Brand guidelinesVersion 01 · August 2026
Common Ground
Good things grow here.
StrategyIdentityExpression
Prepared by We Solve Media · hello@wesolvemedia.comThe Common Ground team · hello@commonground.co.nzcommonground.co.nz
Using this guide
Contents
A complete system
for showing up well.
This guide brings strategy, language and visual expression into one practical reference. Start with the quick reference, then use the detailed sections when creating or reviewing work.
Living document
Review this guide whenever the offer, audience or market changes. Record major decisions as a new version rather than quietly overwriting the rationale.
Quick reference
Brand at a glance
Common Ground
Good things grow here.
Every visit leaves you feeling more connected and ready to grow something good.
#173F35#F4EFE3#E5A84B#B8C5A7
FrauncesDisplayManropeBody
- Protect logo clear space.
- Use Deep Pine and Warm Ivory as the dominant colours.
- Write clearly, specifically and like a real person.
The Common Ground teamhello@commonground.co.nzcommonground.co.nz
Guidelines: We Solve Media · hello@wesolvemedia.com
Brand foundation
The idea at our centre
Make everyday rituals feel more connected — to place, season and the people around us.
Common Ground in one paragraph
Common Ground began with a simple belief: neighbourhood life is better when people have an easy place to meet, learn and grow. Coffee, plants and practical knowledge come together here as small everyday invitations to feel more connected to place, season and one another.
What we do every day
Bring people closer to their neighbourhood, the seasons and each other through thoughtful everyday experiences.
The future we want
Neighbourhoods where gathering locally, growing something and sharing useful knowledge feel like natural parts of daily life.
Our offer
Seasonal food, thoughtfully sourced coffee and a small edit of plants, tools and practical workshops.
Our people
Design-aware locals, young families and weekend gardeners who value quality without pretence.
Our meaningful edge
Coffee, plants and practical knowledge brought together in one genuinely welcoming local place.
Core values
01Welcome generously02Choose with care03Keep it useful04Grow together
Audience profile
The people we are here for
Know the person.
Earn the attention.
Audience insight should shape what we say, what we prioritise and how easy we make the next step.
The thoughtful local
Design-aware locals, young families and weekend gardeners who value quality without pretence.
Lead with the pleasure and usefulness of the visit, make quality easy to understand and offer one simple reason to stop by soon.The community grower
Local growers, makers and community groups looking for a thoughtful place to collaborate and connect.
Show how local growers, makers and groups can share knowledge, host something useful and reach neighbours who care about considered choices.- A dependable local place that feels easy to belong in
- Quality products without specialist intimidation
- Useful guidance they can put into practice
- Supporting local
- Learning by doing
- Creating a considered home and garden
- Premium may feel expensive
- Limited range compared with larger retailers
- Uncertainty about gardening knowledge
Audience language & style preference
Use familiar, neighbourly language. Explain gardening ideas without specialist jargon and describe quality through specific choices rather than status. Prefer welcome, useful, local, grow; avoid unexplained jargon and insider language.
Brand positioning
Our place in the market
A clear reason
to choose us.
Positioning statement · internal guide
For locals who want quality without pretence, Common Ground is the neighbourhood café and garden store that makes everyday rituals more connected, useful and rewarding.
Our sharpest point
Coffee, plants and practical knowledge brought together in one genuinely welcoming local place.
What people can expect
Every visit leaves you feeling more connected and ready to grow something good.
Neighbourhood hospitality and garden retail
Describe the category in terms customers already understand before introducing what makes us different.
Accessible premium
Support price with specific value, experience and proof. Never imply “cheap” unless that is an intentional position.
Key differentiators
01
Hospitality and garden retail in one experience
02
A useful, edited range
03
Local workshops and shared knowledge
Competitive context
Compared with: Independent cafés, garden centres, lifestyle retailers and online plant stores.
| Choose Common Ground | When fit, trust and a distinctive experience matter. |
|---|---|
| Choose a category alternative | When familiarity or a specific feature matters more. |
| Choose a low-cost substitute | When price is the only priority. |
Brand personality
How the brand behaves
Recognisable,
even without a logo.
Personality turns an abstract strategy into consistent choices. It should guide language, service, design and behaviour.
Main personality
The Caregiver × The Everyperson
Use this character as a guide, not a costume. Keep the brand specific to its customers and business category.
Warm
Be warm by making every invitation generous, specific and free of pressure.
Grounded
Stay grounded in real products, useful knowledge and credible everyday moments.
Optimistic
Express optimism through achievable next steps rather than exaggerated promises.
We are
Warm · Grounded · Optimistic
Specific · Considered · Consistent
We are not
Vague · Performative · Generic
Overbearing · Cold · Complicated
Relaxed, hopeful and quietly energising
Welcomed, capable and inspired to take one small positive step
Chosen brand direction
The idea we are developing
Rooted Welcome
Make every touchpoint feel like stepping into a familiar local place: warm, useful and quietly alive with the season.
It gives equal weight to hospitality and garden retail, presenting the combined offer as one coherent neighbourhood experience rather than two adjacent businesses.
Design-aware locals receive the quality and calm they value, while families and newer gardeners feel welcomed rather than tested on what they know.
The system owns the useful overlap between a good local café, an edited garden store and practical shared knowledge.
Its strong wordmark, natural imagery and simple hierarchy move confidently from a laptop and social post to printed pieces, signage and vehicle livery.
Forest Floor gives “Rooted Welcome” a consistent hierarchy across the current primary, background, accent and supporting colour roles.
Fraunces and Manrope bring editorial warmth to “Rooted Welcome” while keeping everyday copy easy to read.
Use generous rectangular fields, fine botanical linework, restrained rules and softly irregular natural edges within a disciplined grid.
Why this identity was recommended
This route most clearly connects the brand promise, the mixed café-and-garden offer and the audience need for quality without pretence.
Clear · Neighbourly · Quietly confidentLogo system
Our signature
One idea.
A flexible family.
The logo system makes the brand recognisable at every scale. Use the primary logo first, then choose the simplest approved variant that fits the space.
Primary · Warm Ivory
Dark background · contrast panel
SecondaryCompact signature
WordmarkName-led layouts
Icon / submarkSmall spaces
One colourRestricted production
Orientation
Use the horizontal/wordmark treatment in wide headers and signage. Use the stacked or submark treatment in square spaces. Preserve uploaded artwork as supplied; use an approved reversed file on dark backgrounds rather than automatically recolouring an opaque logo.
Logo usage
Protect recognition
Give the mark
room to work.
Consistency matters more than decoration. Keep the logo intact, legible and visually separate from surrounding content.
Clear space
Keep at least one submark-width on every side. No text, imagery, borders or page edges should enter this zone.
24 pxMinimum size
Starting minimum: 24 px high digitally or 12 mm in print. Increase it if fine detail begins to disappear.
Light background · Warm IvoryUse the Deep Pine version.
Primary background · Deep PineWhite is recommended here. Supply an approved transparent master for production.
Accent background · AmberUse a black one-colour treatment here. Supply an approved transparent master for production.
- Use approved master artwork
- Scale proportionally
- Align to the layout grid
- Choose a calm, high-contrast area
- Do not stretch, rotate or redraw
- Do not add shadows or outlines
- Do not change individual colours
- Do not place over visual clutter
Placement
Prefer top-left, centred or bottom-left placement. Use one logo per surface unless repetition has a functional purpose, such as a multi-page document footer.
Logo file guide
Choose the right asset
The right file
for the right job.
Always begin with the supplied master files. Converting a small raster file into another format does not improve its quality.
Web & digital · preferred
Scales cleanly for websites, interfaces, signage artwork and digital templates. Keep transparency where supplied.
Documents & transparent use
Use at the intended size for presentations, social assets and office documents. Best when a transparent background is needed.
Compressed web delivery
Use an optimised copy when page speed matters. Keep SVG for the logo whenever the platform supports it.
Flat-background use only
Use for simple sharing where transparency is not needed. Avoid for small logos because compression can soften edges.
Professional print, if supplied
Send the original vector artwork to printers and fabricators. Do not open and resave unless production requires it.
Use CMYK vector artwork and request a proof. Confirm spot-colour or Pantone matching with the printer when colour fidelity matters.
Use RGB SVG first, then transparent PNG or WEBP at the exact required pixel dimensions.
common-ground-logo-[lockup]-[colour]-[rgb|cmyk]-v01.ext
Choose transparent files over white-box versions unless a controlled background is part of the approved artwork.
Colour system
Our palette
Colour with
purpose.
Deep Pine gives the identity dependable structure, Warm Ivory keeps it welcoming, Amber guides attention and Soft Sage adds a quiet seasonal layer.
Primary
Deep Pine
HEX #173F35RGB 23 / 63 / 53
CMYK 63 / 0 / 16 / 75
Background
Warm Ivory
HEX #F4EFE3RGB 244 / 239 / 227
CMYK 0 / 2 / 7 / 4
Accent
Amber
HEX #E5A84BRGB 229 / 168 / 75
CMYK 0 / 27 / 67 / 10
Supporting
Soft Sage
HEX #B8C5A7RGB 184 / 197 / 167
CMYK 7 / 0 / 15 / 23
Recommended hierarchy
60% Warm Ivory / backgrounds · 30% Deep Pine / text & structure · 10% Amber / emphasis
Aa 10.2:1
Suitable for normal text at AA contrast.
Aa 5.6:1
Suitable for normal text at AA contrast.
HEX and RGB are for screens; CMYK values are starting points for print. Match Pantone colours from a physical swatch with the production partner—never guess them from a screen.
Typography
Our type system
AaWords should feel
as good as they read.
Fraunces brings warmth and character to memorable messages, while Manrope keeps practical information, navigation and calls to action clear.
DisplayFraunces
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee
0123456789
BodyManrope
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
0123456789 !?&@
Type hierarchy
Display / 64 / 0.95
Heading / 32 / 1.05
Subheading / 18 / 1.25
Body / 11–16 / 1.55 · Caption / 9–12 / 1.4 · Button / 12–14 / 1.0
Headings: Georgia, serif
Body: Arial, sans-serif
Headings 500–700
Body 400 / 600 / 700
Headings −2% to −5%
Body 0% · never tightly tracked
Confirm current desktop, web, app and sharing rights before handover. Keep licence records with the asset pack.
Tone of voice
How we sound
Speak like a person.
Mean every word.
Our voice is clear, neighbourly, quietly confident. It makes expertise easy to act on and confidence feel earned.
Clear
Be clear: lead with the useful point and make the next step easy to see.
Neighbourly
Be neighbourly: sound like a thoughtful local sharing something worth knowing.
Quietly confident
Be quietly confident: use specific detail and let the experience prove the claim.
Write with professional care, then remove anything a real person would not naturally say.
welcome · useful · local · grow · together · seasonal
exclusive · best-in-class · solutions · discerning · luxury
Headline and button text
“Good things grow here.”
Plan your visit →
Not this
“We offer premium, best-in-class solutions for discerning customers.”
Messaging framework
What we want people to remember
One clear idea.
Many useful lengths.
Adapt the message to the moment without changing the meaning. Lead with the audience outcome, then explain the offer and why it is believable.
Main brand message
Every visit leaves you feeling more connected and ready to grow something good.
Common Ground is a neighbourhood café and garden store where thoughtful coffee, useful plants and practical knowledge belong together. It gives locals an easy place to pause, connect and take one good idea home.
A welcoming neighbourhood café and garden store bringing together good coffee, useful plants and practical know-how.
Common Ground is a welcoming meeting place for design-aware locals, young families and weekend gardeners. Alongside thoughtful coffee and seasonal food, it offers a useful edit of plants, tools and practical workshops, helping everyday rituals feel more connected to place, season and community.
Tagline options
01Good things grow here.Primary
02Coffee, plants and common ground.
03A local place to pause and grow.
- Hospitality and garden retail come together in one welcoming local experience.
- The range is edited to stay useful, approachable and easy to choose from.
- Practical workshops turn inspiration into knowledge people can use at home.
- Local grower and maker relationships keep the offer connected to its community.
- Thoughtfully sourced products
- Practical workshops
- Local maker and grower relationships
Messaging in action
Ready-to-shape examples
Make the message
useful in context.
These are first-draft models, not scripts. Adapt details to the channel and verify every factual claim before publishing.
Good things grow here.
Pause for thoughtful coffee, find something useful for the garden and leave with one practical idea worth trying.
Plan your visit →A healthy herb pot starts with the right light, patient watering and room for the roots to breathe. Save this for the weekend, then ask us what will suit your space.
Save this. Share it with someone who needs it.A useful idea for the season ahead
The next good thing to grow can begin with one small, well-timed step. Here is one useful garden idea to try this week.
See this week at Common Ground →Seasonal food, thoughtfully sourced coffee, useful plants and practical workshops for locals who value quality without pretence.
“Do I need to know much about gardening before I visit?”
Not at all. Tell us about your space and what you would like to grow, and we will help you choose a manageable next step without the jargon.
About-us paragraph
Common Ground is a neighbourhood café and garden store for locals who value quality without pretence. It brings together thoughtful coffee, useful plants and practical knowledge in one genuinely welcoming place. Learn more at commonground.co.nz.
Claims & disclaimers
Verify sustainability, sourcing, health and product-performance claims before publication. Use evidence close to the claim, record its source and review regulated content with an appropriately qualified adviser.
Visual identity
Your brand in action
Common Ground
comes to life.
The identity balances deep green structure, generous ivory space, warm natural materials and editorial type so every expression feels welcoming, useful and unmistakably connected to growth.
Warm, natural-light editorial photography of real café and gardening moments, with tactile wood, ceramic, paper and foliage; observed rather than staged, calm but never empty.
Use generous rectangular fields, fine botanical linework, restrained rules and softly irregular natural edges within a disciplined grid.
Welcomed, capable and inspired to take one small positive step
Photography direction
The world through our lens
Honest texture. Human moments.
Photography should make Common Ground feel lived in: a calm local place where coffee, plants, useful work and neighbourly conversation naturally meet.
ReadyHero · Natural light
ReadyDetail · Useful detail
ReadyPeople · People in placeReal café and garden-store moments, tactile products, seasonal details and people learning or sharing knowledge in a credible neighbourhood setting.
Use one clear focal subject, warm natural light, layered greenery and intentional negative space. Keep enough environmental context to connect café and garden.
Natural, directional light with honest warmth and visible material texture. Let Deep Pine and Warm Ivory lead through surfaces and styling; reserve Amber for focal details and use Soft Sage sparingly.
Relaxed, hopeful and quietly energising. Expressions should feel observed and credible, never forced.
- People taking part in real, useful café or gardening moments
- Hands, materials and seasonal details with honest texture
- A welcoming mix of ages and backgrounds in shared local spaces
- Calm compositions with room for a short message where needed
- Generic coffee-shop poses or staged gardening gestures
- Overgrown visual clutter without a clear focal point
- Heavy filters, artificial greens or over-retouched people
- Scenes that imply unsupported sourcing or sustainability claims
AI image guidance
Use AI imagery only when its purpose is clear and rights, consent and disclosure requirements are understood. Prompt for the approved composition, light, palette and mood; check hands, text, products, cultural details and factual context before use. Never fabricate a customer, result or documentary moment.
Icons & graphics
Support, don’t decorate
A simple visual
vocabulary.
Icons, illustrations and graphics should make information easier to understand. Keep construction consistent so every element feels like part of one family.
Simple outline icons with gently rounded joins. Use filled icons only for selected or high-priority states.
Scale stroke optically; avoid mixing delicate and heavy icons.
Match the broader shape language and repeat the same angles, joins and radii.
Use Deep Pine by default and Amber only for emphasis.
Use simplified forms, limited palette and one consistent perspective. Let the idea lead; avoid mixing unrelated illustration styles.
Repeat the core motif at measured intervals. Keep contrast low behind text.
Use Warm Ivory for structure, Deep Pine for labels and Amber for the single point that needs attention. Label data directly.
Use one reading direction, short labels and consistent connectors. Texture and overlays must never carry essential meaning.
Layout system
A repeatable rhythm
Structure creates
creative freedom.
The grid keeps the brand recognisable across website, print and social work. Break it only when the hierarchy becomes clearer.
Eyebrow
One message owns the page.
Supporting information sits on the same grid, with enough space to feel deliberate.
12 columns
Desktop / print. Collapse to 6 on tablet and 4 on mobile.
6–10%
Keep critical content inside a consistent safe area.
Left first
Align related content to shared edges. Centre only for deliberate emphasis.
Active space
Protect hierarchy; do not fill every gap with decoration.
Spacing scale48121624324864
Content hierarchy
Decide the order before choosing the format.
If two things compete for first place, simplify.
Lead
What must people notice first?
Support
What helps them understand or trust it?
Direct
What one action should they take?
Digital usage
Designed for interaction
Clear paths.
Consistent signals.
Digital experiences should feel fast, useful and unmistakably on-brand. Every component needs a purpose, a readable state and a clear next step.
Keep navigation short. Use one primary action and alternate Warm Ivory/white sections only when it helps orientation.
Use short, action-led labels. Include clear hover, focus, disabled and loading states.
Show persistent labels, plain-language help and specific errors. Never use placeholder text as the only label.
Use a simple logo, one-column newsletter, live text and a complete signature: name, role, email, phone and website.
Digital journey
Carry one promise from recognition to action.
Check safe zones, contrast and legibility at the final size and on the final device.
1 · Recognise
Profile / favicon
Use the simplest approved mark. Test it at 16 px.
3 · Follow through
Landing page
Repeat the promise and “Plan your visit”. Remove distractions.
Print usage
Made tangible
Care you can
hold in your hands.
Print is where colour, stock and finish become part of the brand experience. Keep the hierarchy simple and involve the production partner early.
Make the business name easy to recognise on the front. Keep the reverse calm, readable and limited to useful contact details.
Choose one clear logo placement and test it at real size. Confirm fabric, embroidery or transfer colour before ordering.
Lead with one relevant promise, one supporting image and one next step. Keep essential details inside the safe area.
Confirm with the printer.
Keep live content inside.
At final placed size.
Review critical jobs physically.
Social & advertising
Recognition in the feed
Useful first.
Branded throughout.
Make each post worth pausing for. A recognisable system gives the message consistency while the content does the useful work.
Product & packaging
On shelf and in hand
Recognition meets
useful information.
Packaging should make the product easy to recognise, understand and choose—then reward a closer look with thoughtful detail.
Front-of-pack hierarchy
- BrandRecognise
- Product / variantUnderstand
- BenefitChoose
- Required informationVerify
Keep the brand block and hierarchy consistent, then change only the content that distinguishes each product or variant.
Use one clear logo placement with a short message. Check artwork size, print method and contrast on the chosen fabric.
Reserve an uninterrupted panel for ingredients, warnings, business details and any category-specific mandatory text. Obtain specialist review.
Use a quiet, high-contrast zone with required clear space. Test the final printed size and material before production.
Show accurate scale, colour and contents. Avoid props that could be mistaken for what is included.
Review dielines, folds, seals, stock, fabric, ink coverage and finish with the supplier. Approve a physical proof.
Website application
Website · clear and useful
A homepage that makes
the next step clear.
Help the right people understand Common Ground, trust the offer and know what to do next without having to decode the page.
Visit · Plants and workshops · IdeasGood things grow here.
Pause for thoughtful coffee, find something useful for the garden and leave with one practical idea worth trying.
First-screen message
Promise, proof, next step
Lead with the customer outcome, explain the offer plainly, add credible proof and repeat one primary action at useful moments.
Design mobile first
Keep navigation short, type readable, focus visible and forms simple. Do not rely on colour, motion or imagery alone.
Test the whole journey
Test links, forms, speed, search previews and every important device size. Verify claims, contact details and accessibility.
Keep navigation focused on Visit, Plants and workshops, Ideas. Use See what is in season only when it supports the main action rather than competing with it.
Social media application
Social media · ready to edit
One useful idea,
ready to share.
Use this example as a starting point for Common Ground. Make the headline and caption sound like your business, check every fact, then choose one simple next step.
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Email application
Email · ready to edit
One clear message,
easy to act on.
Give Common Ground one useful reason to appear in the inbox. Keep the promise honest, the message focused and the next step easy to understand.
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Words for the first email
One email, one job
Match the subject line to the message, lead with what matters to the reader and keep one main action.
Simple on every screen
Use a single column, live text, descriptive links and useful image descriptions. Keep essential meaning out of the image.
Earn the inbox
Test the sender name, subject, links and mobile layout. Confirm consent, an unsubscribe route and every factual claim.
Use hello@commonground.co.nz as the checked reply or contact route. Send a test to a phone before sending it to customers.
Print collateral application
Print collateral · ready to brief
One message people
grasp at a glance.
Turn Common Ground into something useful people can hold, keep or pass on. Let the format serve one audience and one clear purpose.
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Message hierarchy
Design for the glance
Lead with one headline, make the value easy to scan, add proof where it helps and finish with one contact route.
Match place and purpose
A handout, brochure and poster do different jobs. Choose the size, reading distance and amount of detail before designing.
Proof the real thing
Confirm final size, bleed, safe margins, image quality and colour setup. Check phone numbers, URLs, claims and any QR code.
Use commonground.co.nz only after it has been checked. Approve a physical or full-size proof before ordering the complete print run.
Packaging application
Packaging · ready to shape
Easy to recognise,
understand and choose.
Use the brand to make the product feel familiar at first glance, then give people the practical information they need to choose with confidence.
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Front-of-pack priorities
Recognise, understand, choose
Keep brand, product, variant and benefit in that order. Do not let decoration compete with required information.
Leave a quiet information panel
Plan space for ingredients, warnings, quantity, business details, barcode and any category-specific information.
Fit the real pack
Confirm the supplier dieline, folds, seals, material, ink coverage and finish. Test the barcode and approve a physical proof.
Treat the image as a direction, not finished packaging artwork. Confirm every product fact and legal requirement with the appropriate specialist.
Signage application
Signage · ready to brief
Readable in seconds,
recognisable for years.
Help people recognise Common Ground before they arrive. Keep the sign or vehicle simple enough to understand at real-world distance and speed.
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What must be readable
Test the distance
View the design small, far away and in motion. The business name should remain recognisable before any supporting detail.
Brief the fabricator
Confirm materials, lighting, mounting, scale, placement and vehicle contours with the signwriter before artwork is final.
Approve the real proof
Verify the supplied logo, colours, spelling and every applied detail. These concepts guide production; they are not fabrication files.
Check site visibility, landlord or council requirements and vehicle safety. Approve scaled artwork and material samples before manufacture.
Merchandise application
Merchandise · ready to apply
Make the brand
worth carrying.
Choose an item people will genuinely use, then apply Common Ground with enough restraint that the result feels considered rather than promotional.
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What belongs on the item
Start with the item
Choose for usefulness, fit and durability first. The best merchandise earns repeat use without needing a loud design.
One strong placement
Use one clear logo or name placement and one short message at most. Check scale and contrast from normal viewing distance.
Sample before quantity
Match artwork to embroidery, screen print or transfer limits. Review material, colour, placement, wash performance and a finished sample.
Confirm sizes, quantities and decoration method with the supplier. Verify any environmental or material claim before putting it on the item.
Accessibility
Designed to include
Clear for more
people, more often.
Accessibility is part of brand quality. Aim for WCAG 2.2 Level AA in digital work and test with people, devices and assistive technology—not only automated tools.
Deep Pine on Warm Ivory · 10.2:1 · AA for normal text
Warm Ivory on Deep Pine · 10.2:1 · AA for normal text
✓ Additional approved pair
Deep Pine + Amber · 5.6:1. This pairing also reaches AA contrast for normal text.
4.5:1 / 3:1
Target 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text and essential interface boundaries. Check every real combination.
16 px starting point
For digital body copy; allow zoom and text resizing. Use at least 9 pt for most print body copy, larger for long reading.
Short, structured, direct
Use descriptive headings, manageable line lengths, plain language and meaningful link text.
Visible and optional
Keep keyboard focus visible, provide pause controls and respect reduced-motion preferences.
Describe the image’s purpose in context. Leave decorative images empty; do not repeat nearby copy. For complex charts, provide the key takeaway and underlying data.
Prefer “View workshop dates” or “Download the pricing guide” over “Click here”. The action should still make sense out of context.
Pair colour with text, icons, patterns or position for status, errors, categories and chart series.
Verification
Test contrast, keyboard navigation, zoom, reflow, forms, headings, screen-reader names, captions and PDFs before launch. Accessibility conformance depends on final implementation and content.
Brand assets
The handover
A clear foundation
to build from.
This handover gives you the core brand materials needed to use the identity consistently today, with natural next steps to extend the system over time.
Approved logo artwork for consistent everyday use
SVG · PNG · PDF/EPSIncludedFraunces, Manrope and licensing information or files where licensing permits
Files or official linksIncludedHEX, RGB, CMYK and approved colour guidance
ASE · PDF · TXTIncludedThis editable, print-ready brand guidelines document
PDF · editable sourceIncludedDevelop social media templates for posts, stories, covers and profile applications so the brand can show up consistently across each channel.
Commission a considered set of icons, patterns and photography to give the identity more texture, recognition and range.
Extend the system into mockups, website assets and print collateral when those real-world applications are ready to develop.
Do’s & don’ts
The everyday quality check
Protect the idea,
not just the artwork.
Use these principles when reviewing new work. If an execution follows the rules but feels wrong, return to the audience, promise and personality.
Do
Use approved artwork with clear space and strong contrast.
Don’t
Redraw, distort, decorate or place it on clutter.
Do
Let Warm Ivory and Deep Pine lead; use Amber to guide attention.
Don’t
Use every colour equally or rely on colour alone.
Do
Use the defined hierarchy, comfortable spacing and approved weights.
Don’t
Add novelty fonts, shrink body copy or overuse all caps.
Do
Choose specific, credible moments with one clear subject.
Don’t
Use generic stock gestures, heavy filters or misleading scenes.
Do
Be clear, neighbourly, quietly confident; lead with useful meaning.
Don’t
Use hype, unsupported claims or jargon the audience must decode.
Do
Build one focal point, align deliberately and preserve whitespace.
Don’t
Compete for attention, crowd edges or centre everything by default.
Before anything goes live
- Recognisable?The identity feels unmistakably like Common Ground.
- Relevant?It starts with what the audience needs and values.
- Readable?The message, hierarchy and action are immediately clear.
- Responsible?Claims, rights, consent and accessibility are verified.
A simple final check
Does it feel like
Common Ground?
Clear before cleverConsistent, not repetitiveMade for the audienceTrue to the promise
These guidelines are a living system. Use them with intent, learn what resonates and keep evolving with care.
Brand direction & guidelinesWe Solve MediaRotorua · New Zealand