A. Smith Bowman Distillery

Official Websites

• https://asmithbowman.com
• http://www.asmithbowman.com
• http://www.instagram.com/a.smithbowman

Brand Guidelines

2019

Brand Summary

Mission

• To embody and celebrate the ‘Pioneer Spirit’ by honoring the legacy of Virginia’s founding families and producing high-quality, hand-crafted spirits that reflect bravery, exploration, and American ideals [^1].

Core Values

• Bravery
• Exploration
• Craftsmanship
• Heritage
• Southern Hospitality
• Quality
• Generosity
• Fun
• Knowledge
• Friendliness
• Humility
• Leadership
• Innovation
• Pride
• Distinction
• Adventurousness
• Boldness
• Confidence
• Risk-taking
• Education
• Passion
• Exclusivity
• Classic
• Smooth
• Rewarding
• Relaxing
• American
• Product of Virginia
• Distilling Expertise
• Pioneering Spirit
• Distinguished
• Special

Target Audience

• Individuals who appreciate high-quality, craft spirits, value American heritage and Southern hospitality, and seek products that instill pride, exclusivity, and a sense of adventure. The audience includes those who identify with pioneering values and desire a premium, distinguished experience [^2].

Personality Traits

• Humble
• Conversational
• Knowledgeable
• Friendly
• Familiar
• Fun
• Generous
• Warm
• Welcoming
• Bold
• Confident
• Leader
• Risk Taker
• Distinguished
• Southern Heritage
• Educated
• Proud
• Adventurous
• Passionate
• Innovative

Visual Identity Overview

• The visual identity is defined by a classic, vintage aesthetic with a primary color palette of brown and tan, complemented by secondary accent colors. The logo features a stylized distillation apparatus and elegant script, emphasizing tradition and refinement. Typography uses Caslons Egyptian and Caslon Antique for a colonial, heritage feel. Imagery includes warm, genuine, candid shots, etchings, and rustic textures, all contributing to a cohesive, professional, and harmonious brand presentation [^3].

Categories

Brand Voice

• Brand Voice describes how we talk about our brand and determines how we want to be perceived. Think of it as A. Smith Bowman Distillery’s tone of voice. It’s not what we say, but how we say and write it. Our brand voice informs all of our written copy, including our website, social media messages, emails, and packaging.
• We are: • Humble (We never brag about ourselves) • Conversational (Easy To Communicate With) • Knowledgeable (But Not A Know-It-All) • Friendly (Warm & Welcoming) • Familiar (Like An Old Acquaintance) • Fun (Let’s Have A Good Time) • Generous (What Can We Do For You?)
• In everything we do, A. Smith Bowman Distillery should sound like the place to be and the people to know. By the nature of our business, we should always be fun, warm, and welcoming. Our interactions (both one-way communication and in-person) should exude the finest examples of Southern hospitality and friendliness. When it comes to our products, we know what goes into every drop and we have all the answers at the ready, but we’ve love to hear what others have to say, too!

Brand Imagery

• Brand Images are responsible to transfer the values of A. Smith Bowman Distillery to our customers or our potential customers. It is a composite psychological impression that continually changes with the brand’s circumstances, media coverage, performance, pronouncements, etc. A. Smith Bowman uses various brand advertising techniques to enhance our public image in order to improve our desirability as a supplier, employer, customer, borrower, partner, etc.
• Requirements: - Depth of field - Warm tones - Genuine, candid shots - Etching illustrations

Color Palette

• Color plays an important role in the A. Smith Bowman Distillery brand identity program. The colors below are recommendations for various media. A palette of primary colors has been developed, which comprise the “One Voice” color scheme. Consistent use of these colors will contribute to the cohesive and harmonious look of the A. Smith Bowman brand identity across all relevant media. Check with your designer or printer when using the brand colors that they will be always be consistent.
• A. Smith Bowman Distillery has two official colors: Brown and Tan. Use them as the dominant color palette for all internal and external visual presentations of the brand.
• PRIMARY COLOR BROWN COLOR CODES Pantone : 7519 CP sRGB : 94 81 69 HTML : #5E5145 CMYK : 24 42 45 68
• PRIMARY COLOR YELLOW COLOR CODES Pantone : 7506 CP sRGB : 242 219 179 HTML : #F2DBB3 CMYK : 00 07 25 01
• SECONDARY COLOR SYSTEM Explanation: The Secondary colors are complementary to our official colors. Usage: Use them to accent and support the primary color palette.
• Pantone : 174 CP HTML : #9C4124 sRGB : 155 65 36 CMYK : 08 86 100 36
• Pantone : 186 CP HTML : #C92A39 sRGB : 201 42 57 CMYK : 02 100 85 06
• METALLIC COLOR CODES Pantone : 186 CP sRGB : 137 118 75 HTML : #89764B
• DON’T CHANCE THE COLOR

Typography

• Typographic hierarchy is another form of visual hierarchy, a sub-hierarchy per se in an overall design project. Typographic hierarchy presents lettering so that the most important words are displayed with the most impact so users can scan text for key information. Typographic hierarchy creates contrast between elements. There are a variety of ways you can create a sense of hierarchy. Here are some of the most common techniques for A. Smith Bowman layouts.
• THE FONT Several digital revivals of Caslon’s Egyptian have been made, for commercial use Cyrus Highsmith of Font Bureau (adding an invented lower case) and for private use by Justin Howes and James Mosley. Howes’ revival is used for signage at Dulwich Picture Gallery, designed by Soane.
• SECONDARY FONT Caslons Egyptian DESIGNER : FONT BUREAU
• TYPE EXAMPLES CASLONS EGYPTIAN Bold ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz Regular ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz Figures 01234567890 Special Characters !“§$%&/()=?`;:¡“¶¢[]|{}≠¿‘ «∑®†Ω¨⁄ø𕱑æoe@∆ºª©ƒ∂‚å¥≈ç
• THE FONT Caslon Antique is a decorative American typeface that was designed in 1894 by Berne Nadall. It was originally called “Fifteenth Century,” but was renamed “Caslon Antique” by Nadall’s foundry, Barnhart Bros. & Spindler, in the mid1920s. The design of the typeface is meant to evoke the Colonial era.
• SECONDARY FONT Caslon Antique DESIGNER : BERNE NADALL
• TYPE EXAMPLES CASLON ANTIQUE Bold BCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST bcdefghijklmnopqrst U V W w X Y Z u v x y z Regular ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrs U V W Xx YZ tu v w y z Figures 01234567890 Special Characters !“§$%&/()=?`;:¡“¶¢[]|{}≠¿ «∑®†Ω¨⁄ø𕱑æoe@∆ºª©ƒ∂‚å¥≈ç
• Caption Text A. Smith Bowman Typography - Caslons Egyptian Light - Regular 6 pt Type / 9 pt Leading
• Copy Text A. Smith Bowman Typography - Caslons Egyptian Light - Regular 8 pt Type / 11 pt Leading
• Headlines Copytext A. SMITH BOWMAN TYPOGRAPHY - Caslons Egyptian Light - Capital Letters 10pt Type / 10pt Leading
• Sublines Sections SUBLINE TYPOGRAPHY - Caslons Egyptian Bold - Capital Letters 16pt Type / 16pt Leading
• Big Headlines and Title TITLE TYPOGRAPHY - Caslons Egyptian Bold - Capital Letters 34pt Type / 30 pt Leading
• Sequencer and Title for Marketing HEADLINE - Caslons Egyptian Bold - Capital Letters 48pt Type / 48 pt Leading

Logo Usage

• Our logo is the key building block of our identity, the primary visual element that identifies us. The signature is a combination of the symbol itself and our company name – they have a fixed relationship that should never be changed in any way.
• The A. Smith Bowman Distillery logo consists of the still, the signature, and DISTILLERY. The still can be used as an art element ONLY if the full or alternate logo mark is used somewhere in the design.
• The logo should be the primary presentation of the brand.
• Use of any stylized, animated, hand drawn, or other versions of an official logo is not permitted. This undermines the logo system and brand consistency. Please consult with A. Smith Bowman Trademark Licensing if you have any questions or need further help.
• This is the primary version of the logo. When adding the logo to a design, this version should be used first.
• The Logo Light Version will be used when the backround color is dark colored.
• The Logo Dark Version will be used when the backround color is light colored.
• Recommended formats: .eps I .ai I .png I .jpg I .tiff
• If the primary logo does not fit the space required due to the height of the still, this version of the logo can be used.
• Examples of places where this version of the logo can be used is: website banners, small promotional goods (i.e. pens/pencils), small ads with limited space, etc.
• It is important to keep brand marks clear of any other graphic elements. To regulate this, an exclusion zone has been established around the brand mark.
• Whenever using the logo, it should be surrounded with clear space to ensure its visibility and impact. No graphic elements of any kind should invade this zone.
• To work out the clearspace, use the width of the still all around the logo.
• Do not apply any of the following alterations to the logo design. Contact Madison+Main to discuss changes to logo appearance.
• DON’T ROTATE
• DON’T PUT INSIDE A SHAPE
• DON’T STRETCH
• DON’T SQUASH
• DON’T CHANCE THE COLOR

Tone And Messaging

• This brand guidelines document, which some might also call a brand style guide, should be used to govern the composition, design, and general look-and-feel of A. Smith Bowman Distillery’s branding and voice. These guidelines should dictate the content of our logo, website, advertisements, and any other marketing or sales collateral.
• Successful brands communicate consistently and clearly for their audiences, and this “rule book” will ensure that everyone involved with A. Smith Bowman Distillery stays on the same page and presents a unified vision of our brand to the public.
• “Pioneer Spirit” is much more than just a tagline. With just two simple words, “Pioneer Spirit” is a powerful creed that proudly remembers one of Virginia’s founding families, explains the American ethos, and represents the entirety of the work we do every day at A. Smith Bowman Distillery.
• Whenever you talk about the brand — whether online, on a label, in conversation, at a speaking engagement, anywhere, any time — refer to the company and the brand as A. Smith Bowman Distillery. In written communication, on second reference, A. Smith Bowman Distillery can be referred to as the Distillery. Make sure Distillery is capitalized if used as a proper noun. In most cases, if “the” is modifying “Distillery” it would be considered a proper noun.
• Maintaining a strict discipline when it comes to the name of the brand is very important to help us change the existing perception of the brand and our products. To successfully re-establish the Bowman name in the liquor world as a high-quality craft spirits brand, we need to change public perception. By using the full name in everything we do, we are making a clear delineation between the Bowman value bottles on the bottom shelf and A. Smith Bowman Distillery’s hand-crafted, award-winning products.
• Brand Voice describes how we talk about our brand and determines how we want to be perceived. Think of it as A. Smith Bowman Distillery’s tone of voice. It’s not what we say, but how we say and write it. Our brand voice informs all of our written copy, including our website, social media messages, emails, and packaging.
• We are: • Humble (We never brag about ourselves) • Conversational (Easy To Communicate With) • Knowledgeable (But Not A Know-It-All) • Friendly (Warm & Welcoming) • Familiar (Like An Old Acquaintance) • Fun (Let’s Have A Good Time) • Generous (What Can We Do For You?)
• In everything we do, A. Smith Bowman Distillery should sound like the place to be and the people to know. By the nature of our business, we should always be fun, warm, and welcoming. Our interactions (both one-way communication and in-person) should exude the finest examples of Southern hospitality and friendliness. When it comes to our products, we know what goes into every drop and we have all the answers at the ready, but we’ve love to hear what others have to say, too!

Brand Values

• Pioneer has numerous meanings, depending on the subject being described, but all of them boil down to one thing: Being first. Regarding the legacy of the A. Smith Bowman Distillery brand, we can easily stake claim to “pioneer” based on the fact that we are the oldest distillery in Virginia.
• Bravery in exploration, courage in battle, a quest for discovering the unknown — these are all early American ideals that are also the founding characteristics of the Bowman family legacy.
• “Pioneer Spirit” is much more than just a tagline. With just two simple words, “Pioneer Spirit” is a powerful creed that proudly remembers one of Virginia’s founding families, explains the American ethos, and represents the entirety of the work we do every day at A. Smith Bowman Distillery.
• Brand Images are responsible to transfer the values of A. Smith Bowman Distillery to our customers or our potential customers. It is a composite psychological impression that continually changes with the brand’s circumstances, media coverage, performance, pronouncements, etc. A. Smith Bowman uses various brand advertising techniques to enhance our public image in order to improve our desirability as a supplier, employer, customer, borrower, partner, etc.

Visual Style

• The signature is a combination of the symbol itself and our company name – they have a fixed relationship that should never be changed in any way.
• The still can be used as an art element ONLY if the full or alternate logo mark is used somewhere in the design.
• Use of any stylized, animated, hand drawn, or other versions of an official logo is not permitted. This undermines the logo system and brand consistency.
• The logo should be the primary presentation of the brand.
• The Logo Light Version will be used when the backround color is dark colored.
• The Logo Dark Version will be used when the backround color is light colored.
• Recommended formats: .eps I .ai I .png I .jpg I .tiff
• If the primary logo does not fit the space required due to the height of the still, this version of the logo can be used.
• It is important to keep brand marks clear of any other graphic elements. To regulate this, an exclusion zone has been established around the brand mark.
• Whenever using the logo, it should be surrounded with clear space to ensure its visibility and impact. No graphic elements of any kind should invade this zone.
• To work out the clearspace, use the width of the still all around the logo.
• Do not apply any of the following alterations to the logo design. Contact Madison+Main to discuss changes to logo appearance.
• DON’T ROTATE
• DON’T PUT INSIDE A SHAPE
• DON’T STRETCH
• DON’T SQUASH
• DON’T CHANCE THE COLOR
• Color plays an important role in the A. Smith Bowman Distillery brand identity program. The colors below are recommendations for various media. A palette of primary colors has been developed, which comprise the “One Voice” color scheme. Consistent use of these colors will contribute to the cohesive and harmonious look of the A. Smith Bowman brand identity across all relevant media. Check with your designer or printer when using the brand colors that they will be always be consistent.
• A. Smith Bowman Distillery has two official colors: Brown and Tan. Use them as the dominant color palette for all internal and external visual presentations of the brand.
• PRIMARY COLOR BROWN COLOR CODES Pantone : 7519 CP sRGB : 94 81 69 HTML : #5E5145 CMYK : 24 42 45 68
• PRIMARY COLOR YELLOW COLOR CODES Pantone : 7506 CP sRGB : 242 219 179 HTML : #F2DBB3 CMYK : 00 07 25 01
• The Secondary colors are complementary to our official colors. Use them to accent and support the primary color palette.
• Pantone : 174 CP HTML : #9C4124 sRGB : 155 65 36 CMYK : 08 86 100 36
• Pantone : 186 CP HTML : #C92A39 sRGB : 201 42 57 CMYK : 02 100 85 06
• Pantone : 186 CP sRGB : 137 118 75 HTML : #89764B

Additional Properties