Dooney & Bourke

📋 1 Guidelines

🔗 Connections

Sector

Fashion Consumer goods E commerce

Region

Usa

Guideline Year

2014

Language

English

Tags

Fashion

Official Websites

Brand Guidelines

2014

Brand Summary

Mission
  • To honor the techniques of old world leather craftsmanship while connecting customers to contemporary style, blending classic and contemporary elements to create enduring, quality products that foster connections across generations and communities.
Core Values
  • All-American
  • Family-focused
  • Fashion-forward
  • Tech-savvy
  • Resourceful but not cheap
  • Simple yet thoughtful
Target Audience
  • Primarily women in their late 40s with traditional values and a love for fashion, who seek to look up-to-date without being overly trendy, are comfortable with digital platforms, and are part of the sandwich generation caring for both children and parents.
Personality Traits
  • Whimsical
  • Nostalgic
  • Family-friendly
  • Engaged
  • Relatable
  • Helpful
  • Trustworthy
  • Welcoming
  • Compassionate
  • Respectful
Visual Identity Overview
  • The brand’s visual identity is built on strong typography, authentic photography, classic color palettes (Dooney Black and Blue), elegant and straightforward product styling, and seasonal visual shifts. It emphasizes clarity, white space, and harmonious integration of products and lifestyle imagery, with custom hand scripts and seasonal color themes to keep the look fresh and relatable.

Categories

Brand Voice
  • We’re passionate about how we speak to our consumers. Our approach includes everything from our Facebook page to our emails, advertisements, in-store signs, and receipts. The language, tone, and voice we use powerfully shape how the world recognizes our brand.
  • We care about our customers and this shows as we speak with warmth and respect. It’s critical that our customers know that we’re thinking of them as we offer ways we can help. just like the beautiful stitches on our goods, trust and loyalty is built into every detail of every interaction.
  • We speak to the story of craft, not the location of craft. Take liberty in prioritizing the fact that our products are hand-crafted by people with years of experience. Consumers don’t need to know where the products are made.
  • When talking about Dooney & Bourke products, place yourself in the shoes of the consumer, not the wholesaler. While manufacturing and distribution is important to us, it’s rarely relevant to our consumers.
  • Values define the way we live our brand. They inform every action we take and every word we speak.
  • Weare: All-American Family-focused Fashion-forward Tech-savvy Resourceful, but not cheap Simple yet thoughtful
  • Traits characterize the unique aspects of our brand. We promote these traits through our voice.
  • Whimsical and Nostalgic Family-friendly Engaged and Relatable Helpful Trustworthy Welcoming Compassionate Respectful
  • When we speak with our consumer, we drive welcoming and relatable conversations by using an active voice. It includes both “we” and “you” which warms up the conversation.
  • Speak often and speak clearly to the benefits of our products rather than the product features. Our handbags are more than just leather and hardware, they’re emotional allies with deep histories. Our commitment to craft is unmatched, and speaking to benefits helps customers envision how Dooney & Bourke fits into their lives.
  • Don’t be afraid to revise. Capture your initial thoughts and rewrite them to assure clear, concise communication.
  • Demonstrate the perfect place and time for our customers to enjoy their Dooney & Bourke product. Better yet, open them up to new occasions to enjoy our products. By unlocking new occasions for our customers, we demonstrate new opportunities for our brand to play out in their lives.
  • Without sacrificing a conversational tone and warm demeanor, keep communication short and to the point. Talk only about the purpose at hand. Address our audience’s core needs. Extravagant writing and lengthy prose cloak our brand promise.
  • When writing for Dooney & Bourke, it’s important that we’re consistent however not monotonous. We’re not all the same, and nor should our voice be. Our tone and voice are the underlying currents that activate all communication. They bring clarity and consistency while we serve as brand ambassadors. The more we communicate within a defined scope of brand tone and voice, the more more it becomes second nature.
  • Headlines are where we explore creative writing. It’s the headline that hooks and captures our audience, setting our brand in front of the myriad competitors racing for our customer’s attention in her everyday life.
  • Write with empathy and compassion.
  • Keep an even and calm tone.
  • Do your homework. Know our audience. Be sensitive to their needs and desires.
  • Don’t fake it. Know what you’re talking about.
  • Over-communicate our contact information. Make it easy to access us.
  • Be optimistic.
  • Be friendly, however not the “best friend.”
  • Ask questions and exchange pleasantries.
  • Take concerns offline and out of the public’s eye.
  • Our tone and voice are the underlying currents that activate all communication. They bring clarity and consistency while we serve as brand ambassadors.
  • The more we communicate within a defined scope of brand tone and voice, the more more it becomes second nature.
  • We don’t deviate from our established brand voice and tone. Proper grammar and punctuation is a must.
Brand Imagery
  • Our strategic creative direction defines the Dooney & Bourke brand in each and every product image. A picture (or video) is worth a thousand words and our brand personality is infused into all aspects of our photography. While vendors and wholesalers present our products at face value, our photography adds meaning by showcasing new ways that Dooney & Bourke can enhance customers’ lives.
  • Every moment our consumer spends with her Dooney is genuine. Through our lifestyle photography, we capture people and products in honest settings. Our products are deeply integrated into our consumers’ lives-everywhere from the office to a night out, and even to the gym. We use these photographs to cultivate moods and portray seasonal opportunities. They’re used on the website and in lookbooks.
  • Our products do not live in a vacuum. Each shot highlights people engaged with one another or, if alone, caught in a moment of their natural activity. A Dooney woman has a bold love for life. She is positive and openly interacts with the setting and product.
  • We don’t encourage our models to pose for the camera. If models happen to look into the camera, we make sure to catch the emotion in their expression.
  • Our product is the hero, even in lifestyle photography. We pay close attention to the product and highlight ways it clearly communicates our brand personality.
  • Create a straightforward look.
  • Shoot products either in straight-on or three-quarters view with the label clearly identifiable.
  • Balance products and models.
  • Models and products work together, but do not allow models to dominate the product. If anything, our product dominates the photo.
  • Demonstrate the commitment to craft.
  • Highlight the suppleness of the leather, the craft, and the hardware. We typically keep props to a minimum to maintain product focus and avoid over-styling the setting.
  • Support the scene with our products.
  • When using props, use our product assortments. If pulling from outside of our product repertoire, deliver on our brand promise and keep the scene within the grasp of our customer’s lifestyle and aspirations. We work with American heritage brands that do not directly compete with us.
  • Our lifestyle photography portrays the natural look of our consumer. We strive for balanced lighting without heavy shadows. We use selective focus to highlight people and product interacting. This allows the background and foreground to become softer in focus.
  • Use natural light when possible.
  • Avoid using heavy flash.
  • When studio lighting is necessary, it should look natural.
  • When possible, we shoot in real locations that reflect the demographics of our customers. When we go into the studio, we carefully style our shoots to appear as real settings. We encourage our customers to achieve more by engineering aspirational aspects within each setting. However, we’re mindful that these aspirations are never too far out of the realistic grasp of our customer’s imagination.
  • For location themes, we consider how our products are relevant to our customer’s lives. These decisions are evaluated on a seasonal basis at our creative summit. Diverse locations help demonstrate honest aspirations and reflect the reality of how functional our products can be across different contexts.
  • In contrast to our lifestyle photography, we take a far more straight forward approach for our product photography. The primary purpose of our product photography is to give our customer the most realistic possible depiction of our goods while viewing online.
  • Our products are shot in insolation with studio lighting on a white background. Each shot fits within one of the following conventions:
  • Shot 1: Straight forward Shoot product with a straight-on view with the labeling clearly identifiable.
  • Shot 2: Angle left Shoot products on a 45 degree angle to the left with the labeling clearly identifiable (if possible).
  • Shot 3: Reverse Shoot the product’s reverse with a straight-on view.
  • Shot 4: Interior detail Shoot product interior detail from the top down, highlight key design details like hardware, zippers, or unique interior features.
  • Shot 5: Mannequin Shoot product with a straight-on view in context with a neutral mannequin. Mannequin should be headless, human-scale, and upholstered in a neutral beige or grey textile.
Color Palette
  • DOONEY BLACK (BASIC) HEX #000000
  • DOONEY BLUE HEX # 152D53
  • To maintain a seamless visual foundation, integrate Dooney Black and Dooney Blue into all communication.
  • Core colors are drawn from our brand legacy and reflect our core essence (logo icon, seasonal patterns, and supple leathers).
  • We take great pride in our core brand. We focus on crafting a vivid future which sets us apart from other industry leaders. Our flexible core brand colors, Dooney Black and Blue, ground our visuals and facilitate compelling visual stories.
  • At our annual creative visioning summit, we project seasonal color themes and strategies that are implemented throughout the course of the year.
  • If we’re trying to express a colorful message, we use photography and illustration. We don’t change the colors of words. We avoid attempting to communicate with visual manipulation of our words.
  • Forms, icons, and buttons are displayed to scale in black and grey here. On our website, they sometimes appear in Dooney Blue. We also explore seasonal color shifts.
Typography
  • As illustrated by our bold logotypes, strong typography is paramount in the Dooney & Bourke brand. This sturdy foundation allows us to refresh our seasonal communication with inspired and layered branded treatments.
  • The Calluna family (serif and sans serif) is our house font. Not unlike our products, Calluna is rich with refined nuance and bold practicality. It strikes the delicate balance of legibility for online reading with luxury features like fine serifs and graceful strokes. Combining serif and sans serif, we reference our historical craftsman roots while ensuring our brand is contemporary and fresh.
  • Calluna serif is the primary font used throughout all digital applications that require extensive reading. The font’s scaleable design works well for sizes ranging from body text to larger displays.
  • PRIMARY: Calluna SECONDARY: Calluna Sans
  • CALLUNA ITALIC SIZE: 40px LEADING: 40px TRACKING: 10px KERNING: OPTICAL
  • CALLUNA SANS REGULAR SIZE: 18px
  • KERNING: OPTICAL
  • CALLUNA SANS REGULAR SIZE: 18px LEADING: 44px KERNING: OPTICAL
  • CALLUNA SEMI BOLD SIZE: 50px KERNING: OPTICAL
  • CALLUNA SANS REGULAR SIZE: 16px TRACKING: 50px KERNING: OPTICAL
  • CALLUNA ITALIC SIZE: 16px KERNING: OPTICAL
  • CALLUNA SANS LIGHT SIZE: 12px KERNING: OPTICAL
  • Our typography is elegant and classic. We don’t shift our messages on jaunty angles. If we want to express whimsy or fun, we create illustrations or stage photography to communicate these goals.
  • If we’re trying to express a colorful message, we use photography and illustration. We don’t change the colors of words. We avoid attempting to communicate with visual manipulation of our words.
  • We take pride in the details. We never skew or transform typography in disproportionate ways.
  • We always leave enough white space between different types of text.
  • In this case, the hashtag should be at least it’s full height away from the thematic message.
  • We use the sans serif family as a secondary font to add texture and depth. The sans variation is also used to build out seasonal campaign variations while preserving brand integrity.
  • At the foundation, our essence is strong typography and authentic photography.
  • Primary and seasonal typography coexist harmoniously within the homepage. Our homepage is a dynamic stage where seasonal opportunities stand out. It’s built using common graphic blocks that change often, showcasing new products and projects.
  • Calluna serif is the primary font used throughout the site in the following sections. To maintain legibility for all of our customers, young and old, we never use serif below 12px. On special occasions, we may use smaller serif text in all caps only when we can refine the letter spacing.
  • Headings Body copy Price Large buttons Primary navigation Breadcrumb PRIMARY Calluna SECONDARY Calluna Sans
  • Calluna Sans is a secondary font used to add dimension to our design in the following sections. We also use it to build seasonal campaign variations.
  • Specialty shops Blog Special messages under the main navigation Product details (color, SKU, availability, quantity and size selectors) Tab titles
  • Use adequate type sizes that are easily legible.
Logo Usage
  • Use the full logotype (above) with plenty of white space. We make sure to leave at least 170% space above and below.
  • Use the ligature logotype (below) when space is a premium (like social media icons). In this scenario, we make sure to leave 55% white space around the centered ligature.
  • Both of the primary typographic logos (icon ligature and full logo) appear on white backgrounds throughout all digital applications.
  • Our consumers trust our logos as they’re the keys that unlock the brand essence. Throughout all of our digital communication, our logo is presented with clarity and pride.
Tone And Messaging
  • Digital communication is not a single top-down procedure starting with our brand and ending with our audience. It’s a complex creative process of encoding and decoding messages. Words, tone, tense and the channels through which we speak create rich and multi-layered connections. We aren’t neutral communicators. We’re devoted authors with a collective passion for the Dooney & Bourke brand. We avoid creating “rules” as it’s nearly impossible to create a hard-and-fast prescription for all of our communication.
  • We’re passionate about how we speak to our consumers. Our approach includes everything from our Facebook page to our emails, advertisements, in-store signs, and receipts. The language, tone, and voice we use powerfully shape how the world recognizes our brand.
  • We care about our customers and this shows as we speak with warmth and respect. It’s critical that our customers know that we’re thinking of them as we offer ways we can help. just like the beautiful stitches on our goods, trust and loyalty is built into every detail of every interaction.
  • We speak to the story of craft, not the location of craft. Take liberty in prioritizing the fact that our products are hand-crafted by people with years of experience. Consumers don’t need to know where the products are made.
  • When talking about Dooney & Bourke products, place yourself in the shoes of the consumer, not the wholesaler. While manufacturing and distribution is important to us, it’s rarely relevant to our consumers.
  • Values define the way we live our brand. They inform every action we take and every word we speak.
  • Weare: All-American Family-focused Fashion-forward Tech-savvy Resourceful, but not cheap Simple yet thoughtful
  • Traits characterize the unique aspects of our brand. We promote these traits through our voice.
  • Whimsical and Nostalgic Family-friendly Engaged and Relatable Helpful Trustworthy Welcoming Compassionate Respectful
  • When we speak with our consumer, we drive welcoming and relatable conversations by using an active voice. It includes both “we” and “you” which warms up the conversation.
  • Speak often and speak clearly to the benefits of our products rather than the product features. Our handbags are more than just leather and hardware, they’re emotional allies with deep histories. Our commitment to craft is unmatched, and speaking to benefits helps customers envision how Dooney & Bourke fits into their lives.
  • TIP Don’t be afraid to revise. Capture your initial thoughts and rewrite them to assure clear, concise communication.
  • Demonstrate the perfect place and time for our customers to enjoy their Dooney & Bourke product. Better yet, open them up to new occasions to enjoy our products. By unlocking new occasions for our customers, we demonstrate new opportunities for our brand to play out in their lives.
  • Without sacrificing a conversational tone and warm demeanor, keep communication short and to the point. Talk only about the purpose at hand. Address our audience’s core needs. Extravagant writing and lengthy prose cloak our brand promise.
  • When writing for Dooney & Bourke, it’s important that we’re consistent however not monotonous. We’re not all the same, and nor should our voice be. Our tone and voice are the underlying currents that activate all communication. They bring clarity and consistency while we serve as brand ambassadors. The more we communicate within a defined scope of brand tone and voice, the more more it becomes second nature.
  • Headlines are where we explore creative writing. It’s the headline that hooks and captures our audience, setting our brand in front of the myriad competitors racing for our customer’s attention in her everyday life.
  • Write with empathy and compassion.
  • Keep an even and calm tone.
  • Do your homework. Know our audience. Be sensitive to their needs and desires.
  • Don’t fake it. Know what you’re talking about.
  • Over-communicate our contact information. Make it easy to access us.
  • Be optimistic.
  • Be friendly, however not the “best friend.”
  • Ask questions and exchange pleasantries.
  • Take concerns offline and out of the public’s eye.
  • Our writing is engaging without being provocative or at all offensive to Dooney & Bourke’s diverse audiences. We don’t deviate from our established brand voice and tone. Proper grammar and punctuation is a must.
  • Be transparent and truthful.
  • Post content that is timely and relevant to the moment.
Brand Values
  • Values define the way we live our brand. They inform every action we take and every word we speak.
  • Weare: All-American Family-focused Fashion-forward Tech-savvy Resourceful, but not cheap Simple yet thoughtful
Visual Style
  • Both of the primary typographic logos (icon ligature and full logo) appear on white backgrounds throughout all digital applications.
  • Use the full logotype (above) with plenty of white space. We make sure to leave at least 170% space above and below.
  • Use the ligature logotype (below) when space is a premium (like social media icons). In this scenario, we make sure to leave 55% white space around the centered ligature.
  • DOONEY BLACK (BASIC) HEX #000000
  • DOONEY BLUE HEX # 152D53
  • The Calluna family (serif and sans serif) is our house font. Not unlike our products, Calluna is rich with refined nuance and bold practicality. It strikes the delicate balance of legibility for online reading with luxury features like fine serifs and graceful strokes. Combining serif and sans serif, we reference our historical craftsman roots while ensuring our brand is contemporary and fresh.
  • Calluna serif is the primary font used throughout all digital applications that require extensive reading. The font’s scaleable design works well for sizes ranging from body text to larger displays.
  • PRIMARY: Calluna SECONDARY: Calluna Sans
  • CALLUNA ITALIC SIZE: 40px LEADING: 40px TRACKING: 10px KERNING: OPTICAL
  • CALLUNA SANS REGULAR SIZE: 18px
  • CALLUNA SANS REGULAR SIZE: 18px LEADING: 44px KERNING: OPTICAL
  • CALLUNA SEMI BOLD SIZE: 50px KERNING: OPTICAL
  • CALLUNA SANS REGULAR SIZE: 16px TRACKING: 50px KERNING: OPTICAL
  • CALLUNA ITALIC SIZE: 16px KERNING: OPTICAL
  • CALLUNA SANS LIGHT SIZE: 12px KERNING: OPTICAL
  • Our typography is elegant and classic. We don’t shift our messages on jaunty angles. If we want to express whimsy or fun, we create illustrations or stage photography to communicate these goals.
  • If we’re trying to express a colorful message, we use photography and illustration. We don’t change the colors of words. We avoid attempting to communicate with visual manipulation of our words.
  • We take pride in the details. We never skew or transform typography in disproportionate ways.
  • We always leave enough white space between different types of text.
  • In this case, the hashtag should be at least it’s full height away from the thematic message.
  • We rely on our classic visual tools because of their proven credibility. To maintain a seamless visual foundation, integrate Dooney Black and Dooney Blue into all communication.
  • Core colors are drawn from our brand legacy and reflect our core essence (logo icon, seasonal patterns, and supple leathers).
  • Our website design is driven by a 960px grid system. All images and features align within the grid’s subdivisions. Each content zone, whether it’s Header or Social, is modular. We work with alternating layouts that respond to the design opportunities emerging from our seasonal marketing process.
  • Forms, icons, and buttons are displayed to scale in black and grey here. On our website, they sometimes appear in Dooney Blue. We also explore seasonal color shifts.
  • Our header provides global consistency, functionality, and familiarity. Its structure doesn’t change often, as it anchors our user experience.
  • We don’t include more than eight navigation items in the main menu to ensure the design is legible and accessible.
  • Our persistent footer is also consistent over time. It offers a quick way to navigate to key areas of our site, sign up for email updates or visit our social profiles.
  • It’s important that users across a wide variety of devices and abilities can access our content and shop online. We following a few basic best practices that go a long way toward building an accessible web experience.
  • Provide plenty of contrast in the design.
  • Use adequate type sizes that are easily legible.
Iconography
  • Icons and buttons help our users identify common functions. The design of our Ul elements are simple, flat, and clean. This helps keep our digital communication timeless.
  • Forms, icons, and buttons are displayed to scale in black and grey here. On our website, they sometimes appear in Dooney Blue. We also explore seasonal color shifts.
Layout And Composition
  • Use the full logotype (above) with plenty of white space. We make sure to leave at least 170% space above and below.
  • Use the ligature logotype (below) when space is a premium (like social media icons). In this scenario, we make sure to leave 55% white space around the centered ligature.
  • Our typography is elegant and classic. We don’t shift our messages on jaunty angles. If we want to express whimsy or fun, we create illustrations or stage photography to communicate these goals.
  • If we’re trying to express a colorful message, we use photography and illustration. We don’t change the colors of words. We avoid attempting to communicate with visual manipulation of our words.
  • We take pride in the details. We never skew or transform typography in disproportionate ways.
  • We always leave enough white space between different types of text.
  • In this case, the hashtag should be at least it’s full height away from the thematic message.
  • Our website design is driven by a 960px grid system. All images and features align within the grid’s subdivisions. Each content zone, whether it’s Header or Social, is modular. We work with alternating layouts that respond to the design opportunities emerging from our seasonal marketing process.
  • We don’t include more than eight navigation items in the main menu to ensure the design is legible and accessible.
  • Forms, icons, and buttons are displayed to scale in black and grey here. On our website, they sometimes appear in Dooney Blue. We also explore seasonal color shifts.
  • Calluna serif is the primary font used throughout the site in the following sections. To maintain legibility for all of our customers, young and old, we never use serif below 12px. On special occasions, we may use smaller serif text in all caps only when we can refine the letter spacing.
  • Our homepage is a dynamic stage where seasonal opportunities stand out. It’s built using common graphic blocks that change often, showcasing new products and projects.
  • Our homepage strikes a reasonable balance among product content and editorial content. Generally, 70% or our layout is dedicated to products and 30% is editorial content that can eventually lead users to products.
Digital Guidelines
  • Throughout all of our digital communication, our logo is presented with clarity and pride.
  • Both of the primary typographic logos (icon ligature and full logo) appear on white backgrounds throughout all digital applications.
  • Use the full logotype (above) with plenty of white space. We make sure to leave at least 170% space above and below.
  • Use the ligature logotype (below) when space is a premium (like social media icons). In this scenario, we make sure to leave 55% white space around the centered ligature.
  • Integrate Dooney Black and Dooney Blue into all communication.
  • DOONEY BLACK (BASIC) HEX #000000
  • DOONEY BLUE HEX # 152D53
  • Calluna serif is the primary font used throughout all digital applications that require extensive reading. The font’s scaleable design works well for sizes ranging from body text to larger displays.
  • PRIMARY: Calluna; SECONDARY: Calluna Sans
  • CALLUNA ITALIC SIZE: 40px LEADING: 40px TRACKING: 10px KERNING: OPTICAL
  • CALLUNA SANS REGULAR SIZE: 18px
  • CALLUNA SANS REGULAR SIZE: 18px LEADING: 44px KERNING: OPTICAL
  • CALLUNA SEMI BOLD SIZE: 50px KERNING: OPTICAL
  • CALLUNA SANS REGULAR SIZE: 16px TRACKING: 50px KERNING: OPTICAL
  • CALLUNA ITALIC SIZE: 16px KERNING: OPTICAL
  • CALLUNA SANS LIGHT SIZE: 12px KERNING: OPTICAL
  • Our typography is elegant and classic. We don’t shift our messages on jaunty angles. If we want to express whimsy or fun, we create illustrations or stage photography to communicate these goals.
  • If we’re trying to express a colorful message, we use photography and illustration. We don’t change the colors of words. We avoid attempting to communicate with visual manipulation of our words.
  • We take pride in the details. We never skew or transform typography in disproportionate ways.
  • We always leave enough white space between different types of text.
  • In this case, the hashtag should be at least it’s full height away from the thematic message.
  • Our website design is driven by a 960px grid system. All images and features align within the grid’s subdivisions.
  • Make sure everything works with a keyboard.
  • Mark up forms semantically.
  • Provide plenty of contrast in the design.
  • Use adequate type sizes that are easily legible.
  • Ensure that screen reader software knows what our controls do.
  • Test our websites using screen reader software.
  • Calluna serif is the primary font used throughout the site in the following sections. To maintain legibility for all of our customers, young and old, we never use serif below 12px. On special occasions, we may use smaller serif text in all caps only when we can refine the letter spacing.
  • Headings; Body copy; Price; Large buttons; Primary navigation; Breadcrumb
  • Calluna Sans is a secondary font used to add dimension to our design in the following sections. We also use it to build seasonal campaign variations.
  • Specialty shops; Blog; Special messages under the main navigation; Product details (color, SKU, availability, quantity and size selectors); Tab titles
  • Forms, icons, and buttons are displayed to scale in black and grey here. On our website, they sometimes appear in Dooney Blue. We also explore seasonal color shifts.
Accessibility Guidelines
  • It’s important that users across a wide variety of devices and abilities can access our content and shop online. We following a few basic best practices that go a long way toward building an accessible web experience.
  • These common priorities help us craft practical interfaces for our users with disabilities:
  • Make sure everything works with a keyboard.
  • Mark up forms semantically.
  • Provide plenty of contrast in the design.
  • Use adequate type sizes that are easily legible.
  • Ensure that screen reader software knows what our controls do.
  • Test our websites using screen reader software.
  • Calluna serif is the primary font used throughout the site in the following sections. To maintain legibility for all of our customers, young and old, we never use serif below 12px. On special occasions, we may use smaller serif text in all caps only when we can refine the letter spacing.
  • TIP We don’t include more than eight navigation items in the main menu to ensure the design is legible and accessible.
Email Guidelines
  • ln its Email Newsletter Usability Report, The Nielsen Norman Group reported that the average reader skims a newsletter for 51 seconds. People don’t read-they scan for content that is of interest to them. If we squeeze too much information into an email, we overwhelm recipients. Our content gets straight to the point, and we use short paragraphs and bullet points when necessary.
  • Use these tips to create engaging emails for our consumers:
  • Write an attractive subject line. This is one of the first things that recipients look at when deciding whether or not to open an email.
  • Ensure that the content and design work well on both small and large screens. We test every email before we send it to our list.
  • Provide concise, useful, and well-written content.
  • Offer exclusive deals. Make sure that there are clear actions for readers to take, and that all the links work properly.
  • Keep it simple and straightforward.
  • Analyze email results to tweak how often and when to send emails.
  • When creating an email for our dooney.com customers, use a single column layout for an easy read at the desk or on-the-go. The layout should use bright engaging imagery and seasonal elements for consistency across platforms. Special occasion emails can introduce new elements in the main photo area.
  • Use promo code MOM25 at checkout to get your extra $25 off.
  • Order by 11pm Eastern Time on May 5th to get free guaranteed shipping by Mother’s Day.
  • Unsubscribe
  • Transactional emails are sent automatically from our website. Though not as elaborate, these are just as important as standard emails.
  • By making the order confirmation and shipping processes easy to understand, we are encouraging our customers to return. Keep transactional emails clean and well organized, and include customer service information so no question is overlooked or left unanswered.
  • Special occasion emails offer an alternative layout that relies on one large image. These can be used for content features or significant announcements when the message is short but important.
Website Guidelines
  • Our website is a primary communication channel and design is the most effective and efficient way we innovate our brand. Strategic seasonal shifts in visuals and voice can create uniquely different looks within the same homepage layout. By designing a new grid layout for the web homepage, an even more distinctive image is achieved.
  • Our homepage is a dynamic stage where seasonal opportunities stand out. It’s built using common graphic blocks that change often, showcasing new products and projects.
  • Our header provides global consistency, functionality, and familiarity. Its structure doesn’t change often, as it anchors our user experience.
  • The top right corner of our header offers links to specialty shops built around specific consumer segments or occasions. Up to three links can exist here at any time. This area also includes icons for common needs: Search, My Account, My Bag, and Contact Us.
  • TIP We don’t include more than eight navigation items in the main menu to ensure the design is legible and accessible.
  • Our persistent footer is also consistent over time. It offers a quick way to navigate to key areas of our site, sign up for email updates or visit our social profiles.
  • This homepage zone is where our seasonal content shines. It’s the first place where a new website user experiences fresh images, text, and video that invites them into our brand.
  • Here, graphic blocks tell our story and are seasonally relevant. Colors, type, images, and video are all connected to our current seasonal theme. They visualize the Dooney & Bourke spirit while showcasing products in context.
  • Our homepage strikes a reasonable balance among product content and editorial content. Generally, 70% or our layout is dedicated to products and 30% is editorial content that can eventually lead users to products.
  • Our website design is driven by a 960px grid system. All images and features align within the grid’s subdivisions. Each content zone, whether it’s Header or Social, is modular. We work with alternating layouts that respond to the design opportunities emerging from our seasonal marketing process.
  • It’s important that users across a wide variety of devices and abilities can access our content and shop online. We following a few basic best practices that go a long way toward building an accessible web experience.
  • These common priorities help us craft practical interfaces for our users with disabilities: Make sure everything works with a keyboard. Mark up forms semantically. Provide plenty of contrast in the design. Use adequate type sizes that are easily legible. Ensure that screen reader software knows what our controls do. Test our websites using screen reader software.
  • Forms, icons, and buttons are displayed to scale in black and grey here. On our website, they sometimes appear in Dooney Blue. We also explore seasonal color shifts.
  • Calluna serif is the primary font used throughout the site in the following sections. To maintain legibility for all of our customers, young and old, we never use serif below 12px. On special occasions, we may use smaller serif text in all caps only when we can refine the letter spacing.
  • Calluna Sans is a secondary font used to add dimension to our design in the following sections. We also use it to build seasonal campaign variations.
Product Styling
  • Our product is the hero, even in lifestyle photography. We pay close attention to the product and highlight ways it clearly communicates our brand personality.
  • Create a straightforward look.
  • Shoot products either in straight-on or three-quarters view with the label clearly identifiable.
  • Balance products and models.
  • Models and products work together, but do not allow models to dominate the product. If anything, our product dominates the photo.
  • Demonstrate the commitment to craft.
  • Highlight the suppleness of the leather, the craft, and the hardware. We typically keep props to a minimum to maintain product focus and avoid over-styling the setting.
  • Support the scene with our products.
  • When using props, use our product assortments. If pulling from outside of our product repertoire, deliver on our brand promise and keep the scene within the grasp of our customer’s lifestyle and aspirations. We work with American heritage brands that do not directly compete with us.
  • Our lifestyle photography portrays the natural look of our consumer. We strive for balanced lighting without heavy shadows. We use selective focus to highlight people and product interacting. This allows the background and foreground to become softer in focus.
  • Keep the following guidelines in mind:
  • Use natural light when possible.
  • Avoid using heavy flash.
  • When studio lighting is necessary, it should look natural.
  • When possible, we shoot in real locations that reflect the demographics of our customers. When we go into the studio, we carefully style our shoots to appear as real settings. We encourage our customers to achieve more by engineering aspirational aspects within each setting. However, we’re mindful that these aspirations are never too far out of the realistic grasp of our customer’s imagination.
  • For location themes, we consider how our products are relevant to our customer’s lives. These decisions are evaluated on a seasonal basis at our creative summit. Diverse locations help demonstrate honest aspirations and reflect the reality of how functional our products can be across different contexts.
  • In contrast to our lifestyle photography, we take a far more straight forward approach for our product photography. The primary purpose of our product photography is to give our customer the most realistic possible depiction of our goods while viewing online.
  • Our products are shot in insolation with studio lighting on a white background. Each shot fits within one of the following conventions:
  • Shot 1: Straight forward Shoot product with a straight-on view with the labeling clearly identifiable.
  • Shot 2: Angle left Shoot products on a 45 degree angle to the left with the labeling clearly identifiable (if possible).
  • Shot 3: Reverse Shoot the product’s reverse with a straight-on view.
  • Shot 4: Interior detail Shoot product interior detail from the top down, highlight key design details like hardware, zippers, or unique interior features.
  • Shot 5: Mannequin Shoot product with a straight-on view in context with a neutral mannequin. Mannequin should be headless, human-scale, and upholstered in a neutral beige or grey textile.
Lifestyle Guidelines
  • Every moment our consumer spends with her Dooney is genuine. Through our lifestyle photography, we capture people and products in honest settings. Our products are deeply integrated into our consumers’ lives-everywhere from the office to a night out, and even to the gym. We use these photographs to cultivate moods and portray seasonal opportunities. They’re used on the website and in lookbooks.
  • Our products do not live in a vacuum. Each shot highlights people engaged with one another or, if alone, caught in a moment of their natural activity. A Dooney woman has a bold love for life. She is positive and openly interacts with the setting and product.
  • We don’t encourage our models to pose for the camera. If models happen to look into the camera, we make sure to catch the emotion in their expression.
  • Our lifestyle photography portrays the natural look of our consumer. We strive for balanced lighting without heavy shadows. We use selective focus to highlight people and product interacting. This allows the background and foreground to become softer in focus.
  • Use natural light when possible.
  • Avoid using heavy flash.
  • When studio lighting is necessary, it should look natural.
  • When possible, we shoot in real locations that reflect the demographics of our customers. When we go into the studio, we carefully style our shoots to appear as real settings. We encourage our customers to achieve more by engineering aspirational aspects within each setting. However, we’re mindful that these aspirations are never too far out of the realistic grasp of our customer’s imagination.
  • For location themes, we consider how our products are relevant to our customer’s lives. These decisions are evaluated on a seasonal basis at our creative summit. Diverse locations help demonstrate honest aspirations and reflect the reality of how functional our products can be across different contexts.
Seasonal Guidelines
  • Our brand is built on the finest natural materials that carry us through season after season. Beyond the classic functionality of our most treasured leather goods, we pride ourselves in opening new occasions for all of our customers. When we model dynamic, quarterly seasonal shifts in our campaign marketing, we inspire our customers with new and frequent purchasing opportunities.
  • We take great pride in our core brand. We focus on crafting a vivid future which sets us apart from other industry leaders. Our flexible core brand colors, Dooney Black and Blue, ground our visuals and facilitate compelling visual stories. At our annual creative visioning summit, we project seasonal color themes and strategies that are implemented throughout the course of the year.
  • Each season, we work with our creative team to design a relatable, custom hand script. Through this, we maintain an active, fresh, and compassionate voice that speaks to our consumer’s heart. We favor relatable, friendly gestures that encourage purchasing opportunities. A whimsical hand script is a perfect messaging companion for any product-whether it’s a seasonal favorite or an MLB exclusive.
  • A whimsical hand script is a perfect messaging companion for any product-whether it’s a seasonal favorite or an MLB exclusive.
  • If we find ourselves in a situation where we don’t use a custom hand script for our seasonal shift, we explore unique fonts that reflect the seasonal content themes.
  • Continuity throughout all communication channels is essential to building and maintaining trust. With the launch of each new seasonal look, we take terrific care to ensure consistency (custom graphics, fonts, and photographs). Continuity throughout all communication channels is essential to building and maintaining trust.
  • For example, when exploring the seasonal theme “Summer Fun,” we ensure clear visual links are established between the communication applications. All of our brand elements, ranging from written content to color swatches, speak harmoniously. Translation between each touch point positions us to authentically tell our story.
  • Primary and seasonal typography coexist harmoniously within the homepage. Our homepage is a dynamic stage where seasonal opportunities stand out. It’s built using common graphic blocks that change often, showcasing new products and projects.
  • Our homepage is a dynamic stage where seasonal opportunities stand out. It’s built using common graphic blocks that change often, showcasing new products and projects.
  • This homepage zone is where our seasonal content shines. It’s the first place where a new website user experiences fresh images, text, and video that invites them into our brand. Here, graphic blocks tell our story and are seasonally relevant. Colors, type, images, and video are all connected to our current seasonal theme. They visualize the Dooney & Bourke spirit while showcasing products in context.
  • This zone offers opportunities to engage on social channels, view recent content from the social community, and purchase specific products. It’s flexible however should always include rich content that’s relevant to the season, special occasions, or promotional campaign.
  • Forms, icons, and buttons are displayed to scale in black and grey here. On our website, they sometimes appear in Dooney Blue. We also explore seasonal color shifts.
  • The layout should use bright engaging imagery and seasonal elements for consistency across platforms. Special occasion emails can introduce new elements in the main photo area.
🐛 Report