The Rehla Academy

Official Websites

• https://therehla.com

Brand Guidelines

2025

Brand Summary

Mission

• To support our shared passion for climbing and respect for the places we climb, promoting and preserving the climbing way of life through knowledge, inspiration, conservation, advocacy, community, and logistical support for American climbers both domestically and abroad [^1].

Core Values

• Love of climbing and climbers
• Community-oriented, including and supporting all climbers
• Respect for the past and building the future
• Environmental consciousness
• Optimism, vibrancy, and inspiration
• Local and national community organization
• Quality and consistency
• Competent climbing and healthy climbing landscapes
• Simplicity, cleanliness, clarity, and precision
• Visual delivery reflecting brand principles

Target Audience

• Climbers, ski mountaineers, trail runners, backpackers, travelers, adventurers, and outdoor enthusiasts of all genders, races, ages, and climbing disciplines, both domestically and abroad [^2].

Personality Traits

• Clean
• Authoritative
• Inclusive
• Optimistic
• Vibrant
• Inspirational
• Professional

Visual Identity Overview

• The brand is defined by clean, authoritative, and inclusive themes, reflected in typography, styling, logo, and photography. Visuals are simple, clean, clear, and precise, with consistent use of color palette, professional quality imagery, and minimal post-processing. The logo is simple, clean, and recognizable, and the overall visual style emphasizes adventure, diversity, and the natural environment [^3].

Categories

Brand Voice

• The brand of the American Alpine Club is defined as clean, authoritative, and inclusive—themes resonated within our typography, styling, logo, and use of photography.
• This is a climber’s climbing organization, and we pride ourselves in working to reflect the expanding diversity within outdoor recreation. Our brand seeks to inspire and represent passionate individuals of all genders, races, ages, and climbing disciplines­from bouldering to big walls, backcountry skiing to gym climbing.
• Additional branding principles to consider: We love climbing and climbers -+ We are community-oriented, including and supporting all climbers -+ We respect our past and use it to build our future We are environmentally conscious We are optimistic, vibrant, and inspirational We are both a local and national community organization -+ We live by quality and consistency -+ We promote competent climbing and healthy climbing landscapes. -+ Our work is simple and clean, clear and precise. -+ Our work is delivered visually and reflects our brand principles

Brand Imagery

• The brand of the American Alpine Club is defined as clean, authoritative, and inclusive—themes resonated within our typography, styling, logo, and use of photography.
• Our work is simple and clean, clear and precise.
• Our work is delivered visually and reflects our brand principles
• The AAC uses images which are clean, natural, of professional quality, and with minimal post processing. We seek to accurately portray climbing, the climbing community, and the natural environment and over-baked, over-saturated, or otherwise over-the-top processing is avoided.
• Additionally, while maintaining the AAC brand, images and artwork should work to tell the story of AAC membership, including membership diversity within age, gender, race, and climbing discipline.
• All photography/artwork must be by American Alpine Club members and credited appropriately (see page 9). The exceptions to this rule are rare instances when the emphasis is not on the photo/art, but on a story about an AAC member or initiative. For example, in an editorial article about a Club member, a non-member photograph complementing the story is allowable.

Color Palette

• Color is an integral part of the AAC’s brand identity and consistent use of the color palette serves to reinforce the cohesiveness of the brand. Beyond branding standardization, color serves an important psychological function in communicating certain feelings to an audience.
• Black denotes strength and authority; it is considered to be formal, elegant, and prestigious. White is associated with cleanliness and purity; it suggests simplicity. Red is associated with strength, passion, and leadership; an emotionally intense color with high visibility. Yellow evokes energy, joy, and happiness; it produces a warming effect and attracts attention. Blue is associated with depth and stability; it symbolizes loyalty, confidence, and truth.
• *Note: Cyan (C:100, M: 0, Y:0, K:O) (R:O, G:174, B:239) (HEX: 00aeef), though not a branded color should be used for all web links, when possible.
• AAC BLACK CMYK: 73, 68, 67, 89 RGB: 3, 0, 0 HEX:030000 AAC WHITE CMYK: 0, 0, 0, O RGB: 255, 255, 255 HEX: ffffff AAC RED CMYK: 18,100, 100, 10 RGB: 178, 7, 16 HEX: B20710 AAC YELLOW CMYK: 2, 24, 90, 0 RGB: 248, 194, 53 HEX: f8c235 AAC INDIGO DYE CMYK: 84, 52, 24, 53 RGB: 28, 57, 86 HEX: 1c3956 AAC CREME CMYK: 15, 10, 18, 0 RGB: 223, 221, 208 HEX: dfddd0 AAC CHARCOAL CMYK: 0, 0, 0, 90 RGB: 65, 64, 66 HEX:414042 AAC LIGHT GREY CMYK: 5, 3, 3, 0 RGB: 244, 244, 244 HEX: f4f4f4
• Do not use off-brand colors. In most cases, the logo should appear in either AAC White or AAC Black. (See page 6 for color specifics.)
• Do not alter the colors of the logo bounding box. When a bounding box is used, it must always appear in on-brand colors (see page 6 for color specifics), most typically in AAC White or AAC Black.
• Icons colors may be altered to other, on-brand colors. (See page 6 for color specifics.)
• Additionally, when aesthetically appropriate, web links should appear in cyan. (See page 6 for color specifics.)

Typography

• Typography is a powerful brand tool when used consistently. This set of typefaces best represents the AAC clean and professional brand and should be used across all print and web applications.
• For normal typeface use, set font size to 12pt with 16pt leading. Alternatively, 9pt font on 12pt leading is also acceptable. For print situations where a larger font size is necessary, maintain size/leading ratio of 3:4.
• Headlines are almost always in UPPERCASE, with some exceptions depending on the aesthetic of the campaign.
• a. FUTURA PT Use for headlines. Almost exclusively in UPPERCASE. ALL UPPERCASE tracking = +50
• Weights: Medium, Demi, Bold
• b. OPEN SANS Use for body copy. Used for captions/credits Alternate for headlines. ALL UPPERCASE tracking = +50
• Weights: Regular, Italic, Semibold, Bold, Extra Bold
• c. ADOBE GARAMOND PRO Use for body copy. Editorial print only.
• Weights: Regular, Italic
• Font for credits/captions is always Open Sans, sized 6-8pt. Captions are always in Open Sans Regular, while credits are always in Open Sans Italic.
• Credits should always be written as, “AAC member John Doe,” except in rare instances where work is not attributed to an AAC member.
• Photo captions need periods; photo credits do not.
• The current photo credit convention provides the photographer’s name in italics after two spaces from the descriptive caption.
• Do not double-space between sentences. Ever.
• See page 4 for specifics on font typeface, size, leading, and use.

Logo Usage

• The American Alpine Club’s logo is simple, clean, and recognizable. The modern, boxed appeal contrasts with the organization’s 100+ year legacy while clean lines represent an authoritative, professional aesthetic.
• This is the only logo that should be used across primary brand applications. This trademark helps audiences easily identify the American Alpine Club’s products, ads, presence, and other materials. It is essential to the success of the brand that the logo always be applied with care and respect in every application according to these guidelines.
• When the logo is used on a photo background it should be used without a bounding box. The bounding box should only be used when a complicated or otherwise distracting background makes logo recognition a concern.
• To ensure legibility, always keep a minimum clear space around the logo. This space isolates the mark from any competing graphic elements such as other logos or body copy that might conflict with, overcrowd, and lessen the impact of the mark.
• The minimum clear space is defined as at least equal in distance from the bottom of the text, “ALPINE club” and the top of the bottom border. Minimum space should be maintained as the logo is proportionally resized.
• The smallest size the logo should be represented is 0.75" on the horizontal side.
• A few rules are necessary for maintaining the integrity of the brand as it applies to the Club logo.
• In general, do not compromise the overall look of the logo by rotating, skewing, or distorting in any way-this includes adding unnecessary and unattractive text decorations like drop shadows, embossing, and outlines. Here are a few examples of ways you should never consider using the logo.
• a. Do not use off-brand colors. In most cases, the logo should appear in either AAC White or AAC Black. (See page 6 for color specifics.)
• b. Do not alter the colors of the logo bounding box. When a bounding box is used, it must always appear in on-brand colors (see page 6 for color specifics), most typically in AAC White or AAC Black.
• c. Do not add drop shadows, embossing, or other text styles.
• d. Do not squish, stretch, skew, or otherwise transform the logo.
• e. Do not rotate the logo.
• f. Do not remove the bounding box from the logo.
• g. Do not rearrange parts or create compositions that are not already provided.
• h. Do not add unofficial graphics to the logo.
• i. Do not contain the logo within a bounding box when used on a photo background.

Tone And Messaging

• The brand of the American Alpine Club is defined as clean, authoritative, and inclusive—themes resonated within our typography, styling, logo, and use of photography.
• This is a climber’s climbing organization, and we pride ourselves in working to reflect the expanding diversity within outdoor recreation. Our brand seeks to inspire and represent passionate individuals of all genders, races, ages, and climbing disciplines­from bouldering to big walls, backcountry skiing to gym climbing.
• Additional branding principles to consider: We love climbing and climbers -+ We are community-oriented, including and supporting all climbers -+ We respect our past and use it to build our future We are environmentally conscious We are optimistic, vibrant, and inspirational We are both a local and national community organization -+ We live by quality and consistency -+ We promote competent climbing and healthy climbing landscapes. -+ Our work is simple and clean, clear and precise. -+ Our work is delivered visually and reflects our brand principles

Brand Values

• The brand of the American Alpine Club is defined as clean, authoritative, and inclusive—themes resonated within our typography, styling, logo, and use of photography.
• This is a climber’s climbing organization, and we pride ourselves in working to reflect the expanding diversity within outdoor recreation. Our brand seeks to inspire and represent passionate individuals of all genders, races, ages, and climbing disciplines­from bouldering to big walls, backcountry skiing to gym climbing.
• Additional branding principles to consider: ➔ We love climbing and climbers ➔ We are community-oriented, including and supporting all climbers ➔ We respect our past and use it to build our future ➔ We are environmentally conscious ➔ We are optimistic, vibrant, and inspirational ➔ We are both a local and national community organization ➔ We live by quality and consistency ➔ We promote competent climbing and healthy climbing landscapes. ➔ Our work is simple and clean, clear and precise. ➔ Our work is delivered visually and reflects our brand principles

Visual Style

• The brand of the American Alpine Club is defined as clean, authoritative, and inclusive—themes resonated within our typography, styling, logo, and use of photography.
• Our work is simple and clean, clear and precise.
• Our work is delivered visually and reflects our brand principles

Iconography

• The Club occasionally uses icons to quickly identify various programs, departments, or membership benefits. These icons typically appear only in web and editorial applications, such as at and the Guidebook to Membership. They are not generally used in outward facing marketing campaigns or ad work. If using these assets, please take care not to distort or alter these icons in any way. Icons colors may be altered to other, on-brand colors. (See page 6 for color specifics.)

Layout And Composition

• To ensure legibility, always keep a minimum clear space around the logo. This space isolates the mark from any competing graphic elements such as other logos or body copy that might conflict with, overcrowd, and lessen the impact of the mark.
• The minimum clear space is defined as at least equal in distance from the bottom of the text, “ALPINE club” and the top of the bottom border. Minimum space should be maintained as the logo is proportionally resized.
• The smallest size the logo should be represented is 0.75" on the horizontal side.
• In general, do not compromise the overall look of the logo by rotating, skewing, or distorting in any way-this includes adding unnecessary and unattractive text decorations like drop shadows, embossing, and outlines. Here are a few examples of ways you should never consider using the logo.
• a. Do not use off-brand colors. In most cases, the logo should appear in either AAC White or AAC Black. (See page 6 for color specifics.)
• b. Do not alter the colors of the logo bounding box. When a bounding box is used, it must always appear in on-brand colors (see page 6 for color specifics), most typically in AAC White or AAC Black.
• c. Do not add drop shadows, embossing, or other text styles.
• d. Do not squish, stretch, skew, or otherwise transform the logo.
• e. Do not rotate the logo.
• f. Do not remove the bounding box from the logo.
• g. Do not rearrange parts or create compositions that are not already provided.
• h. Do not add unofficial graphics to the logo.
• i. Do not contain the logo within a bounding box when used on a photo background.

Lodging

• LODGING …..,,.,., …… era me.