Drop Inn Brand

Communication is key when creating a strong brand. Drop Inn’s brand should continually inform and inspire. Positive messages made in a personal way make a much bigger impact than generic, corporate negative ones. We are seeing great things happen when people pull together.

Visual LanguageLink to this section

Logo

The Drop Inn logotype looks easy to draw, but don’t attempt it. You should download it from our official resource library.

Typeface

Gogh is our official typeface. It should be used on all material where possible. If the font is not available, use the system font. Eg. Segoe on Windows, San Francisco on iOS / MacOS. This is usually the default sans serif font.

Written LanguageLink to this section

Language and Tone

Brand is more than the visual palette, it also includes language, attitude and reputation.

When you’re writing, whether it’s in an email, letter or text message, keep the tone consistent. It should be simple, friendly. informal and concise.

Use everyday, understandable language. Keep in mind that your audience could be wide-ranging with varying levels of education.

Writing guide

• Avoid spelling and grammatical errors.
• Drop Inn literature should be written in British English, unless it’s for a specific region or country.
• Keep writing fluid, interesting and engaging, using a conversational tone.
• Headings should be in sentence case, titles in title case.
• Avoid repetition. Don’t repeat yourself.
• Don’t overuse a name or term.
• Don’t waffle: you’re not writing an essay!
• Read it twice.

PhotographyLink to this section

Guidelines for taking photos

• If you plan to take photos for use on our publications, consider bringing a DSLR for quality and ease of transfer.
• However, if professional equipment isn’t possible to bring with you, it is possible to get high quality photos on a smartphone:
  • Take photos and videos in landscape, unless you are shooting portraits specifically.
  • Take care in framing your photos and videos. See rule of thirds.
• We recommend storing and sharing via Google Photos / Drive or DropBox using the highest resolution you have.
• If you can, name the file in a way that describes the photo, eg. jane-meeting-sponsored-children-in-koudougou-jan-19.jpg
• Don’t share the photos in Word or Pages documents (if you are writing a report). If you want us to use photos in a report, supply them separately (again via a sharing service like Google Photos / Drive or DropBox.

Guidelines for using photos

If you are putting together a social media post, report or a leaflet and wish to use photos, please follow these guidelines:

• Photos or videos should be those taken for Drop Inn
• Avoid using photos from other sources. Never mislead your reader into thinking a photo is from one of our projects when it’s not.
• If you are using stock or library photos – from unsplash or news organisations, credit the source or if it’s for illustration purposes, make that clear.
• Avoid putting graphics on top of photos. If you feel you need to do this, consult the Drop Inn Media team.
• If you are using logos from other organisations, take care in adhering to their guidelines.
• Lastly, the photos you use should have an impact. But the order of preference in choosing photos for your publication is:
  1. Appropriate
  2. Original (photos from Drop Inn’s own projects)
  3. Professional