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Branding

Speaking as one

Broome-Tioga BOCES enjoys a well-earned reputation as an educational leader in our community and beyond. As a result of that reputation, we have been able to attract and retain top-quality administrators, teachers, and support staff, have enjoyed growing demand for our innovative programming, and have seen steady growth in student enrollments. 
How we are perceived by others in the educational arena and the public, in general, has a significant impact on our success as an organization and, by extension, the success of our students. In other words, our image – our brand – is key to our value as an educational commodity. Much like one’s reputation, a positive brand identity is not something that can be taken for granted; it must be continually monitored and maintained. To that end, we have developed this branding guide to ensure our organization’s “best foot” is always put forward.

It is commonly said that your brand is your promise to your customers and that a successful brand delivers on that promise. Our promise is to provide high-quality, innovative learning opportunities and support services in an environment that nurtures inspires, and enriches lives. 

That is a promise we can all be proud of.

Brand Guide

The Primary Logo

In basic terms, our logo* is the graphic representation of our organization. It is designed to provide instant brand recognition
among our peers and the general population. It should appear on all printed materials, specialty items, vehicles, badges, and
electronic communications prepared on behalf of our organization; examples being all presentations, formal documents, newsletters, webpages, social media channels, business cards, promotional items, etc. With rare exceptions, 
** our logo should not be modified or altered in any way. It is recommended that the logo stands on its own - be allowed to breathe - and not be combined with other logos of equal size or graphic elements that overshadow our logo.

The approved primary logo
To be used on official organization documents and electronic pages, including newsletters, fliers, certificates, signs, business cards, websites, videos, social media platforms, etc.

Logo Use

Distortion of the logo in any form is never okay. Care must be taken when placing the logo into a document to avoid stretching or compression. Note: A white box is produced when a JPEG is placed over a solid background. The use of a .png .emf or .eps file rectifies this problem.

Electronic Files

Electronic files in EPS, EMF, and PNG format are available and recommended for printed materials. The vector version of these formats is the preferred use as it can be made infinitely large or small without losing quality. 
EPS is a file extension for a graphics file saved in the Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) file format. 
EMF, or “Enhanced MetaFile” is an image format used in Windows OS for printing. 
JPEGs are not scalable and cannot be printed with a transparent background. JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group, the originator of the format.
PNG or Portable Network Graphic, a type of raster image file. It’s a common file type with web designers because it can handle graphics with transparent or semi-transparent backgrounds. It is not recommended for printing.

Color Palette

Generally speaking, the BOCES logo should always be printed in BOCES blue (PMS 300). On certain occasions, it may also be produced in all black or in reversed fashion (a grayscale version on a dark background). It is recommended that major graphic elements in page design (bars, swooshes, etc.) also incorporate the BOCES blue.
Note: Occasionally, an all-white version of the logo is needed. In that event, consult with the Office Communications & Public
Relations.

BOCES Blue
Pantone: PMS300
C100 M62 Y7 K1
R0  G93  B185
HEX #005db9

Secondary Logos

As a general rule, the creation/use of program-specific logos is discoSecondary logosuraged.
We are all part of one team and our logo choice
should reflect that important fact. We recognize, however, that over the course of time, certain secondary logos have been widely used and have enjoyed a level of success in gaining public recognition. Examples of such logos include those created for New Visions, P-TECH, PALS, Oak Tree, Evertech Academy, Rock On Café, and the Professional Learning and Innovation Center. For that reason, these secondary logos have undergone a redesign that maintains the program identity while making clear its overall BOCES affiliation. It must be understood that these logos are in fact secondary and should not be used outside of program-specific purposes when the primary logo is more appropriate.
Note: Those contemplating the creation of a new secondary logo should do so in consultation with the Office of Communications & Public Relations.

Writing

To ensure that our organization speaks in one consistent, professional “voice,” we have adopted the “Associated Press
(AP) Stylebook” as the official guide for all written communications produced in the name of our BOCES. AP is an internationally recognized writing style used by journalists and public relations professionals across the globe. Hundreds of pages long, the AP Stylebook speaks to nearly every aspect of writing, including grammar, word usage, punctuation, capitalization, syntax, and much more. Much as speaking in one voice is important to maintaining our brand, writing in a common, professional style speaks volumes about who we are and reinforces our reputation as educational leaders in the community. The AP Stylebook is available in hard copy or online subscription. Those needing help in obtaining a copy or subscription should contact BOCES’ Office of Communications & Public Relations.

Typography

The typefaces used in the construction of the BOCES logo are Avant Garde and Garamond. We recommend that the Avant Garde and Garamond (normal, condensed and italic) type families be considered in newly designed pieces whenever practical; however, other fonts are acceptable, examples being Times New Roman, Helvetica, Tahoma, Clearface, Calibri and Arial. Note that each of these is a san serif font. The most important factor when choosing a font is readability.
To ensure our messages are clearly understood and effective, they must be composed in a font that readers can readily comprehend. Cursive fonts, for example, should be avoided, as should fonts that are extra bold and in all caps. 

The bottom line: Don’t let the font get in the way of the message. Consistent use of typography will aid in our effort to achieve a uniform, professional look for Broome-Tioga BOCES.

Electronic Communications

With much of our communications being conducted electronically - email, text, etc - employees are reminded that the rules of
grammar and professional standards still apply. Abbreviations, acronyms, slang, and amusing emojis may be acceptable among close friends and colleagues but should be avoided when communicating on behalf of our organization. Careful, precise language may take more time to compose, but it will help ensure that the reader will understand the message
and not be distracted or misled. It is also recommended that employees choose a font that is easy to read and in keeping
with the professional standards herein described. A note of caution: While the “auto-correct” function in many programs can be useful in identifying/avoiding typos and other errors, it can also lead to embarrassing, if not disastrous, consequences. Always double-check your message before hitting the “send” button.
The signature line
It is recommended that all BOCES employees include the
following components on their signature line:- Name, BOCES title (BOCES only), and department
- Email address and telephone number
- BOCES full name and physical address
- BOCES website address
- BOCES primary logo (only)
No other graphics should be used

Stationery & Promotional Materials

When creating letterhead, business cards, and other such materials, it is recommended that our logo be left-aligned
(exception for business card variant) with the accompanying text in block style. A QR code (if needed) should be printed on the back of the card. Shown are examples of how a division should “personalize” stationery. In generic form, the rule and division names are omitted.


When ordering promotional materials, be sure that our logo will fit in a clear, legible manner without alternation or modification of any kind. If that is not possible, limited use of the old BOCES logo (sans motto) is permitted. Special note: use of the old BOCES logo should be as a last resort when the official logo will not fit. Consultation with the Office of Communications & Public Relations is recommended before proceeding.

Website

Maintaining a consistent look throughout our website is critical to establishing organizational identity. Our web hosting service – eSchoolView – has preset (default) fonts and font colors designed to make page creation simple and consistent throughout the website. It is recommended that all webpage editors use these default settings. Generally speaking, each web page should have one heading, usually appearing as the page title, followed by subheadings that are smaller and less pronounced and aid in segmenting the page’s content. The use of third-party logos is strongly discouraged. When writing for the web, always consider the audience with whom you wish to communicate. To be effective, content written for a broad audience needs to be clear, concise, and understandable.

Our Core Values

  • Students are our first priority.
  • Employees are our most valuable resource.
  • Cultivating diversity, equity, inclusion and guarding against bias are essential.
  • Everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
  • All employees will exhibit professionalism, integrity and excellence.
  • Creativity and continuous improvement are crucial to everything we do.
  • A safe, challenging and nurturing environment supports learning.
  • All can learn and grow academically, socially and emotionally.
  • Customer service and collaboration are key to being a successful and trusted partner.