BrandStamp Studio
Complete brand system, guidelines, and usage reference. Use this when you need our logo, colors, type, or voice.
1. Logo: The Block
The BrandStamp mark is The Block: two tall rounded blocks with B and S. Default wherever space allows is the full lockup (Block + wordmark).
Variants
Primary / Full lockup
Default. Block icon + BrandStamp wordmark (+ Studio when space allows).
Stacked lockup
Social covers, presentation covers, square placements.
Wordmark only
Nav bars and tight horizontal headers where the icon is too large.
Icon mark
Favicons, app icons, social avatars, compact placements. Light, Dark, Copper, and Mono treatments.
Clear space
Minimum clear space around the logo equals the height of one block letter. Nothing enters that zone.
Scale
Keep the mark readable. Demonstrated sizes: 120px, 80px, 48px, 32px, 24px. Prefer the icon mark below ~32px when the full lockup crowds.
Logo do
- Do: Use official SVG/PNG files from the logo pack.
- Do: Keep proportions locked.
- Do: Put Light versions on dark grounds and Dark versions on cream/light grounds.
- Do: Outline live text in SVGs to paths before handing files to printers or partners who may lack Bebas Neue.
Logo don't
- Don't: Don't stretch, squash, or skew.
- Don't: Don't rotate.
- Don't: Don't add drop shadows, glows, outlines, or filters.
- Don't: Don't recolor outside the approved Light / Dark / Copper / Mono treatments.
- Don't: Don't place Copper small text on cream (see contrast).
- Don't: Don't rewrite the wordmark as "Brand Stamp" or "Brandstamp".
2. Color
Primary palette
Forge Black
#1C1C1E · RGB 28, 28, 30
Primary background and text
Warm Cream
#F5F0E8 · RGB 245, 240, 232
Primary surface
Forged Copper
#C47D4E · RGB 196, 125, 78
Accent and highlights
Neutral warm scale
50 #F5F0E8 · 100 #F0EBE3 · 200 #E0D8CC · 300 #C5BAA9 · 400 #9B9080 · 500 #756A5C · 600 #524940 · 700 #3A3430 · 800 #252220 · 900 #151312
Copper accent scale
Light #E8A97A · Default #C47D4E · Dark #A66A3F · Deep #8B5530
Contrast rules
| Pair | Ratio | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Black on Cream | 15.2:1 | Pass. Default body text on light. |
| Cream on Black | 15.2:1 | Pass. Default body text on dark. |
| Copper on Black | ~4.6 to 5.2:1 | Pass for accents on dark. |
| Warm 500 on Cream | 4.5:1 | Pass for muted text on cream. |
| Copper on Cream | Fails AA for small text | Never for small text on cream. On cream use Copper Dark for large headings (24px and up) and Copper Deep for small copper labels. |
UI color habits
- Primary buttons: Forge Black text on copper. Never cream text on copper.
- Secondary on dark: cream outline + cream text. Secondary on cream: Forge Black outline + Forge Black text.
- Backgrounds alternate Forge Black and Warm Cream. Copper is the one accent. No decorative gradients except light hero legibility fades.
3. Typography
Display / headlines
Bebas Neue
Hero ~96px, H1 ~48px, tracking ~0.05em.
Body / UI
DM Sans
Body Regular ~18px / 1.625 line-height. Captions Medium ~12px, 0.3em tracking, uppercase.
Both are Google Fonts (OFL). The live v2 site self-hosts subset woff2 files. Bebas has no arrow glyphs: put arrows in DM Sans. No checkmark glyph: use an SVG check.
Caption example: Branding · Web design · Websites
4. Personality
Five traits. Keep them visible on the page as short cards.
Capable
We deliver. Every project, every time. Our work is our resume.
Direct
No jargon. No fluff. Our clients run businesses, not agencies. We respect their time.
Crafted
Every pixel, every word is intentional. We treat your brand like we'd treat our own.
Warm
Premium doesn't mean cold. We're the team you actually enjoy working with.
Bold
We don't make forgettable brands. If it doesn't stand out, we start over.
5. Voice and tone
Write short, clear, and warm. Talk like a capable neighbor who builds websites, not like an agency deck. Use we. Cort's title is Founder & CEO. Spell BrandStamp.
Do
- Do: Lead with the point.
- Do: Prefer plain words over marketing jargon.
- Do: Use periods and commas. No em dashes.
- Do: Offer clear next steps: free preview, free 30-minute call.
- Do: Feature only approved clients by name: A+ Electrical, Albrechtsen Insurance, Handmade by Tierra LaNè, Plenterra.com (others need Cort's OK first).
Don't
- Don't: Don't invent results, reviews, rankings, or prices.
- Don't: Don't name AI tools. Call the optional scroll hero a custom AI-generated add-on.
- Don't: Don't say we are local-only. We take clients anywhere in the US; keep local SEO for Cache Valley, Box Elder, Weber, Davis (UT) and Franklin County (ID).
- Don't: Don't put a street address. City only: Smithfield, UT.
- Don't: Don't soft-pitch in engagement comments or use em dashes in public copy.
Voice examples
| Context | Do | Don't |
|---|---|---|
| Hero | Your Brand. Our Stamp. | Leveraging innovative digital solutions for holistic brand optimization. |
| Offer | See your new site first. The preview is free. | Request a complimentary digital brand audit. |
| Service | You built your business from scratch. Your site should look like it. | Our comprehensive branding methodology creates synergistic visual identities. |
| CTA | Get a free preview | Unlock your transformative digital journey |
Locked lines
- H1: Your Brand. Our Stamp.
- Footer sign-off: Made in Smithfield, Utah.
6. Design principles
Forge, don't decorate.
Every element helps someone understand or act. Make phone numbers and calls effortless.
Warm minimalism.
Quiet layout, human warmth. Black and copper, not black and void.
Stamp of quality.
Polished, intentional, built to last. The work should hold up next to a strong competitor.
7. Practical applications
Buttons
Cards
Cream surface, warm border, DM Sans. Dark cards use Forge Black with cream text.
Social
Block icon as avatar. Stacked lockup for covers.
Proposal cover
BrandStamp Studio · Building your digital presence · prepared-for + date
Email signature
Cort Lockwood
Founder & CEO
cort@brandstampstudio.com
Replace any old "Alex Morgan / Creative Director" placeholders with Cort Lockwood / Founder & CEO.
8. Contact and social
- Web: brandstampstudio.com
- Email: cort@brandstampstudio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandstamp_studio/ (opens in a new tab)
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/BrandStamp-Studio-61580685847362/ (opens in a new tab)
- Google Business Profile: https://share.google/RUfOLfxfrCMrbxYIx (opens in a new tab)
Smithfield, UT · Serving northern Utah, Franklin County, Idaho, and businesses nationwide