The Greater Sacramento Urban League Brand & Style Guide was created to help ensure our brand is communicated and presented consistently to our external audiences. These brand guidelines enable us to promote a uniquely recognizable brand identity to stand out from competitors, and remain memorable in the minds of our clients, supporters, volunteers, staff, partners, members and funders across the Sacramento region.
Brand Elements
Logo/Brand Mark
The Urban League brand mark and official GSUL logo are key elements of our visual brand. Both should only be used with the permission from GSUL staff and for endorsing initiatives and communications that align with the mission, vision and strategy of Greater Sacramento Urban League.
Each carries a specific set of guidelines dictating their appropriate use.
Logo Variations
Additional logo variations include the Standard Logo Stacked and the Standard Logo w/ Tagline. The standard logo stacked is identified with the standard logo above the Urban League tagline. The standard logo w/ tagline is identified with the standard logo to the left and the Urban League tagline to the right of it.
Color Palette
The official Greater Sacramento Urban League color palette helps our clients and community to quickly identify the agency brand.
Typography
The GSUL official typography exemplifies the brand of Greater Sacramento Urban League. The Arial font family promotes a simple yet structured look and should be used when creating any external communications, including official GSUL collateral (brochures, contracts, letters, publications, and PowerPoint presentations). This excludes event-specific flyers and materials that require a particular look.
Our goal is to create a continuity of appearance that supports the organization’s brand while promoting a cohesive message to our community.
MARKETING & GRAPHIC DESIGN
Advertising/Media Relations
The GSUL Communications and Public Affairs Team develops all advertisements to assure that all ads reflect favorably on the brand and image of GSUL and are consistent with defined standards, regardless of media type and relative to content, format and graphics.
All advertising must be coordinated with the GSUL Communications and Public Affairs Team. This includes all forms of paid and free advertising, including print (newspaper, magazine, etc.), broadcast (radio and television), web and digital/social media (including but not limited to social media advertising, web/digital retargeting, search engine marketing, content marketing, search engine optimization, paid search, pay-per-click vendors and mobile advertising), billboards, direct mail, movie theater screens and signage.
Graphic Design Procedure
Under no circumstances should any employee of Greater Sacramento Urban League create any marketing materials (flyers, advertisements, brochures, banners, logos, etc.) without the permission of the GSUL Communications and Public Affairs Team. This is the sole responsibility of the GSUL Communications and Public Affairs Team.
Contact: Laura Murrell, VP of Communications and Public Affairs at lmurrell@gsul.org.
PHOTOGRAPHY & IMAGES
Photo Release
In general, it is not necessary to obtain a signed release form from any individual or group photographed in a public venue or at a public event. All photos taken by GSUL staff or a hired photographer for the purpose of historical documentation and promoting our brand remain the property of Greater Sacramento Urban League.
GSUL reserves the right to use digital images of clients, participants, cohorts, staff, supports, volunteers and visitors in order to promote awareness and advance the reputation of the organization. By attending events, enrolling in a program, or being employed by GSUL, a person authorizes the use of their image and likeness without compensation from the organization for the purposes of general internal communication, reporting of GSUL news and events on social media and web platforms, and in all media outlets and publications.
This includes rights to publish such images on the GSUL website, brochures, collateral materials, and any other Urban League-related publication. Images may appear as, but not limited to, print, broadcast, video, CD-ROM, DVD and electronic/online media.
NOTE: If images plan to be used for external paid advertising projects, such as promotional videos and paid media campaigns a release form will be obtained by the Communications and Public Affairs Team.
- To review and sign the Adult Photography Release Form, click here.
- To review and sign the Minor Photography Release Form, click here.
Types of Images
Images on the GSUL website, social media platforms and collateral materials should not only reflect the brand of the Urban League, but depict the audience in which it seeks to connect with. Stock photography is okay to use to help assist with a clean and professional overall look when real photography is not readily available. However, images chosen should depict people in active circumstances that tell a narrative to coincide with the program or event being advertised.
Tips and Examples for Choosing Stock Photos
- Images that are active and engaging
- Images depicting real life situations
- Images that don’t feel staged or forced
- Images that help to tell a story
- Images with people from diverse backgrounds including age, gender and ethnicity