Brand Language

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Last updated: 21 April 2021 Branding by High Contrast.

Brand
guidelines

NSSG strives to create a consistent and unified brand experience.

When creating any materials for the brand, please refer back to the manual and use the provided assets.

Ethics

NSSG maintains the tenants of integrity and privacy, thus developing a trusted relationship with each and every client.

Determination

NSSG understands the value and goal of every request, and strives to provide tailored and thoroughly reliable solutions at all times.

Excellence

NSSG promises to reach their highest levels of tangible capability and to unlock their best security expertise.
The Personality

NSSG’s personality sits at the intersection of serious and friendly, and of authoritative and comforting.

Elite Mass appeal
Serious Playful
Conventional Rebel
Authoritative Friendly
Classic Innovative
The Differentiators

01.
We operate where others can’t.

02.
Ethical pricing policy

Why → The Vision

Helping organizations operate with peace of mind in challenging environments.

How → The Mission

To operate where and when others can’t.

What → The Business

A one stop shop for proven and dependable risk and crisis management solutions.

NSSG’s brand persona is a Chief Security Officer with a people first mindset.

He is a 40 years-old businessman that understands both businesses and people’s needs. Being a strategic thinker with a hacker attitude, he is focused on prevention and is always ready for the most unusual situations.
Read the full Positioning
The Verbal Identity

The brand uses raw, honest and transparent commercial messages, which instantly set a well defined tone of voice.

The only version of the company’s name is NSSG.

Always write the name with capital letters if possible, since it’s an abbreviation of North Star Security Group.

The name was connected and still is within history enthusiasts to the role that the North Star (Polaris) had for the sea crews before the compass was invented. Their entire guiding system was based on the North Star’s location on the sky and, in comparison to other points on the sky used for measurement, they knew how to stir the vessels to reach their destination. Its importance grew as during challenging times, cloudy weather or light storms, it was the only star that had the light strong enough to still offer guidance for the sea travelers.

This fits perfectly with NSSG’s promises: we do operate where others can’t and we do operate in the most challenging environments and situations.

The tagline is clear and empowering.

We operate where others can’t.

The domain is concise and rememberable.

The official domain of NSSG is nssg.global.

Campaigns, landing-pages or any other brand extensions will be build on this domain.

Example: nssg.global/support-card

Focus on the solution, not on the problem.

  • The safest possible place. Anywhere.
  • Your business is in good hands.
  • Risk management solutions for unstoppable businesses.
  • Risk management solutions for bold business minds.

Be confident and generate trust.

  • We got this, we’ve been here before.
  • When it comes to business, we don’t believe in “unexpected”.
  • We handle the risks so you can focus on business.
  • A business is made of choices. We’ll help you with the sharp ones.

Offer the audience your because.

  • Local network, global know-how.
  • Operation capabilities in more than 100 countries.
  • Ongoing tailored solutions.
  • We take business risks as challenges. Bring it on.

Give real context so people can relate.

  • Tactical evacuation plan for an NGO’s crew in Afghanistan.
  • Corporate event security management in Cairo, Egypt.
  • COVID-19 Pandemic Support Services for a Global IT Company in Egypt.
  • Journey Management for a multinational professional services company in Saudi Arabia.
Colors

The vivid color palette conveys the sense of urgency and determination at the heart of the brand.

Brand Colors

The fresh, attention-grabbing blue stands for the confidence of the brand, while the reduced color scheme creates harmony and elegance.

Dusty Air

#E3E5E8
R227 G229 B232
C2 M1 Y0 K9
PMS 663C

Dry Rock

#505962
R80 G89 B98
C18 M9 Y0 K62
PMS Cool Grey 11C

Burnt Coal

#1D161C
R29 G22 B28
C0 M24 Y3 K89
PMS Black 6C

Digital Sky

#1959FA
R25 B89 B250
C90 M64 Y0 K2
PMS 2727C

Usage Proportions

In order to maintain the brand’s consistency, it is important to follow the color proportion rules. While all colors can be freely used on any materials, it’s safe to refer to the proportions below to get a sense of volume.
30%
15%
5%
40%
10%
Download Color Swatches
Typography

The typefaces are a reflection of the brand’s assertive philosophy, aiming for optimized readability across all devices and mediums.

Header: IBM Plex Sans

The IBM Plex Sans type family was designed to illustrate the unique relationship between mankind and machine. It has a neutral, yet friendly style and has excellent legibility in print, web and mobile interfaces.
AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIi JjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRr SsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 1234567890#@$&%+-
Go to Google Fonts

Body Text: Sora

Sora font family has its characteristics rooted in the crisp digital environment. The large x-height combined with evidently generous counters give the family clarity and effectiveness at any size.
AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIi JjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRr SsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz 1234567890#@$&%+-
Go to Google Fonts

Hierarchy

By using scale and function, we not only guide the eye, but create visual interest as well. In order to do this, it’s crucial to organize the information in a well defined hierarchical system.
Secondary Heading - IBM Plex Sans Blold

NSSG offers peace of mind to businesses operating in challenging environments.

Fourth Heading - IBM Plex Sans Medium

We enable business flow in challenging markets by providing dependable global security solutions.

Main Heading - IBM Plex Sans Blold

A business is made of choices. We’ll help you with the sharp ones.

Third Heading - IBM Plex Sans Semi Bold

We develop trusted relationships with our clients and they become our long term partners.

Body Text - Sora Regular
Our core values maintain the tenets of honesty, integrity and transparency that we match with the highest levels of tangible capability and delivery of our security expertise.
Detail - Sora Regular
We have gathered together, under one roof, experts with considerable experience in the delivery of risk management services, commercial intelligence and crisis response to global organizations, often in challenging circumstances.
Photography

The use of photography helps NSSG in telling personal and relatable stories in a highly impactful manner.

Challenging Environments

The colorful images represent variety and uniquenes. The environments are featured through aerial shots, and they seem to be morphing into abstract patterns. These images can be used on materials that need to quickly grab the viewers’ attention and keep them visually engaged for an extended period of time.

Urban Places

Images of crowded, urban areas give a deep sense of urgency and dynamism. These photographs emphasize movement and are clearly pointing out the fact that the company is able to operate in a wide variety of places. This makes them suitable to be used on materials that talk about cultural diversity and are pointing out local insights.

Meeting Places

Images of corporate places refer to safe and confidential environments. Calm, clean and fairly static, shots of such interiors are conveying a sense of comfort and peace of mind. These images are meant to be targeting direct corporate customers.
Go to Image Gallery
Pattern System

Media-neutral but digital at
heart, the pattern enables consistent staging of the brand across all customer touchpoints.

Pattern Concept

Rooted in military dashbord layouts and symbolism, the pattern conveys total transparency, limitless knowledge and extreme security. It represents detailed analysis, which highlights the company’s promise and values.

Technical Accuracy

NSSG pays close attention to the technical aspect of the brand as well. In doing so, every bit of information is accurate and relevant to the military/security industry.

When creating a pattern for any NSSG material that contains a set of information and codes, the list below will be used as the only reference.

COA

Course Of Action

AO

Area of Operations

JSOC

Joint Special Operations Command

HVT

High Value Target

HUMINT

Human Intelligence

OSINT

Open Source Intelligence

MDMP

Military Decision Making Process

DOP

Drop-Off Point

SOP

Standard Operating Procedure

DZ

Drop Zone

ID

Identification

TF

Task Force

FAK

First Aid Kit

ORM

Operational Risk Management

IFF

Identification Friend or Foe

TOC

Tactical Operations Center

SA

Situation Awareness

SAR

Search And Rescue

C3

Command Control and Communication

GSOC

Global Security Operations Center

ROE

Rules of Engagement

C3i

Command Control Communication and Intelligence

ISR

Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance

SITREP

Situation Report

Pattern Applications

The pattern is highly flexible and customizable, making it easy to apply to a wide variety of materials and formats. It can be applied to plain backgrounds as well as photographs. Additionally, the pattern is able to accommodate text or to perform on its own.

When the pattern is combined with text it’s safe to refrain from using any extra, unnecessary information as part of the pattern, to avoid a busy and confusing composition.

Download Pattern
Grid System

The dynamic grid system contributes to the brand’s expression capability.

Divisions of three

The NSSG grid system is built on the number 3 and its multipliers. Thus, each static workspace will be divided horizontally or vertically in 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, and so on. This simple and easy to apply rule will create consistency throughout the NSSG universe.
3 x 6 grid
12 x 3 grid
6 x 1 grid
6 x 9 grid

Gutters and margins

The rule for building proper gutters and margins follows the same concept of working with the number 3 and its multipliers. Whenever margins and gutters need to be applied, the grid will be built inside the live area.
3 x 6 grid / 3 unit margin
12 x 3 grid / 6 unit margin
3 x 1 grid / 3 unit margin / 1 unit gutter
6 x 3 grid / 6 unit margin / 3 unit gutter

Grid Application

The NSSG grid system has to be applied to each and every static material, both printed and digital. Images and texts have to be aligned to the grid, while the pattern can be freely crafted and applied, without constraints.
6 x 12 grid / 6 unit margin / 3 unit gutter
3 x 1 grid / 6 unit margin / 6 unit gutter
1 x 1 grid / 9 x 6 unit margin
Layout System

The NSSG layout offers flexibility in combining text, imagery and patterns in a consistent manner.

Layout Structure

Layouts can feature up to three horizontal subdivisions, which are always straight, horizontal and bled to the edge. The subdivisions’ size and relation to one another is flexible, but will be based on the 3x grid.

Layout applications

Photography and text can be freely combined in any context and layout type, as long as the displayed information remains readable.
Full Section
Live Area
Three Subdivisions
Live Area
Live Area
Two Subdivisions
Live Area
Two Subdivisions
Live Area
Brand Application

The collaterals are purely a seamless combination of the presented rules.

NSSG strives to create a consistent and unified brand experience.

When creating any materials for the brand, please refer back to the manual and use the provided assets.
Download Identity Kit