Research indicated that CountryWide homes have higher resale absorption and perceived value in the York Region market. Surveys and internal discussions led to the same conclusion: after ten years, CountryWide had become known for their superior quality, detailed construction and ability to exceed customer expectations.
The offer is premium, so it should be advertised as such. A complete rebranding and repositioning was developed to reflect that. This effort resulted in the development of two brand books: the Strategic Marketing Positioning Book and the Corporate Style Guide. Together, they establish a new mission, vision, brand values and visual guidelines to make the company more appealing to a buyer looking for a premium offering.
The result: A New Level. It's not only a tagline, but the company's mindset on everything it touches: from the materials selections, the internal processes, staffing, the buyer's journey, and the way they communicate.
2. 2
Table of
CONTENTS
THIS IS OUR NEW LOGO
CORPORATE IDENTITY
LOGO CONSTRUCTION GRID, MINIMUM DISTANCES,
MINIMUM SIZES AND APPLICATIONS
DESIGN ELEMENTS
COLOUR PALETTE, TYPOGRAPHY, OFFICE AND WEB SAFE FONTS,
PATTERNS, THE WIDE BAR, CORPORATE TEMPLATES AND EXAMPLES
COMMUNICATION GUIDELINES
ADVERTISING STRATEGY, COPYWRITING STYLE,
IMAGE POLICIES, EXAMPLES
ONLINE PRESENCE
WEBSITE, GRID, ICONS, eBLASTS, SOCIAL MEDIA, EXAMPLES
ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN
SALES CENTRES
COMMUNITY BRANDING
RENDERINGS, SUB-BRANDS, EXAMPLES
OUR MANIFESTO
3
4
10
25
40
48
51
63
3. 3
This is our new LOGO
Our image is changing with the times and adapting to our market
We rebuilt the old icon to refine details and improve the overall perception of our brand. It’s sleeker, it’s
stronger, and it speaks clearly to our position as one of Ontario’s top premium, community-focused builders.
The word-mark acts as one, cohesive image. It’s easier to read, easier to see because it’s a single object with
no peaks or valleys.
Each word now carries its own emphasis. “Country” is clean and light to show flexibility and style, while
“Wide” is heavier, and more resonant to speak to the reach, quality, and history of the company. Together they
create a message that is striking, bold, and premium. It’s a contemporary evolution that’s more adapted to
today’s style and competitive set.
5. 5
Logo Construction GRID
The modernized CountryWide
Homes logo was designed
using a proportion of 11:4.
The goal was to create a
structure that would portray
wideness and emphasize the
wordmark as two different
words but in a single,
cohesive visual element.
The grid was established
based on the thickness of the
word Country and the circle
(represented as the letter H
for its squared format).
The rest of the elements
follow proportions and
alignments derived from
the grid.
6
110
11
23
40
6. 6
Horizontal version
The icon (circle and house)
is 5H (distance) from the
wordmark, instead of 6H in
the stacked version, because
the human eye tends to
elongate horizontal shapes.
All other elements remain
the same as in the stacked
version.
6 6
6
6
55
Tagline
When adding a tagline to
the stacked or horizontal
versions, always consider the
6H distance, as shown below.
Minimum
protection area
No object can invade the
minimum protection area,
represented as one letter “E”
above and below the logo and
two letters “E” to the left and
to the right of the elements.
Minimum DISTANCES
7. 7
Minimum SIZES
The main criteria:
seek balance to
deliver elegance
CountryWide Homes’ new
logo was designed to
optimize legibility even in its
smallest sizes.
The usage of the tagline is
allowed until 1.5" wide for
the stacked version or 1.875"
for the horizontal version. If
the space requires a smaller
application – on a pen,
for example – don’t use the
tagline. Even without tagline,
don’t go under 1" for the
stacked version or 1.255"
for the horizontal version.
The golden rule: don’t go
too big either – after all,
we’re talking about premium.
Layout harmony is the key.
WITH TAGLINE UNTIL
1.5 in / 38.1 mm
1.25 in / 31.5 mm
1 in / 2.54 mm
WITH TAGLINE UNTIL
1.875 in / 47.3 mm
1.565 in / 39.7 mm
1.255 in / 31.8 mm
PREFERENCE
8. 8
Correct APPLICATIONS
These are all the accepted
applications
The options were created with
the following in mind:
Stacked and horizontal
options, with or without
the tagline.
Using the two corporate
colours (please view colour
palette explanation for
details, page 11) in positive
and negative versions.
The box around the logo is
the minimum protection area.
When choosing what option
to use, consider the time the
audience can spend reading it
and a reasonable size of the
slogan. In general:
Ads and print: use the
tagline.
OOH, billboards, street
signage and promo materials:
don’t use the tagline when
the piece requires quick
brand visualization.
Websites and e-blasts: use
your common sense to make
it readable and elegant.
Stacked version with tagline Stacked version without tagline
Horizontal version with tagline Horizontal version without tagline
9. 9
Applications: DON’TS
Never alter
the proportions
Don’t stretch or compress
the logo in any way.
Don’t enlarge or reduce the
protection box around the logo.
Never change
the colours
The only permitted colours
are the versions explained
on the previous page.
Only exception accepted:
black and white version.
Prefer to not use the logo
over a busy background
Protect it using the
coloured box.
Don’t apply any kind
of perspective
Don’t italicize it.
Don’t incline or rotate it.
Don’t use effects
of any sort
No drop shadows.
No embossing.
No 3D or extrusion.
No outlines.
No gradients.
11. 11
Design elements: COLOUR PALETTE
CW Orange
CMYK C5 M85 Y100 K0
RGB R229 G78 B38
PANTONE 1665 C
HEX#e54d25
CW Grey
CMYK C15 M0 Y0 K75
RGB R82 G94 B102
PANTONE 431 C
HEX#515e65
C15
M100
Y100
K15
#b61d22
C20
K100
#121b21
C30
M100
Y100
K30
#891a1c
C8
K40
#98a4ab
C50
M100
Y100
K50
#560f11
CW Orange C18
K90
#303b42
C25
M85
Y100
K25
#993b1f
C4
K20
#c7cfd4
C45
M85
Y100
K45
#622b16
C0
M70
Y100
K0
#f37021
CW Grey
C15
M70
Y100
K15
#b95d22
C2
K10
#dfe5e8
C0
M25
Y100
K5
#f1b80e
C12
K60
#6f7c84
C0
M40
Y100
K15
#d89016
Secondary Colours (shades of orange) Secondary Colours (shades of gray)
Extra Colours
This group of extra colours
can only be used in Site
Plans.
Main corporate colours
#nature #canada #wine #berries #wood #gold #copper #bronze #sunset #platinum #lead #graphite #silver #purity
The Secondary colours are
used as complementary
colours, backgrounds,
transparencies and other
elements.
The logo can only be used
in main colour versions.
Use the CW orange for
highlights and details.
Use the CW grey for copy
and secondary information.
C1
K5
#edf0f2
12. 12
Design elements: TYPOGRAPHY
Two families that work well
for print and web
One of the premises of this guide
is to make CountryWide Homes’
communications look the same
on every platform, no matter
if it’s a flyer or a web banner.
This is why we chose two versatile
and well designed font families
from Google Fonts – which means
they are also open source and
have foreign language support.
Use Montserrat for headlines
and highlights. It is a very
geometric sans serif font inspired
by urban architectural signage
from the mid-twentieth century,
with a modernized and refined
vintage feel.
Use Fira Sans for paragraphs.
It’s a humanist style font
designed to have great legibility
on small screens and great
flexibility (different weights
and italic options).
Headline Family
Text Family
MONTSERRAT
Fira Sans
Black - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Bold - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Medium - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Regular - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Light - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Extra-Light - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Thin - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Black - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Extra-Bold - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Bold - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Medium - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Regular - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Light - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Extra-Light - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Thin - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
13. 13
Monserrat and Fira Sans are the
preferred choice of fonts. Both
these fonts are available from
google fonts. In certain instances,
such as when using a Microsoft
Office product or a web safe
font is required (eg. eBlasts)
it is acceptable to use Arial
(headlines) and Trebuchet (body
copy) instead.
Headline Family
Text Family
ARIAL
Trebuchet
Bold - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Bold Italic - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Regular - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Regular Italic - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Bold - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Bold Italic - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Regular - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Regular Italic - AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 0123456789
Design elements: OFFICE & WEB SAFE FONTS
14. 14
Design elements: PATTERNS
To create dynamic
communication materials and
expand creative possibilities,
we suggest the usage of
patterns and textures
inspired by architecture
and engineering, and also
by intriguing and modern
geometric shapes derived
from CountryWide Homes’
logo: the triangle, the circle
and the squares.
These patterns can be used
in one or more shades of gray
from the palette, and can be
applied to walls, furniture,
corner details, uniforms, etc.
15. 15
Design elements: PATTERNS WITH WORDS
The patterns can also be
created with words. These can
add emotion to our corporate
communications.
16. 16
Design elements:
THE WIDE BAR
Adding personality
when signing-off on
communication pieces
More than creating standard
visuals and good practices for
our brand communications,
one of the main objectives
of these changes is to
make CountryWide Homes
perpetually recognizable to
our customers in a simple
glance. Fonts, colours, pictures
and also the way the logo
appears at every touchpoint
are part of a corporate identity
that’s unique and coherent.
This is why the wide bar exists.
It’s inspired by the word “wide”
in our name, and it crosses
the larger part of the layout,
driving the eyes to the logo.
The difference in heights
between the logo in a box
and the bar reinforces the new
level concept.
The bar can be used in different
ways to create dynamic layouts,
but always be sure that the
thickness and proportions
described below are respected
and that the bar crosses the
largest area of the page.
17. 17
Examples:
CORPORATE
TEMPLATES
The sum of the parts
These are some examples
showing how the corporate
look-and-feel prevails even
if the elements move around
from one composition to
another. This means flexibility
with integrity.
LOREM IPSUM
LOREM IPSUM
LOREM IPSUM
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consectetur adipiscing elit, sed
do eiusmod tempor incididunt.
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consectetur adipiscing elit, sed
do eiusmod tempor incididunt.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipiscing elit, sed
do eiusmod tempor incididunt.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing
elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et
dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis
nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex
ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in
reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu
fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat
non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit
anim id est laborum.
LOREM IPSUM
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipiscing elit, sed
do eiusmod tempor incididunt.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing
elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et
dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis
nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex
ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in
reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu
fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat
non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit
anim id est laborum.
LOREM IPSUM
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consectetur adipiscing elit, sed
do eiusmod tempor incididunt.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing
elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et
dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis
nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex
ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in
reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu
fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat
non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit
anim id est laborum.
LOREM IPSUM
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipiscing elit, sed
do eiusmod tempor incididunt.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing
elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et
dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis
nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex
ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in
reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu
fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat
non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit
anim id est laborum.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur
adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor
incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud
exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex
ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor
in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum
dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur
adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor
incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud
exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex
ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor
in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum
dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
LOREM IPSUM
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipiscing elit, sed
do eiusmod tempor incididunt.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing
elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et
dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis
nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex
ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in
reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu
fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat
non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit
anim id est laborum.
LOREM IPSUM
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipiscing elit, sed
do eiusmod tempor incididunt.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing
elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et
dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis
nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex
ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in
reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu
fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat
non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit
anim id est laborum.
26. 26
Advertising STRATEGY
The way we speak to consumers is becoming more streamlined than ever before. CountryWide Homes will be utilizing a 3 tiered communication
strategy to ensure that the sales funnel ends with more qualified leads, easier closings, and a simpler informational path for potential buyers. It will
work to make the CountryWide Homes brand more prevalent in the minds of consumers, while working to make their purchase decision easier, and
more confident. In time, we want to become the brand of choice, no matter the kind of development.
Tier 1 Advertising - Why Buy: CWH
Tier 2 Advertising - Buy Here: Community
Tier 3 Advertising - Buy Now: Call-to-action
Broad range of smartly chosen media casts a wide net with a longer
term proposition. This creates consideration through knowledge and
builds an emotional bond with the CountryWide Homes brand. This tier
is where we differentiate CountryWide Homes from the competition.
It’s also where we become the household name in homes.
Create interest and/or brand
awareness with target audience
Communicate our differentiators
as a better builder.
Be present when potential
customers search for our
communities, homes and services.
Incomparable offers
Quick decision
Targeted media is used to support specific communities. Awareness
of amenities, community position, and more rational information
work to differentiate products from the competition.
Very targeted media to support specific communities and products.
Things like design, models, key features, price and promotion are
provided to rationally support information on the products so that
the decision to “buy now” can be made easily.
Awareness
Consideration
Purchase
Advocacy
27. 27
T1 advertising: COPYWRITING STYLE
WHAT we say HOW we say it
Brand personality
CountryWide Homes’
personality is confident,
knowing, wise, and helpful.
It’s a brand you can put
your faith in, and trust
with your dreams. It’s
transparent, honest, and
stylish. It has an aura that’s
unexpected and likeable
because it’s something
better; A New Level.
Use personal stories
and aspirations
The way we’ll portray the
brand in our T1 advertising
is through personal, human,
and relatable stories, and the
aspirational goals that inspire
and frame them. The tone
has to be emotional, yet still
feel luxurious. There must be
a sense of deserving in our
language without saying it
outright. For example, a new
baby deserves a fresh, clean,
and bright new bedroom.
A family deserves a space
to flourish, individualized
spaces, and communal areas
that are inviting and warm.
These are the ideas from
which we’ll build our
brand stories.
Brand voice
CountryWide Homes’ voice is
rich, luxurious, confident, and
loyal. It’s never pandering
or cocky, but it’s always a
steadfast expert. It’s not
a funny voice, instead it is
emotional and works to prove
how well it understands
you, your family, and your
collective dreams. It is stylish,
warm, comfortable,
and truthful.
Empower customer’s
choices
The goal here is to make
every customer, or potential
customer feel like they’re
making a smart, savvy, and
stylish decision by choosing
CountryWide Homes. It’s an
utterly simple concept, but
it’s incredibly powerful.
Everyone wants to be
a part of something
luxurious, intelligent, and
tasteful because those
types of choices translate
into a perception of their
personality that is smart,
deserving, and stylish
as well. We need to ensure
that CountryWide Homes is
that defining choice.
Celebrate life and
personal achievements
In all of our T1
communications, it’s
important that we depict
how owning a CountryWide
home can be seen as a
reward. A celebration of
personal achievement, and a
celebration of a high-quality
life. There is a CountryWide
Homes product for every
major achievement in your
life. Got a raise? CountryWide
Homes. Got Married?
CountryWide Homes. Moving
Up? CountryWide Homes.
Downsizing? CountryWide
Homes. Having a baby?
CountryWide Homes.
Tone
Balanced, warm, knowing,
and ever the expert.
Perfectionism with heavy
doses of style, and humanity.
28. 28
Natural light
Choose morning light or sunset because of
the warm tones. But don’t exaggerate it.
Be romantic but real
Don’t use surrealism or fake situations.
T1 advertising: IMAGE POLICIES
29. 29
Frequent use of life-stage images
Do use couples moving-up, down-sizers, empty nesters, first-time buyers,
investors. Successful and happy people, proud of personal achievements,
but these milestones should not make them look snobby or out-of-touch.
Casual and stylish
Try to capture natural happiness and positive attitudes.
Don’t use people posing or extreme fashion.
T1 advertising: IMAGE POLICIES
30. 30
Don’t use stereotypes
Be multicultural and use ethnicities to show appreciation for
different groups, but avoid clichés that may be interpreted
wrongly as prejudice or misunderstanding of other cultures.
Homes with life
Everybody shows empty houses. Leave the product for T2
advertising (communities). Show life as being part of the
ambient feeling of home to differentiate without appearing fake.
T1 advertising: IMAGE POLICIES
Delivery
Photos should be taken by
a professional photographer,
preferably featuring models
(all ages, and stages of life),
and should be shot in actual
CountryWide homes (including
different product types, rooms,
exteriors, and sizes); shots
featuring believable, warm, and
vibrant life are preferred as well.
Images should be customized to
the specific campaign or project,
but always follow the brand book
guidelines. Avoid using stock
photography!
31. 31
T1 advertising examples: MAGAZINE ADS
The following ads were created considering the templates, colours, fonts, sign-off style, image policies, wording and other rules proposed in this document. It’s a corporate feel, with the ability to vary
without losing personality. It’s warm and human. It’s clean and safe. It’s premium without looking ultra-expensive (a dream life that’s attainable and reachable). It personifies a new level.
Mom wants a built-in linen closet. Baby needs more room. For every
perfect plan, there is a premium CountryWide home to meet your
wants and needs with safety, dedicated service and outstanding design.
For every new level of your life, choose a new level of builder.
Grandpa loved hosting his
grandson’s first birthday. Grandson
loved the colourful balloons. For
every family picture, there is a
premium CountryWide home to give
you the space for celebration, with
inspiring designs and workmanship
that stands the test of time.
For every new level of your life,
choose a new level of builder.
32. 32
T1 advertising examples: MAGAZINE ADS
CountryWideHomes.ca
New exciting
communities at
GREAT
THINGS
ARE
COMING
SOON.
41. 41
Online Presence: WEBSITE
The reach of digital
media has expanded
enormously in recent years.
Mobile devices such as
smartphones or tablets
are increasingly used to
access content in addition
to desktop devices. The
increasing number of
people using social media
also opens up further
channels of communication.
It is important that
CountryWide Homes
presents a consistent
image across all sales and
marketing levels within the
medium of the Internet.
CountryWideHomes.ca
is the unique, central
location on the Internet for
information concerning
our brand, its products and
the company.
The most important task of
the website is to increase
awareness of our brand and
products by offering user-
friendly product information
and functions, which act as a
guide for potential customers
when making the decision to
purchase from us.
Responsive design
In view of the fact that
more and more people are
using mobile devices, the
CountryWide Homes
website follows the principles
of “responsive design”, or in
other words automatically
adapts to the device being
used.
The graphic elements of
a responsive website are
structured on the basis
of the viewing device’s
requirements. This applies in
particular to the arrangement
and display of individual
elements such as navigation
tools, sidebars and text, but
also to the use of different
input types, for example
mouse clicks or rollovers
versus touchscreen taps or
swipes.
Structure
The structure of the website
logically follows the journey
of a homebuyer. The
structure is deliberately
streamlined to enable the
user a better overview of the
contents.
Tone
Balanced, warm, knowing,
and ever the expert.
Perfectionism with heavy
doses of style, and humanity.
The website displays the
extended range of products
on offer. With the aim of
increasing customer loyalty
and fascination for the
CountryWide Homes brand
to the Internet by presenting
emotionally appealing, novel
and brand-appropriate
material.
The website also contains
extensive information relating
to the company and the
history of the CountryWide
Homes.
Navigation
The depth of detail included
on the CountryWide Homes
website means that user-
friendly navigation is a
must. Easy-to-understand
and intuitive user prompts
ensure that users can find
relevant information in the
shortest possible time.
There are no major
differences between
navigation on the homepage
and on the content pages.
With the standardized
positioning of the main menu,
the user can find his way
immediately on the website
and orientate himself without
any difficulty.
42. 42
Online Presence: WEBSITE GRID
The grid supports the integrated
communication approach of the
CountryWide Homes brand and ensures
a standardized presentation of products
and services on the Internet worldwide.
All pages of the CountryWide Homes
website are based on a basic 12 column
grid. This grid controls the make-up of
the website, the positioning of different
elements on a page, as well as:
Clear definition of page proportions,
simplification on the one hand, variability
on the other.
Standardized control of page elements
(“building block” principle).
Simple positioning aids for page
elements.
Observance and simplification of
distances.
Control of different image sizes, with the
option of different formats for use in
different application situations.
Proportionality of font size, line distance
within the overall context.
43. 43
Online Presence: ICONS
Icons are an essential part of
a user interface. On the one
hand, they serve as an interface
between the user and the software
– particularly with apps – and
on the other, as signposts to aid
navigation on a website. Here you
will find a sample of icons that can
be used and which also serve as
an orientation aid for designing
new icons.
The colours of icons can be
adapted depending on the context
in which they are being
used. Icons should only use one
colour. They should be simple and
easily recognizable at small sizes.
44. 44
CW Orange
R229 G78 B38
HEX # E54D25
To be used for:
Headings
CW Grey
R82 G94 B102
HEX # 515E65
To be used for:
Body copy
Subheading
Light Grey
C1 M0 Y0 K5
R237 G240 B242
HEX # EdF0F2
To be used for:
Background color
Dark Grey
R49 G59 B65
HEX # 313B41
To be used for:
Subheadings
Callouts
Additional elements
Online Presence: eBLASTS
The colour hierarchy is important
to consider when creating
e-communications.
Footer
It is imperative that all eBlast footers
are the same to create a consistent and
easily recognizable brand. Please be
sure to use the most recently approved
version as the legal copy may change
periodically.
45. 45
Online Presence: SOCIAL MEDIA
The term social media
designates internet
communities which allow
users to communicate
with one another and share
multimedia content. The
term social media covers
various social
networks which are
differentiated by their
specific objectives and
content.
Relevance for
CountryWide Homes
There are a wealth of reasons
as to why social media should
be used in the context of
marketing communication:
To reach target groups
who are predominantly
active on social networks, in
particular young people (early
branding)
To reach large and also
small recipient groups
with little effort and low costs
To direct the attention
of users to the official content
of CountryWide Homes and
thus the opportunity not
to leave the perception of
products solely up to the
Internet community
Objective
To increase brand loyalty
of owners and prospects
by offering multimedia
content, which can be further
recommended among users
To increase product
awareness for current and
future communities.
To enhance brand
awareness.
To present CountryWide
Homes as a dialogue-ready
brand.
To have a communication
channel to inform users
of the latest news from
CountryWide Homes.
To utilize viral effects.
In contrast to traditional
media, digital content
can easily be further
recommended by
users following the word-
of-mouth principle and
thus reach a much broader
spectrum of users
To increase website traffic
and thereby increase the
number of prospects
To obtain direct feedback
from users on company and
product-related topics
Countrywide Homes has
an active presence on the
following social media
platforms:
facebook
youtube
google+
instagram
linkedIn
pinterest
Consistency between all
platforms is important to
maintain a professional and
recognizable brand.
46. 46
Online Presence: SOCIAL MEDIA
Avatar/Logo
Because of its small size the avatar is
always the CountryWide Homes icon
only. In white on an orange background,
depending on the platform this may be
either a circle or square.
52. 52
Photo-real
When someone is spending
thousands or millions of
dollars on their dream home,
they want the purchase
experience to reflect that
price. Every touchpoint
needs to be impressive
as to justify our positioning.
It’s like buying jewelry:
the package, the store’s bag,
the sales person’s behaviour,
the ambience; everything
needs to be perfect.
The same goes for our
renderings. People are buying
a promise via a blueprint.
It’s our job to provide the
best quality of rendering
so the buyer can preview
their future lifestyle, and
what the product they’re
buying will look like.
Photo-real style also
matches our picture policy
and differentiates us from
other builders.
Community Branding: RENDERINGS
53. 53
Sometimes, CountryWide
Homes partners with
other builders to create
communities. In these cases,
other professionals and
vendors unaware of our style
and tone may be involved.
When creating a new
development logo or T2
campaign, for example, keep
the following in mind:
Respect the minimum protection area when signing-off with other builders on shared communications.
Development logos MUST have a one-colour stacked version like these examples. Don’t use bitmap
images, only vectors. If the logo will be supported by a concept, also provide a clean option without the tagline.
OTHER BUILDER
L O G O
OTHER BUILDER
L O G O
Community Branding: SUB-BRANDS
54. 54
Community Branding Examples: EXTERIOR SIGNS
There are 3 phases of
community signs:
Phase 1 - registration (purpose is
to obtain registrations, no branding
exist yet)
Phase 2 - lifestyle (logo and
lifestyle have been determined, but
no renderings are available yet)
Phase 3 - rendering (use when
streetscape and/or renderings have
been created)
Community signs must maintain
similar elements to create a
consistent, and easy to recognize
brand. All community signs consist
of the following elements:
CountryWide logo in a stand alone
protruding box (CountryWide logo
must always be placed on the side
closest to the street)
Community logo (if available)
Message
url
image (either lifestyle or
rendering) or background texture if
in Phase 1.
55. 55
NEW
COMMUNITY
COMING SOON TO
YONGE ST. JOHN’S
COMING SOON
40' 50'
PREMIUM SINGLES
MyBrushwood.ca
PHASE 3 COMI
40' 50
PREMIUM S
MyBrushw
NEW
COMMUNITY
COMING SOON TO
YONGE ST. JOHN’S
COMING SOON
40' 50'
PREMIUM SINGLES
MyBrushwood.ca
PHASE 3 COMING SOON
40' 50'
PREMIUM SINGLES
MyBrushwood.ca
W
MMUNITY
G SOON TO
ST. JOHN’S
COMING SOON
40' 50'
PREMIUM SINGLES
MyBrushwood.ca
PHASE 3 COMING SOON
40' 50'
PREMIUM SINGLES
MyBrushwood.ca
Community Branding Examples: EXTERIOR SIGNS
Phase 1 sample Phase 2 sample Phase 3 sample
56. 56
Footer
It is imperative that all community
eBlast footers are the same to create
a consistent and easily recognizable
brand. Please be sure to use the most
recently approved version as the legal
copy may change periodically.
The community eBlasts should be
individually branded to reflect their
unique selling features. However, it is
important to maintain some uniformity
so that it is easily recognized as a
CountryWide Homes product. All
community eBlasts should have the
same footer and background colour.
Community Branding Examples: eBLASTS
57. 57
Community landing pages all follow
the same layout template. Showcasing
renderings, highlights, price point
and local amenities. The point of
the landing pages is to increase
registration, it is important the copy is
brief and to the point while at the same
time optimized for SEO.
Community Branding Examples: LANDING PAGES
58. 58
The Community “Big” Book showcases
the floorplans and renderings in a
large format. The dimensions are 17”
wide by 11” high. It is important that
the Big Book follow a consistent design.
All fonts and colours should conform
to the CountryWide Homes style
guidelines mentioned in this document.
The book will show renderings for all
elevations but only the floorplans for
Elevation A.
Community Branding Examples: THE BIG BOOK
62. 62
Touchscreens are built using software called BildHive. All communities should follow the same template to maintain a consistent look.
Community Branding Examples: TOUCHSCREEN
63. 63
Our MANIFESTO
Build A New Level of
product, service, and
quality at every touchpoint.
Impress our customers,
baffle our competition,
and passionately love
what we do.