This document is a graphic standards manual (GSM) for Ciputra University that outlines the key elements of their brand identity and design standards. It discusses the importance of maintaining a consistent brand and why identity and design standards are needed. It then details the core building blocks that should be included in any GSM, such as guidelines for the logo, colors, typefaces, photography usage, and examples of best practices. The goal is to translate the university's mission and values into visual design standards to reinforce their brand identity.

1. BASIC GSM
Visual Communication Design
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY
APRIL 2018

2. WHAT IS
GSM
UNIVERSITAS KRISTEN PETRA

3. GRAPHIC STANDARDS MANUAL
“People fall in love with brands, trust them, and
believe in their superiority.
How a brand is perceived affects its success,
regardless of whether it’s a start-up, a
nonprofit, or a product.”
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY
Designing Brand Identity – Alina Wheeler

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9. GRAPHIC STANDARDS MANUAL
A brand style guide takes the heart and soul of your brand—your
mission, vision and values—and translates it into design. It also tells
everyone exactly how to communicate your brand.
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY

10. WHY DO WE
NEED
IDENTITY & DESIGN STANDARDS?
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY

11. WHY DO WE NEED IDENTITY & DESIGN STANDARDS?
Both are crucial to reinforcing and increasing the relevance of the
Brand to our consumers.
The better we represent the Brand, the better we can increase
mindshare and protect the Brand Identity from dilution.
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY
1. Maintain Authenticity and Build Equity
The Identity and Design Standards Better Position the Company to:

12. WHY DO WE NEED IDENTITY & DESIGN STANDARDS?
We have an exceptional System in place around the globe; Identity
and Design Standards provide equally exceptional and efficient
means to leverage it for greater consistency and speed to market.
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY
2. Leverage the Scale of our System Across All Markets

13. WHY DO WE NEED IDENTITY & DESIGN STANDARDS?
The higher our System-wide consistency and efficiencies, the
stronger the connection that consumers draw from all they see and
hear, creating more inherent value in the Coca-Cola Zero Brand to
benefit the entire System
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY
3. Provide More Consistency and Quality Across the System

14. WHY DO WE NEED IDENTITY & DESIGN STANDARDS?
Consistencies achieved through System-wide Standards allow
for longer-lasting materials and potential reuse, thus saving time and
money.
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY
4. Facilitate Increased System-wide Productivity

15. THE
BUILDING BLOCKS
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY

16. THE BUILDING BLOCKS
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY
Every style guide takes a bit of work; but how much work is really up
to you. The following will guide you through the essential elements of
any good style guide, but it’s completely your choice if you want to
expand the guide

17. 1. THE COVER
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY
It’s the perfect place to both summarise the main elements of your
brand (logo, colors and principal typefaces) and to show off your
branding style in a creative, attention-grabbing way.

18. 2. CONTENTS
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY
This helps readers orientate themselves, and transforms the
document into a brand manual that readers can use to find guidance
on fonts, for example, by simply looking up the relevant page.
What makes a good contents page? Keep it simple, free of clutter,
easy to read (no tiny font sizes here please), and divide the contents
list up into sections if it’s looking a little lengthy.

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22. 3. YOUR BRAND ETHOS
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY
Most big companies these days love to include a brand ethos or
motto at the beginning of their style guides. This can be a nice way of
letting your employees know how the company’s branding relates to
the bigger picture, and how it will develop the company’s progress
and success in the future.

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25. 4. GUIDE TO LOGO(S)
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY
Some things to consider and spell out in your style guide:
1. Do you have different versions
of the logo for different uses (e.g. one version for letterheads,
another for the website homepage)?
2. Does the logo appear in one colorway,
or several different colorways? Would you allow people to use a
black-and-white version?
3. Should the logo have size restrictions,
i.e. should it never be placed at a size smaller or larger than x?
4. Does the logo need adequate margins
around its perimeter, to set it apart from other content?
5. How should the logo not be used?
Can you demonstrate some incorrect examples (see NASA's
slightly over-the-top example below)?

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32. 5. COLOR GUIDANCE
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY
Things to think about and include on the guide:
1. Do you have a principal brand color(s)
which should be used in the first instance? Do you have
supporting brand colors that can be used on a website,
advertising materials, etc.?
2. Define the Pantone swatch of each brand color,
and include CMYK, RGB and HEX code versions of each as well,
so the color can be applied across print and online media.

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36. 6. TYPEFACES
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY
Consider including guidance on:
1. The typefaces and weights of each (e.g. Regular, Bold, Light)
that make up your typeface portfolio.
2. Do you have one font for headings,
and another for body text? If so, make it clear!
3. Do you have size specs for your text,
i.e. this font should never be larger or smaller than x.
4. Do you have preferences for typography?
(e.g. drop caps, paragraph alignment, tracking etc)
Remember, if you don’t say it, no one will know what your ideal
brand typography should look like.
5. You might have a typeface that you use exclusively on your
logo. Spell it out if you don’t want it to be used anywhere else.

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40. 7. GRAPHIC AND PHOTOGRAPHY USAGE
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY
Be sure to think about the following, and provide some images to
demonstrate good (and bad) examples:
1. Can your logo and/or brand type be set over the top of
graphics or photography? Advising others to avoid setting your
logo over busy backgrounds is usually a good standard tip that
will apply to any brand design.
2. Do you have graphic elements that can be lifted from your
logo design, and can be used in a flexible way across materials
(see below, Swedish Armed Forces example)?
3. Should the photos and graphics that are chosen to run
alongside the logo have particular subjects or emotive
qualities?
4. Are there photos and graphics that should be avoided?

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46. 8. BEST PRACTICE
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY
You may have included a couple of examples of your brand in action
here and there, but it’s also a great idea to devote a page or two of
your style guide to showcasing examples of best practice.

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49. 9. ADD OTHERS
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY
Every GSM has it’s unique attribute that needs to be highlighted. Add
other guides according to what the company needs.

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60. TO DOWNLOAD
Lia Sidik Branding
@liasidik
CIPUTRA UNIVERSITY