AES' visual identity guidelines
Composition
Our system is designed to give you the flexibility to create content and tell the stories that you need to, whilst still feeling like one AES brand.
This set of grid systems allows you to flex the other elements of the visual identity and create quickly—and ensures that everything you make has the right balance of creative expression and brand consistency.
Grid systems
Wide formats: 12-column grid
For every format that is designed for AES, similar principles have to be applied to ensure consistency across touchpoints.
A 12-column based grid is recommended for wide formats, as it is the most flexible, and can be broken into 6-, 4-, 3-, and 2-column layouts.
Follow the steps on this page for guidance on grid setup. The example on the right demonstrates how to construct a standard wide format grid template with 12 columns.
Tall formats: 6-column grid
A 6-column grid is recommended for tall formats. Follow the steps on this page for guidance on grid setup.
Square formats: 4-column grid
A 4-column grid is recommended for square formats. Follow the steps on this page for guidance on grid setup.
The logo should be scaled to a ratio of 3:2—whereby the margin is two thirds the height of the logo—and positioned in the bottom right of the composition.
Logo placement
The AES logo should be placed at the bottom right of compositions where possible. In situations where scrolls are involved, the logo should be placed top left to ensure the logo can be seen at all times.
Depending on the scale and purpose of the composition, the AES logo will need to differ in size. Primarily, the logo should be scaled to a ratio of 3:2, whereby the margin is two thirds the height of the logo. In occasions where this feels like it’s too large, the logo can be reduced to a ratio of 1:1 where the margin is the same height as the logo.
Different ways to approach composition to flex the system for different audiences
Photography-led
Leading with a single photograph to focus on a singular aspect of a story, creates an emotive and powerful composition.
- The simplest form of composition relies on a single impactful photograph. Images can be full-bleed.
- Elements of color can be added to the composition with the addition of gestures and structural lines, but the image remains the main focus.
- Headlines are set in Neue Haas Extra Light, and body copy in Neue Haas Text Regular. The point size of the headline is four-times the point size of the body copy to ensure the text tone is even.
- Folio items should be set in Neue Haas Text Regular, capitals.
- The AES logo should be locked to the bottom right at a height ratio of 3:2 or 1:1 (as shown) of the margin.
Line-led
Literally tying together different photographs of the same story—whilst using scale to shift focus—allows us to express a greater narrative in a clear manner.
- On websites and situations involving scrolls, the AES logo should be locked to the top left at a height ratio of 3:2 or 1:1 (as shown) of the margin.
- The line width is between a quarter and a fifth the height of the logo. Images can be full-bleed. Ensure that at least one image features a human aspect and one a landscape.
- These images must align to the timeline (with no overlap).
- The body copy should be set in Neue Haas Text Regular. The headline is set in Neue Haas Display Extra Light, at a point size four-times the size of the body copy. Text is always left aligned.
- Call-to-actions are set in Neue Haas Text Regular, in AES Blue.
Gesture-led
Using gestures allows us to convey specific strategic themes either with or without supporting photography.
- Headlines are set in Neue Haas Display Extra Light while subheads are set in Neue Haas Display Light. The two headings must align in point size, whereby the headline is twice the size of the subhead.
- When looking for a more expressive, impactful composition, gestures can be used alone, or combined in a gesture-image lock-up.
- Gestures should be approximately a quarter the size of the image, and overlap ~10% of the image.
- The AES logo should be locked to the bottom right at a height ratio of 3:2 (as shown) or 1:1 of the margin.
Type-led
Focusing on a single message —augmented with gestures and photographs—is an unexpected and expressive execution within our industry.
- The most expressive compositions use type at large scales and push our notion of text tone. Headlines are set in Neue Haas Display Extra Light and is four-times the point size of body copy. Type is left aligned.
- Images and gestures can be aligned within the type, acting as amplifiers to the written message. A gesture can be used at the start of the line, acting as an initial, or elsewhere for more expressive compositions. Always align gestures to the left or right. Ensure clearspace between the gestures and the text.
- Images can span multiple lines but must always appear secondary to the text. Ensure even clearspace between the image and the text.
- The AES logo should be locked to the bottom right at a height ratio of 3:2 or 1:1 (as shown) of the margin.
