Icertis

Official Websites

• https://www.icertis.com
• https://help.icertis.com

Brand Guidelines

2016

Brand Summary

Mission

• To make software that works with people and that people want to work with, fundamentally altering the way businesses operate by improving collaboration, communication, and contracting. The goal is to change enterprise business forever and keep changing it [^1].

Core Values

• Fearlessness
• Restlessness
• Collaboration
• Challenging the status quo
• Openness
• Genuineness
• Ownership of mistakes
• Customer delight
• Continuous innovation

Target Audience

• Organizations and enterprises seeking innovative, user-friendly contract management solutions that improve collaboration, communication, and contracting [^2].

Personality Traits

• Fearless
• Factual
• Confident
• Sophisticated
• Challenging
• Plainspoken
• Genuine
• Honest

Visual Identity Overview

• The visual identity is clean, modern, and minimalistic, featuring geometric abstraction, vibrant core colors (blue, red, white, black), and a dynamic yet serene aesthetic. It uses authentic, candid photography, clear typographical hierarchy with Gotham as the primary font, and consistent logo usage with strict guidelines for spacing, color, and placement. Visual elements include grids, textures, and document shapes layered for interest without distraction [^3].

Categories

Brand Voice

• At Icertis, we write precisely. We pay attention to our diction and choose simple, straightforward language over technical jargon or hollow marketing patter. Our tone is journalistic and scholarly without becoming stuffy or professorial. A good example of voice (albeit in British English, not American English) is found in The Economist. Like the editors of that publication, we trust our readers to understand the nuances of the language and we are not afraid to use the right word when we need to.
• In copy, Icertis is always written with a capital I like this: Icertis. And never with a capital C like this: iCertis.
• For specific questions regarding American English grammar style and usage, please refer to the Chicago Manual of Style.
• Like This The Icertis Contract Management Platform is designed to give your employees control over their user experience. The dashboard can easily be configured by role or process and can be changed to suit personal preferences without having to involve IT.
• Not Like This The Icertis Contract Management Platform is built on a proprietary cloud-based architecture which enables unprecedented configurability at the end-user level without the need to consume valuable IT resources. The dashboard UI can be modified to align with core business objectives, individual roles and responsibilities or even end-user preferences.
• Not Like This Your team has enough to worry about without having to arm-wrestle their software into doing what they need. That’s why Icertis was designed with you in mind. Just want to see the big picture reports? You got it. Need to pull up all your expiring contracts with a click? Done. And you can do all of this without having to deal with the hassle of bringing IT into the picture.
• Why? Confident, clear and concise. Acknowledges the people who use the product.
• Why Not? Verbose, complicated, hyperbolic. Impersonal.
• Why Not? Salesy. Overly familiar.
• Talks down to audience.

Brand Imagery

• All our photos feel authentic and candid; the places are real, and the models look like real people in real situations.
• lcertis is a global brand, and we use a diverse set of models. Photos should look like they could have been taken at any business center in the world.
• Natural light, realistic poses.
• Feels real and is not over-composed.
• Spontaneous feel. Subject is not a model.
• Perspective makes viewer feel present.
• Sense of place, authentic device use.
• Realistic interior.
• In addition to choosing the right photo, some editing is often required before a photo is appropriate for the lcertis brand.
• By adding a hint of grain to the photo you can help make the photograph feel less staged and more editorial.
• Finally, to allow the document shapes to stand out when overlaid on the photograph, it is often necessary to desaturate the photo, making the photo colors less vivid.
• Our images are never staged, phony or too-happy-to-be-true. We don’t use abstract images. And our models never look directly at the camera.
• Fake enthusiasm. Unrealistic point of view.
• Colors are too vibrant.
• Models are crammed into frame and feigning interest.
• Not a business setting.
• Feels staged and unnatural.
• Contrived photographic illustration.
• Photo used as symbol. Contrived photographic illustration.
• Too out-of-focus, too abstract.
• Model is looking directly at camera.
• No sense of place. Hand is in unnatural position.
• When using a hero image, follow the photography guidelines and then layer the grid over the image. The headline should be simple and straightforward, and the typography is clear and legible on a white background.
• No contract shapes should cover or touch the model’s face.
• Sign off with the logo on the bottom right or top left.

Color Palette

• lcertis Blue and lcertis Red along with a pure white and pure black are the colors we use in our logo.
• The black and 80% gray are the colors we use for the vast majority of our typography.
• Pantone 285 CMYK 90 48 0 0 RGB 0 I 119 I 235 #0077EB
• CMYK 0 0 0 ] 80 RGB 77 77 77 #4D4D4D
• Pantone 1788 CMYK 0 I 96 I 89 I 0 RGB 251 I 41 I 31 #FB1F29
• CMYK CMYK 0 0 l0lo 0 0 0 ] 100 RGB RGB 255 I 255 I 255 35 I 35 I 35 #FFFFFF #232323
• These colors are meant to be used for filling in document shapes on the grid. Use sparingly and do not substitute.
• Usage of the Neon PMS version is always preferred. When that is not an option, use the alternate Pantone values provided.
• NEON: PMS 802 NEON: PMS 809 Pantone 2270 Pantone 381 CMYK CMYK 65 0 79 0 28 0 100 0 RGB RGB 0 I 198 I 80 196 I 214 I 0 #00C650 #C4D600
• NEON: PMS 810 NEON: PMS 811 Pantone 810 Pantone 021 CMYK CMYK 0 I 18 I 100 I 0 0 70 100 0 RGB RGB 255 I 201 I 0 255 I 80 I 0 #FFC900 #FF5000
• NEON: PMS 806 Pantone 213 CMYK 0 I 91 I 20 I 0 RGB 255 0 115 #FF0073
• Pantone 277 CMYK 37 13 0 0 RGB 179 I 207 I 237 #B3CFED
• CMYK 0 0 0 ] 40 RGB 175 I 175 I 175 #AEAFAF
• Are you using the colors, textures and patterns in a way that enhances the design without distracting from the content? (pp. 24–28)
• Are the color builds accurate? (pp. 16–17)

Typography

• Gotham is our primary font. It was chosen because it is a plainspoken, genuine and confident typeface. We use the different weights of Gotham to create a typographical hierarchy that is legible and efficient.
• When Gotham is unavailable, use Calibri for headlines, and Calibri for body copy. See Icertis Microsoft Office templates for usage samples.
• Gotham Bold ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890!?,.;’@#$%&*()-—“”
• Gotham Medium ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890!?,.;’@#$%&*()-—“”
• Gotham Book ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890!?,.;’@#$%&*()-—“”
• The black and 80% gray are the colors we use for the vast majority of our typography.
• Are you using typography in a way that enhances the content through clean, legible hierarchy?
• When laying out large bodies of text, make sure the copy is on a white background. The headline and body copy should be different enough in size, weight or color to create a clear hierarchy.

Logo Usage

• The lcertis logo was designed to reflect the ability of the product to bring people and contracts together in the cloud. The contract shape above the first i represents the business agreements our customers use every day, while the circle that dots the second i represents the human interactions within the product.
• The elements of the logo should never be separated from one another. The lockup is most effective when surrounded by as much clear space as possible. The minimum amount of clear space required is equal to the width of two i dots.
• To ensure that the logo maintains its legibility, it must never be smaller than 1 inch in width.
• Whenever possible, the logo should be shown on white in full color. However, there are circumstances where using these alternate versions is necessary.
• Use the reversed-out logo against dark or black backgrounds.
• Use the single-color version and the single-color reversed-out version when printing single-color applications.
• Never use the one-color versions of the logo in any colors other than black or white.
• The logo must be used consistently in all applications. Here are some examples of the logo being used incorrectly.
• Don’t rearrange elements.
• Don’t use other fonts.
• Don’t redraw or retype.
• Don’t skew or shear.
• Don’t change the colors.
• Don’t apply any effects such as a drop shadow or bevel.
• Don’t resize the elements.
• Don’t use on a dark background.
• Don’t stretch or scrunch.
• Is the logo highly visible and unobstructed? (pp. 12–15)
• Sign off with the logo on the bottom right or top left.

Tone And Messaging

• While each project and audience is unique, it is important that the Icertis brand projects confidence and consistency in the marketplace. To that end, it is critical to maintain a uniform look and feel across all of our marketing materials in a manner that conveys the simplicity and sophistication of the Icertis platform and upholds the brand’s high standards.
• Every good brand has its own identifiable personality and voice. It is grounded in the brand position and brought to life through the brand characteristics as well as in our writing. When writing for lcertis, it is critical that we speak with the same voice. In this section, we’ll provide examples of how to write for lcertis.
• Fearless and factual without being defensive or overly competitive.
• We’re confident in our product and in ourselves. We want to be better, not just say we are.
• Sophisticated without being complicated.
• We anticipate the needs of our clients and users so that everything works smoothly the first time. We make it look easy, even when it’s not.
• Challenging without being irreverent or arrogant.
• We want the best answer and are willing to push and be pushed to get there. The point is not to clamor for attention or argue for argument’s sake, but to improve.
• Plainspoken without oversimplifying things or getting too abstract.
• We are genuine and honest in our communication. We don’t obfuscate, imply or embellish; we simply speak the truth.
• At Icertis, we write precisely. We pay attention to our diction and choose simple, straightforward language over technical jargon or hollow marketing patter. Our tone is journalistic and scholarly without becoming stuffy or professorial. A good example of voice (albeit in British English, not American English) is found in The Economist. Like the editors of that publication, we trust our readers to understand the nuances of the language and we are not afraid to use the right word when we need to.
• In copy, Icertis is always written with a capital I like this: Icertis. And never with a capital C like this: iCertis.
• For specific questions regarding American English grammar style and usage, please refer to the Chicago Manual of Style.
• Confident, clear and concise. Acknowledges the people who use the product.
• Verbose, complicated, hyperbolic. Impersonal.
• Salesy. Overly familiar.
• Talks down to audience.
• Does the copy fit our personality and voice? (pp. 7–10)

Brand Values

• Good brands are more than marketing. They are more than logos and typefaces. They are a collective personality. A way of thinking. Everything else—the design, the logo, the writing—is merely the expression of the brand. The brand itself is really an idea that we call the brand promise.
• We built Icertis to think big. To be fearless. To disrupt the status quo and to take part in a movement that is fundamentally altering the way businesses operate. The idea is simple: Make software that works with people and that people want to work with. Make software that improves the way organizations collaborate, communicate and contract. We want to make software that will change enterprise business forever. And keep changing it. Because we’re restless. We’re never satisfied with good enough. We challenge our clients, partners and one another each and every day. We listen to the dissenters and refuse to settle for easy answers, saying, “Convince me,” instead of, “Tell me.” At Icertis, we know that resumes don’t make great products. Job titles won’t delight our customers. And complacency can’t write good code. Only smart people, willing to push and be pushed, will create the next wave of innovation. The next big thing for our clients. We can’t wait. We won’t wait.
• At Icertis, we promise to stay hungry. To battle complacency and hubris. To collaborate and challenge one another in an open and genuine fashion. To own our mistakes, face them, and fix them. To delight our customers. And we promise to anticipate the next wave of innovation and to ride it to even greater heights.

Visual Style

• The layout includes a top-left aligned title text ‘Brand Book’ in bold, large font, with a subtitle ‘Spring 2016 | v.1’ in smaller font beneath. The background employs a light gray or off-white color. The design incorporates an abstract geometric pattern composed of various shapes: a large circle partially outlined with dotted lines in black, filled with yellow and gray halftone textures; a magenta square with a dotted texture; a solid green rectangle; a small dotted yellow square; and a small solid blue rectangle. These elements are arranged with dynamic overlaps and varying transparency, creating a layered, contemporary aesthetic. Additional decorative elements include diagonal striped patterns in black and gray, positioned in the upper right and lower right sections respectively. The overall composition features a balance of vibrant colors and subtle halftone textures, with a focus on minimalism and visual interest through geometric abstraction.
• In this guide, you’ll find instructions for using the logo, graphic elements, colors, and fonts, as well as guidance on developing messaging and using imagery.
• It is critical to maintain a uniform look and feel across all of our marketing materials in a manner that conveys the simplicity and sophistication of the Icertis platform and upholds the brand’s high standards.
• On the pages that follow, you’ll find the assets and guidelines you’ll need to design for the lcertis visual identity. When used properly and consistently, the lcertis visual identity should feel dynamic and serene, technological and human.
• The elements of the logo should never be separated from one another. The lockup is most effective when surrounded by as much clear space as possible. The minimum amount of clear space required is equal to the width of two i dots.
• To ensure that the logo maintains its legibility, it must never be smaller than 1 inch in width.
• Whenever possible, the logo should be shown on white in full color. However, there are circumstances where using these alternate versions is necessary.
• Use the reversed-out logo against dark or black backgrounds.
• Use the single-color version and the single-color reversed-out version when printing single-color applications.
• Never use the one-color versions of the logo in any colors other than black or white.
• The logo must be used consistently in all applications. Here are some examples of the logo being used incorrectly.
• Don’t rearrange elements.
• Don’t use other fonts.
• Don’t redraw or retype.
• Don’t skew or shear.
• Don’t change the colors.
• Don’t apply any effects such as a drop shadow or bevel.
• Don’t resize the elements.
• Don’t use on a dark background.
• Don’t stretch or scrunch.
• lcertis Blue and lcertis Red along with a pure white and pure black are the colors we use in our logo.
• The black and 80% gray are the colors we use for the vast majority of our typography.
• These colors are meant to be used for filling in document shapes on the grid. Use sparingly and do not substitute.
• Usage of the Neon PMS version is always preferred. When that is not an option, use the alternate Pantone values provided.
• Our contract grid comes from the contract shape found above the first i in our logo.
• In most cases, the grid should be 12 contract units wide. Some special applications will require the grid to be 10, 8 or 6 units wide.
• The grid provides the framework that holds the contract shapes using textures like the ones shown here. Add the occasional neon or gray to color these shapes.
• Scale the contracts up to be 2 or 3 units large as needed for variety and interest.
• The blue triangle in the bottom­right corner often serves as our sign-off, but is not strictly required.
• Once t h e texture d contrac ts have been P I ac ed 1n . t ° the grid, you can add a few e texture d contrac t shapes as well. These should be black or gray.
• Partial cont tract an d circle shapes (represent1n • the cir -rcle that do t s the secon d I : in our I lo go) can also be a dded for VISUa . I interest and disruption.
• These additi’°[" onal shape s should be use d s sparingly. AIso, feel free to play wit ith over lapping and transparen t shapes, but do so with a light hand.
• In keeping with the brand’s straightforward nature, whenever in doubt about a contract, texture or color, consider removing it entirely. In some cases, it is simply enough to use a contract as a visual signature, marking the piece as coming from lcertis without distracting from the purpose and communication.
• When using a hero image, follow the photography guidelines and then layer the grid over the image. The headline should be simple and straightforward, and the typography is clear and legible on a white background.
• No contract shapes should cover or touch the model’s face.
• Sign off with the logo on the bottom right or top left.
• When laying out large bodies of text, make sure the copy is on a white background. The headline and body copy should be different enough in size, weight or color to create a clear hierarchy.
• Gotham is our primary font. It was chosen because it is a plainspoken, genuine and confident typeface. We use the different weights of Gotham to create a typographical hierarchy that is legible and efficient.
• When Gotham is unavailable, use Calibri for headlines, and Calibri for body copy. See Icertis Microsoft Office templates for usage samples.

Layout And Composition

• The layout includes a top-left aligned title text ‘Brand Book’ in bold, large font, with a subtitle ‘Spring 2016 | v.1’ in smaller font beneath. The background employs a light gray or off-white color. The design incorporates an abstract geometric pattern composed of various shapes: a large circle partially outlined with dotted lines in black, filled with yellow and gray halftone textures; a magenta square with a dotted texture; a solid green rectangle; a small dotted yellow square; and a small solid blue rectangle. These elements are arranged with dynamic overlaps and varying transparency, creating a layered, contemporary aesthetic. Additional decorative elements include diagonal striped patterns in black and gray, positioned in the upper right and lower right sections respectively. The overall composition features a balance of vibrant colors and subtle halftone textures, with a focus on minimalism and visual interest through geometric abstraction.
• When used properly and consistently, the lcertis visual identity should feel dynamic and serene, technological and human.
• The minimum amount of clear space required is equal to the width of two i dots.
• To ensure that the logo maintains its legibility, it must never be smaller than 1 inch in width.
• Whenever possible, the logo should be shown on white in full color.
• Use the reversed-out logo against dark or black backgrounds.
• Use the single-color version and the single-color reversed-out version when printing single-color applications.
• Never use the one-color versions of the logo in any colors other than black or white.
• The logo must be used consistently in all applications.
• Don’t rearrange elements.
• Don’t use other fonts.
• Don’t redraw or retype.
• Don’t skew or shear.
• Don’t change the colors.
• Don’t apply any effects such as a drop shadow or bevel.
• Don’t resize the elements.
• Don’t use on a dark background.
• Don’t stretch or scrunch.
• Our contract grid comes from the contract shape found above the first i in our logo. In most cases, the grid should be 12 contract units wide. Some special applications will require the grid to be 10, 8 or 6 units wide.
• The grid provides the framework that holds the contract shapes using textures like the ones shown here. Add the occasional neon or gray to color these shapes.
• Scale the contracts up to be 2 or 3 units large as needed for variety and interest.
• The blue triangle in the bottom­right corner often serves as our sign-off, but is not strictly required.
• Once t h e texture d contrac ts have been P I ac ed 1n . t ° the grid, you can add a few e texture d contrac t shapes as well. These should be black or gray.
• Partial cont tract an d circle shapes (represent1n • the cir -rcle that do t s the secon d I : in our I lo go) can also be a dded for VISUa . I interest and disruption.
• These additi’°[" onal shape s should be use d s sparingly. AIso, feel free to play wit ith over lapping and transparen t shapes, but do so with a light hand.
• In keeping with the brand’s straightforward nature, whenever in doubt about a contract, texture or color, consider removing it entirely. In some cases, it is simply enough to use a contract as a visual signature, marking the piece as coming from lcertis without distracting from the purpose and communication.
• When using a hero image, follow the photography guidelines and then layer the grid over the image. The headline should be simple and straightforward, and the typography is clear and legible on a white background.
• No contract shapes should cover or touch the model’s face.
• Sign off with the logo on the bottom right or top left.
• When laying out large bodies of text, make sure the copy is on a white background. The headline and body copy should be different enough in size, weight or color to create a clear hierarchy.
• Typography is clear and legible on white. Logo appears on white as a signoff in the bottom-right corner. Proper grid maintains visual interest.
• Typography is not on white. Logo is not on white. No sign-off in the bottom-right corner. Grid is inconsistent and contract shapes face two different directions.
• Legible headline and call to action set in core colors. Document shapes do not obscure or distract from the photograph or any of the typography.
• Typography and call to action use secondary colors instead of core colors. Contract shape covers model’s face. There are too many contract shapes, and they are distracting when extending beyond their frame.
• Is the grid constructed properly? (p. 23)
• Are you using the colors, textures and patterns in a way that enhances the design without distracting from the content? (pp. 24–28)
• Are you using typography in a way that enhances the content through clean, legible hierarchy? (pp. 21–22)

Brand Positioning

• Good brands are more than marketing. They are more than logos and typefaces. They are a collective personality. A way of thinking. Everything else—the design, the logo, the writing—is merely the expression of the brand. The brand itself is really an idea that we call the brand promise.
• We built Icertis to think big. To be fearless. To disrupt the status quo and to take part in a movement that is fundamentally altering the way businesses operate. The idea is simple: Make software that works with people and that people want to work with. Make software that improves the way organizations collaborate, communicate and contract. We want to make software that will change enterprise business forever. And keep changing it. Because we’re restless. We’re never satisfied with good enough. We challenge our clients, partners and one another each and every day. We listen to the dissenters and refuse to settle for easy answers, saying, “Convince me,” instead of, “Tell me.” At Icertis, we know that resumes don’t make great products. Job titles won’t delight our customers. And complacency can’t write good code. Only smart people, willing to push and be pushed, will create the next wave of innovation. The next big thing for our clients. We can’t wait. We won’t wait.
• At Icertis, we promise to stay hungry. To battle complacency and hubris. To collaborate and challenge one another in an open and genuine fashion. To own our mistakes, face them, and fix them. To delight our customers. And we promise to anticipate the next wave of innovation and to ride it to even greater heights.

Brand Platform

• We built Icertis to think big. To be fearless. To disrupt the status quo and to take part in a movement that is fundamentally altering the way businesses operate. The idea is simple: Make software that works with people and that people want to work with. Make software that improves the way organizations collaborate, communicate and contract. We want to make software that will change enterprise business forever. And keep changing it. Because we’re restless. We’re never satisfied with good enough. We challenge our clients, partners and one another each and every day. We listen to the dissenters and refuse to settle for easy answers, saying, “Convince me,” instead of, “Tell me.” At Icertis, we know that resumes don’t make great products. Job titles won’t delight our customers. And complacency can’t write good code. Only smart people, willing to push and be pushed, will create the next wave of innovation. The next big thing for our clients. We can’t wait. We won’t wait.

Brand Promise

• At Icertis, we promise to stay hungry. To battle complacency and hubris. To collaborate and challenge one another in an open and genuine fashion. To own our mistakes, face them, and fix them. To delight our customers. And we promise to anticipate the next wave of innovation and to ride it to even greater heights.

Brand Characteristics

• Fearless and factual without being defensive or overly competitive.
• We’re confident in our product and in ourselves. We want to be better, not just say we are.
• Sophisticated without being complicated.
• We anticipate the needs of our clients and users so that everything works smoothly the first time. We make it look easy, even when it’s not.
• Challenging without being irreverent or arrogant.
• We want the best answer and are willing to push and be pushed to get there. The point is not to clamor for attention or argue for argument’s sake, but to improve.
• Plainspoken without oversimplifying things or getting too abstract.
• We are genuine and honest in our communication. We don’t obfuscate, imply or embellish; we simply speak the truth.

Brand Checklist

• When evaluating your work, or anyone else’s, please refer to this checklist. Any good-faith effort to comply with the Icertis brand standards should work fine, but sometimes even the most diligent designer can miss a nuance or two. This checklist should help.
• • Does the copy fit our personality and voice? (pp. 7–10)
• • Is the logo highly visible and unobstructed? (pp. 12–15)
• • Is the photograph (if any) on brand? (pp. 18–20)
• • Is the grid constructed properly? (p. 23)
• • Are you using the colors, textures and patterns in a way that enhances the design without distracting from the content? (pp. 24–28)
• • Are the color builds accurate? (pp. 16–17)
• • Are you using typography in a way that enhances the content through clean, legible hierarchy? (pp. 21–22)

Additional Properties