TONES is a social group in the US that provides a safe space for disenfranchised teens of color. The organization offers mentoring, tutoring, relationship building, summer camps, field trips, and inclusivity. Members can communicate and make new connections through interactive apps and social media platforms. At TONES, everyone is believed to have a talent and a gift, and the group's mission is to help teens gain self-confidence and realize their full potential. TONES strives to create a positive environment where teens are empowered to be themselves and embrace their uniqueness.
The following is the content of the Brand Playbook, showcasing the brand, which was developed over four months.
About
A social group named TONES has been established for teenagers of color who feel marginalized. These teenagers may live in impoverished neighborhoods and lack access to opportunities that their peers enjoy, even if they attend the same schools. The group's objective is to provide support and resources to these teenagers and empower them to overcome the obstacles they face.
This portfolio provides a brief synopsis of the brand design.
Brand Identity
The creation of a brand identity involves several factors that aim to attract the target audience, represent their lifestyle and values, and engage with them consistently. The design decisions are based on the audience's demographics, which include age, income, social status, and gender, and their psychographics, which include opinions, behaviors, values, and lifestyles. After considering these factors, it was concluded that the TONES brand would be two-fold (Nayar, 2024). With the researched factors of brand personality setting the name of the organization to TONES, the next step was to create a Tagline. In the start-up world where organizations are creating entirely new value propositions and business models, a tagline can help the brand introduce itself clearly and effectively (Muñoz, 2023).
Aside from making a respectful wordmark, choosing the best font for the rest of the brand identity is just as important. Choosing the right type of fonts that will complement not compete against the rest of the brand identity. For best results, it is recommended to use Babes Neue Pro in 16 pt for subheadings. This font has a clean and modern look that is perfect for grabbing the reader's attention and keeping the target audience engaged. For the body of work, it is suggested using Montserrat in 13 pt. This font has a classic and timeless feel that is easy to read and works well in a variety of contexts. Of course, these fonts can be tweaked and adjusted as needed to fit the specific layout and design of the brand identity.
For a target audience that represents disenfranchised teens of color, choosing a color palette that exudes familiarity is keen and will ultimately catch the audience's eye. A warm color palette has been chosen for this design, which has cultural significance. The final palette includes deep brown, burnt orange, and deep majestic purple colors, and the signature stripe element embodies this palette throughout the design. It's important to note that when using specific colors in brand design, each color has a significant meaning and purpose.
After considering various ideas and sketches to create the perfect logo for TONES, it was
finally decided to use the TONES name as a wordmark for the logo. To create the TONES logo, the choice was made to use the Gibson semi-bold typeface in Adobe Illustrator. By tracing the word, it was possible to adjust the spacing to create a sense of togetherness and elongate the top of the T to convey the target audience being hugged as one.
Acceptance
Activities
Affiliation
New Relationships
Promotional Products
Stationery Social Media
Promotional products and signage are both effective ways to attract potential customers. Branded signage, such as street signs, billboards, and pole banners, can promote an organization by placing them in high-traffic areas, whether it is by car or on foot. Signage offers several benefits that clients can get excited about, such as clear communication, conveying brand identity, increasing brand awareness, reaching the right audience, and being a cost-effective strategy (Marketing, 2020).
TONES offers a variety of signage options that can help target specific audiences and save money on advertising. Billboards, street signs, and pole banners all support each other in promoting the same message in different ways. To maintain brand identity, all signage includes not only textual hierarchy but also all the elements such as the signature stripe, rustic texture, and pattern.
TONES offers a variety of signage options that can help target specific audiences and save money on advertising. Billboards, street signs, and pole banners all support each other in promoting the same message in different ways. To maintain brand identity, all signage includes not only textual hierarchy but also all the elements such as the signature stripe, rustic texture, and pattern.
Street Signs Pole Banners
Billboards Media
Having a website is crucial for any business or professional in today's digital world. A website provides an excellent platform to reach a local audience. Apart from being a digital business card or brochure, it can act as the hub for all digital marketing activities, helping to convert visitors into clients.
