BIG YELLOW BOOK...research across the globe. We wanted to find out what people thought of Amnesty International across the world. And, how to clearly ... If an extended colour palette

BIG YELLOW BOOK

Brand guidelines for Amnesty International Australia

Defending human rights

Why this book is here

Amnesty International is a worldwide organisation. In the eyes of many people, there are not many different types of Amnesty in many different countries.

There is just Amnesty International.

So it’s important that for us, we sound like one voice, with one look, and one shared set of strategic goals.

This is how people are used to seeing other organisations all over the world. It is how people get to know and love them; a strong, unified purpose is incredibly important for building relationships and affinity with people.

Of course we must also adapt to local conditions and ways of communicating, but this must be done within the parameters of a global ethos. This is all the more important today, considering that the digital revolution has increased visibility of organizations globally.

So, this book is our guide to make sure that the Amnesty International that someone sees in Singapore is the very same Amnesty International seen in France.

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BIG YELLOW BOOK INTRODUCTION

Guide last updated February 2017. Questions? [email protected]

Amnesty as a brand and why it’s important

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Although we don’t talk about ‘consumers’ and may even think it strange to see Amnesty International as a ‘brand’,

the rules of how to project our identity publicly still apply to us.

A strong brand is one that has a consistent identity. This is particularly important for global brands, where values, mission and

positioning need to be aligned across countries. This means that audiences have a clear idea of exactly what we

do and what we stand for

The importance of consistent branding

• Brand consistency has one big advantage – recognition. With recognition comes familiarity. With familiarity comes trust and confidence. If done correctly, consistency brings clarity and purpose which audiences recognise. They know straight away which brand is communicating to them.

• Design is basically a reflection of our image. Subconsciously or not, audiences look for consistency in design, and they do it for some very basic reasons. Design consistency involving the use of our logo and colours can help audiences remember us and give us credit for the work that we do.

• Increasingly we are operating on global platforms. Working together with consistent visual identity will allow audiences to understand that we are one movement. This doesn’t mean that everything has to look exactly the same, but that there should be visual cohesion.

• By keeping our visual identity and branding consistent, we’ll be able to effectively develop and strengthen our brand – ensuring we make a strong, positive and long lasting impression.

• We need a global identity, so that what we do in one part of the world reinforces what we’re doing elsewhere. We don’t want to be uniform – but we do need to be unified.

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Perception

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In 2012 we conducted global research across the globe. We wanted to find out what people thought of Amnesty International across the world. And, how to clearly articulate what Amnesty International is here to do.

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We discovered our presence doesn’t always have the right impact

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BIG YELLOW BOOK Perception

“Don’t have the same presence of other

organisations these days.” Potential Member, USA

“Amnesty International

gets involved once it’s all over.”

Potential Member, Brazil

Potential Member, Denmark

“Get the magazine and don’t read it, too

many horrific stories, just hope Amnesty can do

something.”

“Something connected with the past.”

Member, Denmark

We found out that some people feel helpless They understand that human rights is an important issue, but they don’t know how they are supposed to help.

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“How am I going to help others when I,

myself, am not helped.”

Potential Member, Indonesia

“One is overstrained because you do not know

where to start.” Member, Germany


We found out that some people feel a lack of conviction

They feel that even if they were to support Amnesty, what difference would it make anyway?

What good can Amnesty International really do?

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Potential Member, Brazil

“Not really knowing what your impact is or

what your impact is going to be, for me can be

problematic.”

“We just hear about it, we don’t see it. There’s

no publicity.”

Member, USA


They have issues of their own and don’t feel that another’s human rights violation is relevant to themselves.

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We found out that some people feel distant to human rights

“A homeless person in the street near to where I live

will have more of an impact on me than somebody who is far away and living under

a dictatorship.” Potential Member, France

“For a poor person hardly able to earn two square meals, human rights becomes irrelevant to him because his

dignity has already gone.” Potential Member, India

Perception in 2015:

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Globally: • 69% are aware of Amnesty International • 42% good opinion • 18% bad opinion • 41% don’t know us well enough to have an opinion

In Australia: • 94% prompted awareness • 57% have a good opinion of us • 9% have a bad opinion of us • 26% don't know us well enough to have an opinion • 9% did not answer

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* Winter 2016 WIN / Gallup International NGO Barometer survey * Numbers have been rounded out and their sum in graphs and tables might not correspond to the manual addition of rounded numbers.

All this has led us to where we are today

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our brand guidelines (read on!)

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WHO WE ARE

An intro to Amnesty

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We are people

We’re ordinary people from all walks of life, standing together for justice, freedom, human dignity and equality. We use our passion and commitment to bring torturers to justice, change oppressive laws and free people imprisoned just for voicing their opinion. That’s why people are the most important thing to Amnesty: We are not us, the organisation, we are you, we are each and every person who supports what we do.

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We are global

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We are independent

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BIG YELLOW BOOK WHO WE ARE

We are an independent, global movement that campaigns courageously for human rights for everyone. We’re independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion to ensure we can speak out on human rights abuses wherever they occur.

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We make a difference Every day we move closer to a world where human rights are enjoyed by all.

EMPOWERMENT We build people power We enable others to create change in the world. We invite people in and we are equal partners. It is not about “us” (Amnesty, staff) and “them” (supporters, the public etc). It’s not about us “telling people what to do”: we want people to participate and bring their own imagination, innovation and energy to bear.

PERSISTENCE We are resolute in pursuit of our goals We are here to stay. We are here for the long haul. People can count on us because we remain engaged for as long as it takes. And because we inspire people into effective action we show what determination can achieve.

INTEGRITY We hold ourselves to the highest standards

COURAGE We are fearless in upholding human rights

OUR VOICE, OUR VALUES Our values underpin everything we do and are reflected in everything we say. Whether it’s written, spoken or visual, if it doesn’t express these values, it’s just not us.

In every aspect of our work, from research, campaigning, activism and partnerships. We get the facts straight; we give voice to rights holders and activists. That’s why people trust us.

We are not afraid to tell it like it is; to try new ways of working; or when human rights are threatened, to stand up to the powerful .

It guides us as to how to behave and operate as an organisation.

It tells us how to talk about ourselves in all internal and external communications.

Presenting ourselves in a unified and cohesive way is the key to strengthening our reputation with our partners and increasing our impact around the world.

Our values and brand light the way

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BIG YELLOW BOOK WHO WE ARE – INTERNAL INSIGHT

Medium descriptor: We campaign for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all.

Long descriptor: We are an independent, global movement that campaigns courageously for human rights for everyone. We’re ordinary people from all walks of life, standing together for justice, freedom, human dignity and equality. We use our passion and commitment to bring torturers to justice, change oppressive laws and free people imprisoned just for voicing their opinion. We’re independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion to ensure we can speak out on human rights abuses wherever they occur. Every day we move closer to a world where human rights are enjoyed by all.

Tagline: defending human rights

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BIG YELLOW BOOK WHO WE ARE – INTERNAL INSIGHT

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Used in storytelling

We give an honest picture of the situation, we tell the story from a personal point of view, we maintain a human tone of voice to appeal to people emotionally.

Used in campaigning

We pride ourselves in aiming to make even a far-off issue seem relevant to anyone, we strive to demonstrate how Amnesty can empower real people to make a real difference to others’ lives.

Used within the organisation

We understand the importance of each and every member in helping defend and protect another human being, together.

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Empowerment Persistence

Integrity Courage

For a world in which every person enjoys all of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of

Human Rights and other international human rights standards

Our tagline

What we do

Our values

Our global vision

Defending human rights

We campaign for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all.

Our 2020 vision in Australia

By 2020 we will: Protect and defend more lives Be an unstoppable movement

Inspire outstanding passion and commitment

How we look

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Where appropriate, you can use a logo accompanied by the tagline :

COLOUR

AMNESTY SWATCHES Yellow is the primary colour. It identifies the brand and to symbolise intervention. Use it to highlight important parts of your communication; don’t go overboard! White gives the necessary breathing space to yellow. The greys and black should not compete with Amnesty yellow. Some uses could be in information graphics and long-form publications. Greys can also be used online to aid legibility.

Primary colours

Secondary colours

PANTONE PROCESS YELLOW

ON SCREEN #FFFF00

ON SCREEN R:255 G:255 B:0

4 COLOUR PROCESS C:0 M:0 Y:100 K:0

PANTONE PROCESS BLACK

ON SCREEN #000000



PANTONE COOL GREY 3

ON SCREEN #C5C5C5



PANTONE COOL GREY 8

ON SCREEN #939598



PANTONE COOL GREY 11

ON SCREEN #7A7D81



WHITE ON SCREEN #FFFFFFF


COLOUR

COMPLEMENTING YELLOW

If an extended colour palette is ever required, eg. complex charts and graphs, then, drawing reference from the candle flame, oranges and reds should be used.

Complementary colours

ON SCREEN #FF6633



ON SCREEN #FF9933



ON SCREEN #CC3333



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COLOUR BASICS

Use for:

• all professionally designed materials – contact communications coordinator if you need the font files.

• anything going out externally as a PDF.

Secondary font

Caution!

Amnesty Trade Gothic has been designed especially for Amnesty, so external people will not have Amnesty Trade Gothic font on their computers. If you send a document electronically to someone without the font, it will turn up in a possibly-horrible-automatic-substitute typeface, or even worse, random symbols.

So:

• Use Arial / Arial Narrow for external electronic word documents.

• Use Arial Narrow/Arial for Google documents/slides (like this preso!)

• Canva substitute font: Roboto Condensed

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HOW TO TALK ABOUT US

Tone of voice

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We all need to influence and persuade. Whether lobbying or educating, fundraising or campaigning, words are a powerful tool. With a little consideration and a bit of imagination, words will do great things. So, think of this less as a set of rules, and more as a gateway to sparkling and powerful language that’s as enjoyable to read as it is to write.

Consistency is everything. Being consistent in how we speak means people will better understand what makes Amnesty special. It also means they are more likely to respect and, crucially, trust us.

How we speak

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BIG YELLOW BOOK HOW TO TALK ABOUT US

Why do we need ‘How we speak’?

Amnesty’s brand values (see the start of this book) should always guide ‘How we speak’ • Open • Intelligent • Inventive • Determined

How we speak

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Like all good communicators, we adapt how we speak depending on who we are talking to, for what reason and through which channel. From personal and sociable to composed and formal, the spectrum provides the flexibility to tailor your message to best effect.

Personal Sociable

Inclusive Optimistic

Instructional Direct

Authoritative Incisive

Composed Formal

Amnesty’s brand values (see the start of this book) guide ‘How we speak’

The ‘How we speak’ spectrum

How to use the spectrum “How we speak” is not channel specific. However, generally speaking, some channels such as Facebook and various campaign materials tend towards the left of the spectrum. Others, such as research reports and advocacy materials, tend towards the right of the spectrum.

How you choose to approach your communication depends on your audience and what you are trying to achieve.

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“Who am I writing for?”

“What do they want to know?”

“What do I want the reader to do?”

Remember: No matter what voice you use, always be clear and plain-spoken. Avoid jargon. Remember: Accuracy, impartiality and integrity underpin everything we say and do, and build trust in Amnesty.

Ask yourself…

PERSONAL and SOCIABLE Speak to people as your peers. Don’t position Amnesty as a distant voice of authority. Seek people’s opinions, find out what they know and feel as well as expressing our own views and insights.

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Amnesty has launched a new campaign to end

the over-representation of Indigenous youth

in detention.

Keep your text short and chatty. Take the opportunity to have fun with words.

You have grabbed my attention. I want to know more.

LESS MORE

TIP


MORE

Use Personal and Sociable for: Campaign slogans │ Facebook posts

The reader should feel

INCLUSIVE and OPTIMISTIC Speak as a real person not a faceless organisation and you are more likely to engage and inspire your reader.

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Amnesty International is calling on EU

governments to resettle Syrian

refugees.

Work with Amnesty International

to help improve people’s lives through

campaigning and international solidarity.


LESS LESS

Emphasise how the reader is part of the solution. Make them feel valued.

Amnesty gets things done. Together we can make change happen.

The reader should feel TIP

MORE MORE

Use Inclusive and Optimistic for: Blogs │ Campaign materials

INSTRUCTIONAL and DIRECT Always be plain-spoken and cut to the chase. Only include information that is absolutely necessary to get your message across.

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Use Instructional and Direct for: Human Rights Education toolkits │Online actions

Learn about the justice system

in the Philippines.


LESS

Give one clear action - do not ask the reader to do multiple things at the same time. Begin with a verb (“Write”, “Take”, “Follow”).

I understand and know what to do. TIP

MORE


AUTHORITATIVE and KNOWLEDGEABLE Speak with confidence and demonstrate expert knowledge. Say exactly what you mean and say it clearly.

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Use Authoritative and Incisive for: Research reports │News reports

At least four children have allegedly been killed when a rocket hit their school. The rocket

was reportedly fired by opposition forces who may have been aiming at a nearby military target.

Amnesty has received reports that opposition forces fired a rocket that hit a school, killing four children.


LESS

Make bold statements. Avoid colloquial phrases and qualifiers such as, “It’s likely that…”. Writing with authority does not mean using lots of jargon, it means using the appropriate language for your audience.

I have an invaluable insight into how people are affected. I know what action needs to be taken.

TIP

MORE


COMPOSED and FORMAL Speak without emotion and stick to the facts. But keep it accessible – no jargon or acronyms.

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Use Composed and Formal for: Annual Report │ Advocacy materials | Media releases

In a terrible start to the year, Parliament passed a law that was catastrophic for the rights of

transgender people.

In January Parliament passed the Gender Act, a discriminatory law that

would make gender reassignment surgery mandatory for people wishing to change their

legal gender.

Use ‘How we speak’ with existing Amnesty Editorial Guidelines.


LESS

Be rational. Avoid overstatement and sensationalism.

I have the facts and the reliable information I need.


MORE

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Questions? [email protected]

BIG YELLOW BOOK...research across the globe. We wanted to find out what people thought of Amnesty International across the world. And, how to clearly ... If an extended colour palette

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