Elements of the Brand

01. Distinctive Assets

Distinctive assets are the specific elements of the brand that we invest in to build brand equity over the long term.

Big Lex
Blue-Pantone 286

02. Creative Examples

Print

Digital

Video

03. Logo

Added “Which Logo Do I Use?” section for greater clarity around choosing the correct logo file. Added “Additional Clarifications” section for greater clarity around when to break from brand fonts and logos.

Versions

PRIMARY LOGO IN COLOR
Primary
Full Color
Stacked
Primary
Full Color
Horizontal
Primary
Flat Color
Stacked
Primary
Full Color
Horizontal
SECONDARY LOGO IN COLOR
Lexington, KY
Full Color
Stacked
Lexington, KY
Full Color
Horizontal
Lexington, KY
Flat Color
Stacked
Lexington, KY
Full Color
Horizontal
PRIMARY LOGO IN GRAYSCALE
Primary
White
Stacked
Primary
White
Horizontal
Primary
Black
Stacked
Primary
Black
Horizontal
SECONDARY LOGO IN GRAYSCALE
Lexington, KY
White
Stacked
Lexington, KY
White
Horizontal
Lexington, KY
Black
Stacked
Primary
Black
Horizontal

Which Logo Do I use?

Step 1: RGB, CMYK, SPOT PMS or GRAYSCALE

RGB: Digital end use, color
CMYK: Print end use, color
SPOT PMS: Print end use, color, requires inclusion of PMS 286 ink
GREYSCALE: Digital or Print end use, no colorNote: White version of logo can be used in some color applications. For example: on a blue background.

Step 2: Box or No Box

The preferred logo background is with a box. This guarantees clearspace and color contrast rules are followed.The “No Box” versions can be used as long as clearspace and color contrast rules are respected.

Step 3: EPS or PNG

PNG files have been prepared at a large enough resolution to fit most use cases. However, if the logo needs scaled larger than the PNGs native resolution, then use the EPS file. EPS is able to retain it’s image quality better as it is scaled.

Step 4: Stacked or Side-by-Side

The preferred logo orientation is stacked. However, side-by-side logos can be used if they are a better fit for the space.

Step 5: With or Without “Lexington, KY”

The logo version with "Lexington, KY" is used when you are creating a non-VisitLex material for use outside of Lexington, KY, or the materials you are producing do not otherwise acknowledge Lexington, KY. (Example: A poster for an event in which VisitLEX is only a sponsor)

Step 6: Full Color, Two Color, or Horse Only

Follow minimum size guidelines to determine.

Additional Clarifications

Ensure “Lexington, KY” is present on all materials.

There is no official logo or lockup for the city name. However, it must be present in some way on all materials.

Do I always have to use the new fonts and logo?

Pretty much. Exceptions include:
* Consumer facing merchandise
(Example: A Lexington, KY t-shirt may use different fonts, colors, artwork to make a more relatable product. However, if there is a logo on the tag of this t-shirt, we would still use our VisitLEX logo since that is more of a brand identity use)

Minimum Size

Primary Stacked

Full Color
Print: Use at sizes 1.2” wide or greater.
Digital: Use at 150px wide or greater.

Flat Color
Print: Use below 1.2" but no smaller than 0.5".
Digital: Use below 150px wide but no smaller than 60px wide.

Primary Horizontal

Full Color
Print: Use at sizes 2.6” wide or greater.
Digital: Use at 330px wide or greater.

Flat Color
Print: Use below 2.6" but no smaller than 0.9".
Digital: Use below 330px wide but no smaller than 130px wide.

Lexington KY, Stacked

Logo with Lexington, KY is only used on pieces that don’t otherwise acknowledge Lexington, KY. Below minimum sizes, indicate Lexington, KY elsewhere in the creative.

Full Color
Print: Use at sizes 1.2” wide or greater.
Digital: Use at 150px wide or greater.

Flat Color
Print: Use below 2.6" but no smaller than 0.75".
Digital: Do not use below 150px.

Lexington KY, Horizontal


Print: Use at sizes 2.6” wide or greater.
Digital: Use at 330px wide or greater.

Flat Color
Print: Use below 2.6" but no smaller than 1.3".
Digital: Do not use below 330px.

Clear Space

To ensure the logo does not get lost among other elements or get confused as part of something it is not, maintain clearspace around all sides of the logo.

Logo Placement

When placing the logo over a pattern or image use white as defined by clearspace to set it apart.

Use a white space defined by the clearspace guides to delineate space for the logo.
Horizontal logo can be used when the stacked version does not fit the space. For example, a website header or horizontal digital ad.
The one-color white logo can be used on blue. Or in situations that are exclusively in grayscale.

In Motion

An animated version of the logo is used in situations where motion is possible.

Fluid Logo Use

The Big Lex shape is iconic, so when a need arises, Big Lex can be used as a container shape for other imagery.

Contain any graphics fully within the Big Lex shape.

Any imagery contained within Big Lex as a fluid device must be more than a single color.
Do Not: Use a fluid version of Big Lex with any logo typography.

Do Not: Stretch, add to, remove or otherwise alter the SHAPE of Big Lex.

Additional Rules Of Use

DO NOT use the typographic “VISITLEX” from the logo without the horse.
Don't
DO NOT break apart, edit or alter the structure of the logo in any way
Don't
DO NOT change VISITLEX to say anything else
Don't
DO NOT allow elements such as typography, other logos, graphics or photos to intrude on the clearspace
Don't

04. Color

Primary
LEX BLUE
CMYK: 100/72/0/0
RGB: 0/87/168
HEX: 0057A8
White
CMYK: 0/0/0/0
RGB: 255/255/255
HEX: FFFFFF
Secondary
PMS 289CMYK 100 76 10 65
RGB 230 235 243
HEX E6EBF3
CMYK: 100/75/6/24
RGB: 0/66/129
HEX: 004281
CMYK: 100/72/2/12
RGB: 0/77/150
HEX: 004D96
CMYK: 90/48/0/0
RGB: 0/119/190
HEX: 0077BE
CMYK: 58/17/0/0
RGB: 96/175/225
HEX: 60AFE1
CMYK: 40/8/0/0
RGB: 145/202/238
HEX: 91CAEE
CMYK: 91/74/51/93
RGB: 0/1/10
HEX: 00010A
CMYK: 0/0/0/75
RGB: 64/64/64
HEX: 404040
CMYK: 0/0/0/50
RGB: 128/128/128
HEX: 808080
CMYK: 0/0/0/25
RGB: 191/191/191
HEX: BFBFBF
CMYK: 0/0/0/0
RGB: 255/255/255
HEX: FFFFFF

Tertiary Colors

PMS 289
CMYK 100 66 0 76
RGB 11 35 65
HEX #0B2341
PMS 5655
CMYK 29 13 23 0
RGB 180 190 180
HEX #B4BEB4
PMS 5605
CMYK 78 35 74 78
RGB 33 56 35
HEX #21382D
PMS 1345
CMYK 0 13 50 0
RGB 252 209 146
HEX #FCD192
PMS 4028
CMYK 13 43 86 45
RGB 131 97 48
HEX #836130
PMS 425
CMYK 63 51 45 33
RGB 85 89 96
HEX #555960

05. Typography

Typography allows the brand to communicate consistently across media.

Font Families

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890

Magazine is used for top level headlines, in custom lockups and other design elements.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890

Denton is used for lower level headlines, pull quotes, lead-ins and other accents.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890

Graphik is used for body typography and lower level headlines

Language

ACRONYMS & ABBREVIATIONS
Always spell out names of agencies and organizations on first reference, followed by the common abbreviation or acronym in parenthesis. On following references, the abbreviated agency name is preferred to the agency acronym. For instance, the American Bourbon Association should be referred to on second reference as the ABA.

Except for addresses, use full state names: Lexington, Kentucky

Opt for gender-neutral titles like VisitLEX spokesperson.

It's acceptable to use ampersands (&) and percent signs (%) in headlines, subheadings, charts, graphs, and web buttons. However, be consistent.
ADDRESSES
Always use numerals when writing out building numbers in addresses.

In reference to specific street names, always spell out and capitalize words like Boulevard, Avenue, and Street. For street names that are also numbers, spell out and capitalize First through Ninth and use figures for 10th and higher (e.g Third Street and 12th Street).

If a street name includes a cardinal direction, abbreviate North, South, East and West only when referring to a specific building (e.g. 326 N. Limestone Street or North Limestone Street).
PHONE NUMBERS
Phone numbers use parentheses around area codes and hyphens between groups of numbers: (859) 123-4567.
CAPITALIZATION
Titles should always be capitalized when they appear before a person's name.

Use all caps for web buttons. Punctuating buttons are up to the discretion of the writer.

Horse Capital of the World should always be capitalized as such.

Southern should be capitalized when referring to a region and lowercase when referring to a direction: Southern hospitality. In the southern part of Lexington.

Thoroughbred should always be capitalized.

Bluegrass should be capitalized when referring to the region and lowercase when referring to the actual grass: The best restaurants in the Bluegrass. Horses love bluegrass.

Horse Country is the name of a local tour business/VisitLEX partner and should be capitalized. Avoid referring to the region as such to minimize confusion.
COMPOSITIONS
Use quotation marks around titles of works of art and compositions, like books, songs, television shows, video games, and poems. Do not use quotations or italics for names of publications (e.g. "My Old Kentucky Home," or Southern Living).
CONTRACTIONS
Use common contractions like isn't, won't, and you'll when possible. This sets a more conversational tone.
NAMES
Always use a person's title, first and last name upon first reference. Use title and last name for following references. Do not use courtesy titles (Mr., Mrs., etc.) unless needed to differentiate between people who have the same last name.
NUMBERS
Spell out numbers one through nine. Use numerals for numbers 10 and greater. For numbers in the millions, billions or trillions, use a number and word (e.g. 1 billion, 4.8 million).

When referring to money, always use numerals preceded with a dollar sign (e.g. $400). When referencing an amount of money less than $1, use numerals and spell out the word cents (e.g. 30 cents).

For dates, avoid using ordinal numbers (1st, 2nd, or 3rd). Always use figures (e.g. March 7, 2023).

Always use numerals for dimensions. Spell out words like pounds, feet, and ounces.

The word percent should almost always be written out. A percent sign (%) may be used for charts, graphs, headlines and subheads.

Always use numerals for percentages (e.g. 30 percent, 6 percent).

Use numerals in reference to age. Hyphenate ages when used as an adjective before a noun or in substitution for a noun (e.g. the 2-year-old filly, or the 8-year-olds). Don't use an apostrophe when describing a period of time (e.g. in their 20s, or the 1950s).
HYPERLINKS
Avoid hyperlinking "read here", or "click here". Hyperlinked text should always be descriptive to give readers a solid understanding of the linked content.When linking to content other than a web page, include file format in parenthesis after the linked text—e.g. Restaurant Guide (PDF).Use internal links whenever possible. For example, link to a VisitLEX.com business listing, not the business’s website.
HASHTAGS
Hashtags should be written in #CamelCase. Each word in the hashtag's phrase should begin with a capital letter. Acronyms/abbreviations within hashtags should be all capitals—#ShareTheLEX
PRONOUNS
Pronouns like you and ours should be used at the writer's discretion to address readers or services VisitLEX is providing. This helps humanize VisitLEX and makes us seem much more conversational and approachable.
PUNCTUATION
Apostrophes: Add an apostrophe-s to all singular nouns, even if the noun ends in s. Use only an apostrophe with a singular noun if the following word begins with s (e.g. the bluegrass's beautiful color, or the bluegrass' sweet smell).

Bullets: Capitalize the first word of every bullet. Include a period only when the bulleted item is a complete sentence.Colons: Capitalize the first word after a colon if what follows makes a complete sentence.

Commas: Always use the serial comma, also known as the Oxford comma.

Dashes: Em dashes should be used—without spaces between them and adjacent words—to offset phrases. Avoid using en dashes when referring to ranges. Instead, spell out to, and, or through.

Dates: Always use the full name of the month (e.g. March 3, 2023).

Quotation marks: Periods and commas go inside quotation marks.

06. Supporting Elements

Additional design elements can be utilized on an as-needed basis. The combination and use of these elements will give the brand flexibility in how it presents itself with consistent elements tying everything together into an overall cohesive look.

Patterns

BIG LEX
Diamonds
POINTS
VIBRATIONS
Light Argyle
LEX
HILLS
Harlequin
Color Pairing

When using a pattern, only pair with colors that do not have a red X. Colors that we feel do not pair well with the indicated pattern have been crossed out with a red X.

Position

Visible tiling within a pattern should be avoided. You should refrain from perfectly centering the tiling within a space, instead allow it to cut off the edges at a third or halfway point. Additionally, do not cut off the ends of a pattern, as it looks messy and does not fit within brand guidelines.

Do Not: Position the pattern in such a way that only a tiny bit of the next tile repetition is in the frame.

Do Not: Fill the frame to the exact edge of the tile repetition.

Pattern Scale

The scale of each pattern should be adjusted for each piece. A majority of print pieces will be small, but for backdrops, podiums, and physical architecture, treat the scale as if it were a wallpaper piece. You can check resolution by entering pattern edit mode and viewing the embedded object’s properties.

Helpful scaling command: Click on the desired object, then hit “Pattern fill” using the scale tool (s) + ~ + shift, and drag diagonally to scale up or down.

Badges

Iconography

This icon style is defined as simple linework, with rounded terminals and no fills. These are intended to be used a small scale only where space is limited and where they add clarity to a concept or user experience. Do not use this illustration style for large or hero graphics.

07. Photography

Lexington is a place that defies expectations. Let’s create a look that captures the vibrant, progressive, youthful energy that permeates our city.

In this section, we’ll explore three elements of photography that bring distinctiveness to the brand... and add to the allure of Lexington as an unexpectedly cool destination.

Overview

This photography approach will show how the VisitLEX brand can seamlessly fit into any lifestyle while showing the wide range of people to which Lexington, Kentucky, caters. We want the photos to present Lexington as the special place it is.
Cinematic Perspectives
  • Use as much natural light as possible.
  • Keep the media that you’re shooting for in mind—we want the photos to fit our various placement sizes in the most appealing way. That said, be sure to capture every photo in both horizontal and vertical formats. For example, Beyond Grits guide photos should be mostly vertical while social posts should be square or horizontal, so shoot in both formats to be safe.
  • Use wide angle photography to capture Lexington’s spacious landscapes. Colors should seem natural.
  • Embrace all parts of the scene without perfecting every detail—strive for organic and natural. By capturing small details, nearby remnants and landmarks, we can more accurately tell a story.
  • Consider unique framing opportunities and perspectives. Get a little artistic.
Natural Situations
  • Keep diversity top of mind. Look for appropriate, organic ways to represent people of color and the LGBTQ+ community.
  • Rather than posing your subjects, direct them—ask them to do something and try to capture the real-life reactions and moments.
Analog Characteristics
  • Add subtle film grain if not already present in the imagery.
  • Edit each series with the same color palette. A few common characteristics we use to achieve the analog look are bringing the whites down and bringing up the blacks so there is no pure white or pure black in the image.
Understanding “key characteristics”
Because many of the pillars and drivers could apply to other destinations at face value, we established “Key Characteristics” for each of them (below). They are meant to further define how that category shows up for Lexington, KY. However, the Key Characteristics are not the only way those pillars show up in Lexington, but rather the most iconic ways they show up.

When photographing subject matter for VisitLEX in these categories, keep the key characteristics in mind, but do not be so bound by them that you miss other opportunities.

For example, “horses” are a pillar for places like Montana, Texas or Chincoteague Island, VA. However, key characteristics further paint the picture for how horses show up in Lexington, KY, as “Horses on the farm,” “Horse racing & eventing,” “Horse touring,” and “Foals.”
    HORSES
    Look for ways to show more than just horses in a field. Capture the one-of-a-kind setting of horse farms in the Horse Capital of the World. Show the entire lifecycle, from foal, to racehorse, to stallion or mare. Visually demonstrate that visitors can touch and interact with these special animals.
    KEY CHARACTERISTICS
    • Horses on the farm
    • Horse racing & eventing
    • Horse touring
    • Horse Park, Horse Farms, Keeneland
    • FOALS
    BOURBON
    Show how bourbon can be experienced beyond a drink. Capture authentic, up-close-and-personal experiences at bourbon distilleries and bars. Show the historic, beautiful grounds and give a sense of their location—whether they’re downtown, along the Kentucky River or nestled among horse farms.
    KEY CHARACTERISTICS
    • Distilleries
    • Barrels
    • Neat Pours
    • Bourbon Bars
    LANDSCAPE
    Our landscape is truly unlike anywhere else. Capture the pastoral beauty of horse country as well as the vibrant culture of the city. Show the variety of sights and landscapes throughout the region, from the Red River Gorge to the Kentucky River to the wonderful parks and greenspaces around Lexington.
    KEY CHARACTERISTICS
    • Horse farms
    • Rolling hills
    • Wooden & stone fences
    • Streams & rivers
    • Big trees
    • Morning fog
    arts & entertainment
    Lexington is rich with the arts. Murals, music, galleries and fairs show the incredible volume of creativity coming from our community.
    KEY CHARACTERISTICS
    • Murals
    • Live music
    • Art fairs, galleries & events
    • Hobbies
    • Skateboarding, poetry, etc.
    • Nightlife & hangout spots
    Culinary
    We have a unique culinary scene with world-class chefs, farm-fresh ingredients and flavors from around the world.
    KEY CHARACTERISTICS
    • Elevated southern
    • Cocktails
    • Breweries
    • Shareable dishes
    • Good company
    SPORTS
    Sports are a huge part of the culture here in Kentucky and particularly Lexington, the home of UK Basketball. While licensing doesn’t allow us to show specific athletes, faces, names or jersey numbers in most instances, we can still present this important part of Lexington from the perspective of the “fan experience.”
    KEY CHARACTERISTICS
    • UK basketball & football fans
    • Tailgating
    • Sports bars
    • Minor league sports
    • Baseball, soccer
    • Leisure sports
    • Golf, shooting sports, pickup basketball, rec soccer, disc golf
    HISTORY
    Lexington has a long history and has been an important center for education, politics, social progress and so much more. There are plenty of opportunities to learn and immerse yourself in it here.
    KEY CHARACTERISTICS
    • Historic homes & tours
    • Neighborhoods & downtown
    • Historic markers
    SHOPPING
    Lexington has some wonderful and unique shopping opportunities. We show the range from antiques to boutiques as well as the social elements that our shopping locations endorse.
    KEY CHARACTERISTICS
    • Boutiques
    • Vintage, antiques
    • The Summit, Hamburg