

On program-specific letterhead, the full-color program logo should appear in the top left corner of the page. The secondary, grayscale SWWC logo should appear in the lower right corner of the page. The SWWC positioning statement should appear centered under the solid color bar at the bottom the page.

PositioningStatement

ProgramLogos

ASSOCIATED PROGRAM LOGOS

SECONDARY LOGO

Belview Learning Center

Blue Mound Learning Center

CENTRAL LEA

RN

INGN

ORT

H

CENTER

Southwest Minnesota

Project SEARCH

Red Rock Ridge

CosmosLearning Center

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Logo Misuse

Southwest West Central Service Cooperative has purchased this identity and holds all rights to its use. Assurance of correct usage and enforcement of the proper usage rests with the leadership of the organization. In order for SWWC to maintain a consistent visual identity, it is important that the appearance of any logo, website or publication that represents the organization maintain continuity.

Shown here are examples of logo misuse. Instructions for maintaining brand consistency in logo identity, colors and typeface are outlined in this standards manual. Please see appropriate sections for more information.

LogoMisuse

DON’T STRETCH OR DISTORT

DON’T CHANGE THE ELEMENT POSITION

DON’T USE POSITIONING STATEMENT APART FROM MAIN LOGO

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DON’T CHANGE COLORS OR FONTS

SOUTHWEST WEST CENTRAL SERVICE COOPERATIVE

Education & Administrative Resources

Color Palette

Consistent color standards are important to help create a lasting image of the SWWC brand.

Primary Color PaletteThe SWWC logo is represented in four primary colors as shown below. Along with the PMS colors, the CMYK and RGB equivalents are listed.

Printing the logo in reverse is acceptable on a dark background.

GrayscalePrinting the logo in black and white (grayscale) is also acceptable. When the greyscale logo is reproduced on CMYK or RGB materials, use the equivalents shown below.

Color Palette

PRIMARY LOGO COLORS

BLACK & WHITE LOGO COLORS

Pantone 286CC89 M67 Y3 K0R45 G96 B167#2D60A7

C0 M0 Y0 K100R35 G31 B32#231F20

Pantone 289CC100 M88 Y38 K32R25 G45 B86#192D56

Pantone 370CC66 M26 Y97 K9R99 G140 B64#638C40

C0 M0 Y0 K55R138 G140 B142#8A8C8E

Pantone 422CC31 M24 Y25 K0R179 G180 B180#B3B4B4

C0 M0 Y0 K30R188 G190 B192#BCBECO

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Color Systems

RGB VS. CMYK VS. PMS – Why doesn’t my printout look like my screen, and what does all of this mean? CMYK is a four-color print process consisting of cyan, magenta, yellow and black. RGB is used for on-screen images consisting of red, green and blue. It is the basic color model on computers and is used for Web graphics, but it is not used for print production.

PMS (Pantone Matching System) is a solid color matching system. It is a purchased color/ink, which is blended to provide a consistent and perfect match to the colors specified in the Pantone color guide. PMS inks are generally used in offset printing and limited other processes.

Because what you see on your monitor is not the same as the printed page, designers use PMS colors as a standard point of reference.

CMYK colors work by subtracting or absorbing light reflected from a white piece of paper with no ink or toner on the page, 100 percent of the light is reflected back to the eye and the paper appears white. By adding 100 percent density of each C, M, Y (ink/toner) to a sheet, they absorb all the (white) light and we perceive the color as black (absence of all color). By varying the amounts of cyan, magenta and yellow, we produce an immense number of colors; however, not as extensive as the gamut of color produced in the RGB method. While 100 percent CMY will produce black, black toner/ink is often added to provide more density and smoother transitions.

RGB works in the opposite way. Your computer monitor is essentially black, and light is added to produce color. When all three colors are added at 100 percent, it will produce white.

Both CMYK and RGB can approximate Pantone colors, some more satisfying than others. CMYK and RGB colors generally differ from each other. While some CMYK and RGB colors translate to print very well, others such as vibrant blues and oranges may print substantially different than what appears on screen.

Many color-critical facilities spend thousands of dollars calibrating and setting up very structured and specific workflows to render the closest approximation from screen to print. Even in the most exacting environment, you are still viewing a CMYK color approximation on an RGB device.

Pantone Matching System (PMS), a proprietary color system matching specific spot colors and standardized ink color widely used in the graphic arts industry, includes approximately 800 basic colors for both coated and uncoated paper.

Color Systems

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If you have questions concerning the proper use of any of the approved logos or colors, or

you need assistance, please contact HenkinSchultz Creative Services,

(605) 331.2155.

Typography

Consistent use of type gives a recognizable look to all communications materials. These fonts are flexible enough to work across all media.

Brand FontsSouthwest West Central Service Cooperative has selected two typefaces to give a recognizable look to all communications materials.

Gill Sans Font FamilyOriginally designed in 1926, Gill Sans is a sans serif typeface that is both cleanly modern and traditional at the same time. It was intended as a display typeface that could be used for posters and advertisements, as well as a text face for documents such as book blurbs, timetables and price lists that need to be clearly legible at small sizes. Its standard weight is slightly bolder than most normal body text faces.

The typeface continues to thrive to this day, and is used to bring an artistic or cultural sensibility to an organization’s corporate style.

Lucida Fax Font FamilyFirst released in 1992, Lucida Fax has the same large x-height, clear letter shapes and open counters of Lucida Bright, but it is more rugged, with heavier hairlines, and thicker slab shaped serifs and greater space between letters. Lucida Fax also has simplicity, regularity and clarity that are important to younger readers.

When creating advertising and marketing collateral material, typefaces may be altered to fit design requirements. However it is recommended that no typeface should be condensed or expanded more than 30% of its original dimension.

Typeface selection and size must be made with consideration given to maximum legibility. Adequate contrast between type and background must also be ensured. Century Gothic and Arial are additional fonts that will be used on a case by case basis with approval from the SWWC leadership. Century Gothic will be used on letterhead templates and Arial should be used as general body copy within open text areas in editable documents.

For special projects, the leadership of SWWC Service Cooperative reserves the right to utilize additional fonts that maintain the integrity of the organization’s standards. If you believe your project falls into this category, contact HenkinSchultz Creative Services, (605) 331.2155. to make the final decision.

Typography

GILL SANS MT BOLD

LUCIDA FAX ITALIC

Ab

Ab

123456789 !@#$%^&*()-+=ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

123456789 !@#$%^&*()-+=ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

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Collateral

To ensure brand consistency, templates have been created for flyers and/or information sheets. Consult the SWWC Service Cooperative marketing team to obtain templates and printing information. More templates from marketing are forthcoming. As they become available, they should be used whenever possible to continue to build our brand.

Collateral

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EXAMPLES OF COLLATERAL PIECES

1420 East College DriveMarshall, MN 56258

www.swsc.org