Brand standards  •  Graphics standards  •  Circle of CARE guidelines

 

Circle of CARE guidelines

The Circle of CARE is a powerful emblem of unity and connection within our community. Beyond representing our cooperative values, it embodies our commitment to fostering meaningful relationships across all levels.

The Circle of CARE was thoughtfully designed as part of our brand refresh, drawing inspiration from our existing logo. This versatile graphic element can be seamlessly incorporated into various brand communications, adding an elegant touch of simplicity and sophistication.

We invite you to explore the guidelines in the downloadable interactive PDF to understand how to effectively use the Circle of CARE in our brand communications.

Circle of CARE overview

Circle of CARE usage

General don'ts

The Circle of CARE will be used in our brand as a glowing background element for title slides, landscapes, and photographic portraiture. The circle is designed as a spotlight. Highlighting powerful program participants and leaders in our network of CARE. Following these guidelines ensures it remains impactful, enhancing our messaging without distraction. Use the circle thoughtfully to spotlight our mission and those we serve, preserving its integrity and purpose across all communications.

General 1

Don’t refer to the Circle of CARE as a sun.

General 2

Don’t use the circle alone. It should be used with photography or text.

General 3

Don’t add additional design elements to the circle.

General 4

Don’t change the color of the circle.

General 5

Don’t create your own variation of the circle, only use the file provided on the brand standards site.

General 6

Don’t add additional drop shadow to the circle.

General 7

Don’t use more than one circle per page, image, or spread.

General 8

Don’t use the circle as a pattern.

General 9

Don’t use the circle as a punctuation. For example; a period, bullet point, or the tittle of an ‘i’ or ‘j’.

General 10

Don’t right or left align the circle. It should always be centered within the frame or centered behind a subject.

Photography dos

When using the circle brand element with photography, keep it impactful yet simple. Here, we offer guidance on how to integrate the circle to complement, not overshadow, your subjects. These best practices ensure the circle highlights key elements, creating a balanced and cohesive brand presence.

Here are examples of approved uses of the Circle of CARE.

PhotoYes_1

Cutouts: Do overlay a cutout portrait over the circle. The portrait should be centered within the circle.

PhotoYes_2

Portraits: Do properly scale the circle behind the subject with a sufficient amount of the image background visible.

PhotoYes_3

Group images: Do center the circle behind an entire group of people.

PhotoYes_4

Landscape images: Do crop half of the circle behind the landscape. The full circle should still fit in the image frame behind the landscape.

PhotoYes_5

Pillar highlight: Do use the circle to highlight subjects that directly relate to our pillars.

PhotoYes_6

Pillar highlight: Do use the circle to highlight subjects that directly relate to our pillars.

Photography don'ts

To maintain clarity and impact, here are highlights common misuses of the circle brand element in images. Follow these guidelines to avoid cropping people awkwardly, blocking faces, over scaling, or placing the circle in ways that detract from the intended message. Keeping the design clean and balanced ensures that the circle remains a powerful and effective brand tool.

Here are examples of misuse of the Circle of CARE.

PhotoNo_1

Cutouts: Don’t crop people within the circle.

PhotoNo_2

Portraits: Don’t scale the circle to resemble religious symbolism or elements.

PhotoNo_3

Portraits: Don’t over scale the circle. Some of the background should still be visible.

PhotoNo_4

Group images: Don’t block faces when using the circle behind a group of people.

PhotoNo_5

Group images: Don’t use more than one circle in an image, layout, or spread.

PhotoNo_6

Landscape: Don’t use the circle as a sun in landscape imagery. At least half of the circle should be cropped by the landscape.

Text dos

When in doubt, keep it simple. The Circle of CARE should highlight specific topics, people, or elements without overwhelming the design. Avoid adding logos, excessive text, decorative effects, or complex layouts within the circle to maintain clarity. Stick to clean, straightforward applications to keep the Circle of CARE focused and impactful.

Here are examples of approved uses of the Circle of CARE.

TextYes_1

Fonts: Do overlay Anton or Impact (for Microsoft Office programs) on top of the circle.

TextYes_2

CARE logo: Do include the CARE logo on the same page as the Circle of CARE.

TextYes_4

Alignment: Do vertically and horizontally center all of the text to the circle.

TextYes_3

Word count: Do limit your headlines to two lines of text and your subheads to one line of text.

Text don'ts

Here are examples of misuse of the Circle of CARE.

TextNo_1

Don’t place the CARE logo in the circle.

TextNo_2

Don’t use the Circle of CARE as a logo mark.

TextNo_3

Don’t outline the circle with text.

TextNo_4

Don’t include an entire paragraph of text on the circle.

TextNo_5

Don’t crop text within the circle.

TextNo_6

Don’t add a drop shadow to text overlaid on the circle.

Circle of CARE Guidelines:

DOWNLOAD

Circle of CARE Guidelines (PDF file)
and Circle of CARE (PNG file)

CARE employees and approved partners can contact brandsupport@care.org for the password to access downloadable materials.