# brand-guidelines reference

## Anthropic Brand Identity

### Overview

Anthropic's brand identity is clean, precise, and intellectually grounded. It communicates trustworthiness and technical sophistication without feeling cold or corporate.

### Color System

**Primary Palette:**

| Name | Hex | RGB | Use |
|------|-----|-----|-----|
| Dark | `#141413` | 20, 20, 19 | Primary text, dark backgrounds |
| Light | `#faf9f5` | 250, 249, 245 | Light backgrounds, text on dark |
| Mid Gray | `#b0aea5` | 176, 174, 165 | Secondary elements, dividers |
| Light Gray | `#e8e6dc` | 232, 230, 220 | Subtle backgrounds, borders |

**Accent Palette:**

| Name | Hex | RGB | Use |
|------|-----|-----|-----|
| Orange | `#d97757` | 217, 119, 87 | Primary accent, CTAs |
| Blue | `#6a9bcc` | 106, 155, 204 | Secondary accent, links |
| Green | `#788c5d` | 120, 140, 93 | Tertiary accent, success states |

**Color Application Rules:**
- Never use accent colors as large background fills — use them for emphasis only
- Dark on Light or Light on Dark — avoid mixing Dark on Mid Gray for body text
- Accent colors cycle: Orange (primary CTA) → Blue (supporting) → Green (tertiary)
- When in doubt, default to Dark + Light with one accent

### Typography

**Type Scale:**

| Role | Font | Fallback | Weight | Size Range |
|------|------|----------|--------|------------|
| Display / H1 | Poppins | Arial | 600–700 | 32pt+ |
| Headings H2–H4 | Poppins | Arial | 500–600 | 20–31pt |
| Body | Lora | Georgia | 400 | 14–18pt |
| Caption / Label | Poppins | Arial | 400–500 | 10–13pt |
| Code / Mono | Courier New | monospace | 400 | 12–14pt |

**Typography Rules:**
- Never set body copy in Poppins — it's a display/heading font
- Minimum body size: 14pt for print, 16px for web
- Line height: 1.5–1.6 for body, 1.1–1.2 for headings
- Letter spacing: -0.5px to -1px for large headings; 0 for body

**Font Installation:**
- Poppins: Available on Google Fonts (`fonts.google.com/specimen/Poppins`)
- Lora: Available on Google Fonts (`fonts.google.com/specimen/Lora`)
- Both should be pre-installed in design environments for best results

### Logo Usage

**Clear Space:**
Maintain minimum clear space equal to the cap-height of the wordmark on all sides. No other elements should intrude on this zone.

**Minimum Size:**
- Digital: 120px wide minimum
- Print: 25mm wide minimum

**Approved Variations:**
- Dark logo on Light background (primary)
- Light logo on Dark background (inverted)
- Single-color Dark on any light neutral
- Single-color Light on any dark surface

**Prohibited Uses:**
- Do not stretch or distort the logo
- Do not apply drop shadows, gradients, or outlines
- Do not place on busy photographic backgrounds without a color block
- Do not use accent colors as the logo fill
- Do not rotate the logo

### Imagery Guidelines

**Photography Style:**
- Clean, well-lit, minimal post-processing
- Subjects: people at work, abstract technical concepts, precise objects
- Avoid: stock photo clichés, overly emotive poses, heavy filters
- Color treatment: neutral tones preferred; desaturate if needed to match palette

**Illustration Style:**
- Geometric, precise line work
- Limited palette: use brand colors only
- Avoid: cartoonish characters, heavy gradients, 3D renders

**Iconography:**
- Stroke-based, consistent weight (2px at 24px size)
- Rounded caps preferred; sharp corners acceptable for technical contexts
- Use Mid Gray or Dark; accent color only for active/selected states

---

## Universal Brand Guidelines Framework

Use this section when building or auditing guidelines for *any* brand (not Anthropic-specific).

### 1. Brand Foundation

Before any visual decisions, the brand foundation must exist:

| Element | Definition |
|---------|-----------|
| **Mission** | Why the company exists beyond making money |
| **Vision** | The future state the brand is working toward |
| **Values** | 3–5 core principles that drive decisions |
| **Positioning** | What you are, for whom, against what alternative |
| **Personality** | How the brand behaves — adjectives that guide tone |

A visual identity without a foundation is decoration. The foundation drives every downstream decision.

---

### 2. Color System

#### Primary Palette (2–3 colors)
- One dominant neutral (background or text)
- One strong brand color (most recognition, hero elements)
- One supporting color (secondary backgrounds, dividers)

#### Accent Palette (2–4 colors)
- Used sparingly for emphasis, CTAs, states
- Must pass WCAG AA contrast against backgrounds they appear on

#### Color Rules to Document:
- Which color for CTAs vs. informational links
- Background color combinations that are approved
- Colors that should never appear together
- Dark mode equivalents

#### Accessibility Requirements:
- Normal text (< 18pt): minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio (WCAG AA)
- Large text (≥ 18pt): minimum 3:1 contrast ratio
- UI components: minimum 3:1 against adjacent colors
- Test: `webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker`

---

### 3. Typography System

#### Type Roles to Define:

| Role | Font | Size Range | Weight | Line Height |
|------|------|-----------|--------|-------------|
| Display | — | 40pt+ | Bold | 1.1 |
| H1 | — | 28–40pt | SemiBold | 1.15 |
| H2 | — | 22–28pt | SemiBold | 1.2 |
| H3 | — | 18–22pt | Medium | 1.25 |
| Body | — | 15–18pt | Regular | 1.5–1.6 |
| Small / Caption | — | 12–14pt | Regular | 1.4 |
| Label / UI | — | 11–13pt | Medium | 1.2 |

#### Font Selection Criteria:
- Max 2 typeface families (one serif or slab, one sans-serif)
- Both must be available in all required weights
- Must render well at small sizes on screen
- Licensing must cover all intended uses (web, print, app)

---

### 4. Logo System

#### Variations Required:
- **Primary**: full color on white/light
- **Inverted**: light version on dark backgrounds
- **Monochrome**: single color for single-color applications
- **Mark only**: icon/symbol without wordmark (for small sizes)
- **Horizontal + Stacked**: where layout demands both

#### Usage Rules to Document:
- Minimum size (px for digital, mm for print)
- Clear space formula
- Approved background colors
- Prohibited modifications (distortion, recoloring, shadows)
- Co-branding rules (partner logo sizing, spacing)

---

### 5. Imagery Guidelines

#### Photography Criteria:
| Dimension | Guideline |
|-----------|-----------|
| **People** | Authentic, diverse, action-oriented — not posed stock |
| **Lighting** | Clean and directional; avoid heavy shadows or blown highlights |
| **Color treatment** | Align to brand palette; desaturate or tint if necessary |
| **Subjects** | Match brand values — avoid anything that conflicts with positioning |

#### Illustration Style:
- Define: flat vs. 3D, line vs. filled, abstract vs. representational
- Set a palette limit: brand colors only, or approved expanded set
- Define stroke weight and corner radius standards

#### Do / Don't Matrix (customize per brand):

| ✅ Do | ❌ Don't |
|-------|---------|
| Show real customers and use cases | Use generic multicultural stock |
| Use natural lighting | Use heavy vignettes or HDR |
| Keep backgrounds clean | Place subjects on clashing colors |
| Match brand palette tones | Use heavy Instagram-style filters |

---

### 6. Tone of Voice & Tone Matrix

Brand voice is consistent; tone adapts to context.

#### Voice Attributes (define 4–6):

| Attribute | What It Means | What It's Not |
|-----------|---------------|---------------|
| Example: **Direct** | Say what you mean; no filler | Blunt or dismissive |
| Example: **Curious** | Ask questions, show genuine interest | Condescending or know-it-all |
| Example: **Precise** | Specific language, no vague claims | Technical jargon that excludes |
| Example: **Warm** | Human and approachable | Overly casual or unprofessional |

#### Tone Matrix by Context:

| Context | Tone Dial | Example Shift |
|---------|-----------|--------------|
| Error messages | Calm, helpful, matter-of-fact | Less formal than marketing |
| Marketing headlines | Confident, energetic | More punchy than support |
| Legal / compliance | Precise, neutral | Less personality |
| Support / help content | Patient, empathetic | More warmth than ads |
| Social media | Conversational, light | More informal than web |
| Executive communications | Authoritative, measured | More formal than blog |

#### Words to Use / Avoid (document per brand):

| ✅ Use | ❌ Avoid |
|-------|---------|
| "We" (inclusive) | "Leverage" (jargon) |
| Specific numbers | "Best-in-class" (vague) |
| Active voice | Passive constructions |
| Short sentences | Run-on complexity |

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### 7. Application Examples

#### Digital
- **Web**: Primary palette for backgrounds; accent for CTAs; Poppins/brand heading font for H1–H3
- **Email**: Inline styles only; web-safe font fallbacks always specified; logo as linked image
- **Social**: Platform-specific safe zones; brand colors dominant; minimal text on images

#### Print
- Always use CMYK values for print production (never RGB or hex)
- Bleed: 3mm on all sides; keep critical content 5mm from trim
- Proof against Pantone reference before bulk print runs

#### Presentations
- Cover slide: brand dark + brand light with single accent
- Body slides: white backgrounds with brand accent headers
- No custom fonts in share files — embed or substitute

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