Brand Guidelines
Mission Statement
WHAT WE STAND FOR
“
General Building Contractors Association advances the union commercial, industrial, and institutional construction industry by serving members as the leader in labor relations, education, advocacy, safety, and networking opportunities.
About Us
BOILER PLATE
As one of America’s oldest trade associations, GBCA advances commercial construction in the Philadelphia region by serving as a powerful voice, an industry watchdog, and a critical resource. Established in 1891, GBCA is the Philadelphia chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC).
GBCA provides more than 300 member companies with access to proven advocacy, networking opportunities, safety services, education, and training programs.
OUR STORY
Our Story
HISTORY
Established in 1891, as one of America’s oldest trade associations we advance commercial construction in the Philadelphia region. The carpenters company was established 1724. Comprised primarily of craftsmen from England, they were our original master builders. They brought with them a very long lineage of traditions rooted in the ancient trade guilds.
The new Americans arrived in Penns Bryn City and established an organization of business owners who resemble the modern day contractor. The difference is they were master builders. By 1891 a group of carpenters members broke off from the carpenters company and formed the Master Carpenters & Builders Association. Over time, the master builder became the general contractor, the general contractor began to sub-contract to various trades. The organization became more comprised of very specific professions.
By 1943, they settled in center city Philadelphia and became the General Building Contractors Association. The General Building Contractors Association came together to become a collective bargaining unit. Over time the association evolved into a full-service association focusing on the communication of best practices, safety and education training, networking for members, and promoting the industry on a new level.
THE WHY
The purpose of GBCA is to serve our members as industry leaders in education, advocacy, labor negotiations, safety, and networking opportunities to advance the commercial, industrial and institutional construction industry.
Our Story
THE HOW
PROMOTE INDUSTRY.
A strong, vibrant industry yields collective benefits for all stakeholders. To encourage economic and infrastructure investment, job creation, education, training, advocacy, and professional exchange, we promote dialogue and communication between members, adjacent industry groups, trade associations, elected officials, special interest groups, the media, and the general public.
EMPOWER MEMBERS.
Delivering value for members is at the core of our mission. We provide tools and resources that enable members to improve and grow their businesses, and continually seek to offer new solutions that address the needs of a changing landscape.
DRIVE CHANGE.
As the world around us evolves, GBCA recognizes the importance of embracing a forwardthinking, proactive approach to influence change that positively affects our stakeholders. We continually assess and update our standards and practices, focusing on opportunities that hold the greatest promise to yield results.
THE WHAT
VITAL BUSINESS AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
Meet and develop relationships with other industry professionals, contractors and suppliers. GBCA gives you the opportunity to connect with others at our signature events like the Annual Meeting, Golf Outing, Construction Excellence Awards, Membership Dinners and many other social gatherings. GBCA membership also automatically enrolls you in the Associated General Contractors of America, which provides additional access to industry events and conventions.
PROVEN ADVOCACY AND ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY INSIGHT
Stay in front of the competition, industry trends and legislation with timely news and information. Access valuable GBCA communications, including online resources, newsletters, annual reports and Construction Today, our exclusive publication. GBCA commits to advancing legislative initiatives that impact membership, we ensure that your voice is heard at the local, state and federal levels of government. Simply put, our unique influence is your unique influence.
SAFETY EDUCATION AND CONSULTING
Safety first always. GBCA unites and helps safety professionals work to better improve the safety of the industry. Safety programs and events provide training on the latest trends, statistics and regulations pertinent to contractors.
TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
Ensure you and your employees have the knowledge necessary to advance professionally. GBCA’s educational and career development programs, help advance your business forward with knowledgeable and first rate education and training for your employees. Tap into a wide range of educational resources for management and field staff.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Close to 20 separate apprentice training programs are available in the Greater Philadelphia area. These typically combine on-thejob training with classroom instruction. GBCA also supports two apprentice ready training programs. Construction Apprentice Preparatory Program (CAPP) is a training program that teaches participants the core skills required to pass the construction and building trade unions’ apprenticeship tests. Carpenters Apprentice Ready Program (CARP) is a 9-week-long, apprentice-ready training program that gives participants math and skills training and prepares Philadelphia residents to take the Carpenters Apprenticeship Exam to begin careers in union carpentry.
LABOR RELATIONS
GBCA maintains collaborative relationships with general presidents and business managers of the various building trades, other trade associations and negotiating teams to discuss critical issues to help ensure productive relationships and facilitate business opportunities. We also administer seven trade agreements in counties across Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland.
MARKETING
GBCA partners with a range of media outlets to promote the strength of Philadelphia’s commercial building industry. GBCA members are featured on radio, television, print and online editorial.
Member
Communications - GBCA keeps its members up-todate on the latest association and industry news through legacy and new media. GBCA’s award-winning magazine, Construction Today, features articles from member companies, and expanded its reach to over 2,500 recipients per issue in 2018. Our popular weekly e-newsletter, GBCA News at a Glance, and active social media accounts: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram make sure we are keeping our members in-the-know.
Our Story
OUR MES SAGE
Our Message TAGLINES
Primary
Our Voice
WHAT WE SAY
When referencing “our members”, use “We” not “our members.”
“We” = Our Members
Members = companies not people
Not “the GBCA” it’s “GBCA”
Our Voice
Our Tone
HOW WE SAY IT
As one of America’s oldest and strongest trade associations, we strive to be recognized as a leader in the construction industry in the Philadelphia region. For this reason, we choose powerful descriptive words to define our mission, our values, our membership, and our industry as a whole.
Strong Bold Safe Efficient Proud
L0GOS
Logos
WHICH LOGO TO USE AND WHEN TO USE IT
The GBCA logo, pictured to the right, is our primary logo, and it should only be used on a White background or very light colored photography.
The black logo should be used on light colored backgrounds. The white logo should be used on dark colored backgrounds.
Use on Internal Documents
For all GBCA internal documents, use the primary logo. This is includes the following but not limited to documents:
• Any Internal Documents
• Committee Meetings
• Internal Memos
• S.O.P.s
A logo is simply the business logo. A business letterhead includes the logo, business address and contact information. Logo vs. Letterhead
Logo
Primary
Alternate Logo For Horizontal Layout
Alternate Logo For Horizontal Layout
Alternate Logo
LOGO WITHOUT THE TAGLINE
Maintain one letter spacing on all four sides of logo.
The GBCA logo is to be used....
GBCA
LOGO OPTIONS FOR ONE COLOR PRINTING
GENERAL BUILDING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION
ALL DOCUMENTS THAT REQUIRE A LOGO
• Agendas
• Meeting Minutes
• Memos
• Letters
• Invoices
• Forms
• Applications
• Proposals
LOGO RESOLUTION: 300dpi
USE PRIMARY LOGO:
GBCA RELATED LOGOS
CONSTRUCTION EXCELLENCE AWARDS
GBCA SAFETY
GBCA LABOR
GBCA PAC
GBCA RELATED LOGOS
GBCA EDUCATION
EDUCATION
GBCA PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
EDUCATION
GBCA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
GBCA CLC
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
COUNCIL
TYPO GRA PHY
Typography
FONTS
INTERNALLY CREATED DOCUMENTS
HEADLINE + BODY FONT SIZE
Calibri | Bold
Calibri | Bold Italic
Calibri | Regular
Calibri | Light
Headlines Body
Calibri | Italic 14pt 11pt
EMAIL | INTERNALLY CREATED
BODY FONT SIZE
Calibri | Bold
Calibri | Bold Italic
Calibri | Regular
Calibri | Light
Calibri | Italic 11pt Body
Typography
FONTS
HEADLINES + BUTTONS
Arial | Bold
Arial | Bold Italic
Arial | Regular
Arial | Italic
BODY
Corbel | Bold
Corbel | Regular
Corbel | Italic
FONT SIZE
14pt 11pt Headlines Body
PROFESSIONALLY DESIGNED + PRINTED DOCUMENTS
HEADLINES
Gotham | Bold
Gotham | Bold Italic
Gotham | Medium
Gotham | Light
FLYERS + WHITEPAPERS
HEADLINE
Arial | Bold
Arial | Bold Italic
Arial | Regular
Arial | Italic
BODY
Alright Sans | Bold
Alright Sans | Medium
Alright Sans | Regular
Alright Sans | Regular Italic
Alright Sans | Light
Alright Sans | Light Italic
Corbel | Bold
Corbel | Regular
Corbel | Italic
COLORS
Color Palette
GBCA COLORS AND APPLICATIONS
PHILOSOPHY
Color is an important component of how a brand is perceived. The GBCA color palette offers options that allow various applications.
Our color palette is broad to allow for the appropriate expression of our brand. This does not mean all colors should be used at once. In fact, such usage is not recommended. Use good design sense and consider the tone of the message in whatever communication you are creating.
Primary Colors Secondary Colors
RGB 255 255 255
HEX/HTML FFFFFF
CMYK 0 0 0 0
PANTONE N/A
RGB 0 0 0
HEX/HTML 000000
CMYK 75 68 67 90
PANTONE P Process Black C
RGB 209 211 212
HEX/HTML D1D3D4
CMYK 0 0 0 20
PANTONE P Process Black C @ 20%
RGB 128 130 133
HEX/HTML 808285
CMYK 0 0 0 60
PANTONE P Process Black C @ 60%
RGB 221 50 36
HEX/HTML DD3224
CMYK 0 100 100 0
PANTONE 2035 CP
IMAGERY
Imagery
ON-BRAND IMAGES
ON-BRAND
Repeat tone, safe bold ,etc.
Examples:
• Philadelphia Skyline
• Construction Workers (approved images only)
• Construction Sites (Philadelphia preferred)
• Architectural Details
• Active Tradesman
All images must be approved by GBCA marketing.
All images must have legal permission and usage rights.
ON-BRAND | BLACK AND WHITE, DUOTONE
OFF-BRAND
BRANDED ASSETS
Branded Assets
BUSINESS CARDS
Name
Font: Alright Sans Bold
Size: 8pt
All Other Content
Font: Alright Sans Light
Size: 7pt
Back Imagery
Philadelphia Skyline
Black + White with 70% Black overlay set to multiply
Palette
ANGELA HENDRIX Director, Education & Professional Development
O 215-568-7015
M 717-682-8911
FRONT BACK
LETTERHEAD
Officers + Directors
Font: Alright Sans Light
Size: 5pt
Leading: 7pt
GBCA Contact Info
Font: Alright Sans Light
Size: 6pt
Leading: 9pt
Color Palette
RGB
A logo is simply the business logo. A business letterhead includes the logo, business address and contact information. Logo vs. Letterhead
EMAIL SIGNATURE
NAME + TITLE
Calibri | Bold Calibri | Regular
ADDRESS + CONTACT INFORMATION
SIZE
NEW SLET TER
Email Newsletter
Description of what type of images are on-brand and acceptable...
Examples:
• Philadelphia Skyline
• Construction Workers (approved images only)
• Construction Sites (Philadelphia preferred)
• Architectural Details
• Active Tradesman
Photos | 1px Black Border on all photos
Logos | No border on logos
Sample Newsletter
NEWS AT A GLANCE EMAIL NEWSLETTER
GBCA send a weekly newsletter every Monday morning. If a holiday falls on a Monday, the newsletter will be sent on the following business day. The newsletter draws directly from GBCA’s website and blog. The five most recent newsletters are posted on the GBCA website.
News at a Glance contains the following sections:
• Top News
• Construction Leadership Council
• Events
• Resources
• AGC Resources and News
• Industry News
Each section features two or fewer stories with photos, and the other stories in a list. The Top News and Events sections, however, may feature more stories with images (particularly to accommodate sponsor recognition).
Each story should be limited to 2-3 sentences, remaining under 50 words. Headlines should be under 10 words.
The newsletter is available to the public and people can subscribe to it via GBCA’s website. Each newsletter also includes a “Subscribe” button at the bottom, along with an unsubscribe link. The contact list for the newsletter is made up of current members and past members. In Constant Contact, the newsletter is sent out to all lists except the lists starting with “!”.
FONTS + IMAGES
FONTS
HEADLINES + BUTTONS
Arial | Bold
Arial | Bold Italic Arial | Regular
Arial | Italic Corbel | Bold Corbel | Regular Corbel | Italic
APP AREL
Apparel
USING THE CORRECT LOGO
Apparel with GBCA branding must be used on white or black items. This includes, shirts, hats, jackets, etc.
LOGOS
BLACK
WHITE
BLOG + SOCIAL
Blog
STANDARD OPERATING PROCESS
All stories should be funneled and shared through GBCA’s blog. These can be created weekly, depending on the Marketing Department’s availability. Stories are then shared in the Newsletter or on social media.
• Headlines should be informative and give “topic sentence” for the story.
• All posts should have at least one original sentence.
• When sharing articles, include quoted material
• Images should be limited to the featured images.
• Featured Image dimensions should be 16x9. Exceptions include logos, and creative from other organizations, such as AGC.
• Weblinks or email addresses should appear as buttons, such as those created by the Fusion Builder on the website’s backend.
MAINTAINING THE BLOG
IMAGES
Each blog posts must contain a minimum of one image.
IMAGE RESOLUTION
Resolution: 72 dpi Dimension: 900px X 600px (recommended)
LINKS
All links pointing to a PDF or external website, must open in a new browser tab. Any links pointing to pages within gbca.com should open in the same tab.
Social Media
GBCA SOCIAL MEDIA STANDARD OPERATING PROCESS
Social media marketing is part of GBCA’s overall marketing and communications plan. Social media is an additional set of platforms through which to promote GBCA events, share information with members, and establish GBCA’s voice in the industry and to the public. While social media communications start with members in mind, social media communications are created anticipating a public audience. Each social media channel should undergo regular evaluation in terms of purpose and post frequency.
Social media platforms are also used by the Marketing Department to find member and industry news. Social media posts, depending on the platform, are also a tool for highlighting the involvement and relationships between GBCA members in the industry. For example, photos promoting a building can mention subcontractors so that their work is made visible and those members are seen as supporting GBCA’s Active Members.
Projects highlighted in social media ideally involve a GBCA member at the GC/CM level. Exceptions to this are when subcontractors are involved in extraordinary or culturally significant projects.
In general, social media can be used for live content during events, but there should not be an emphasis on live engagement, as most members check social accounts after events. GBCA staff at events should be focused on the events’ operations and activities. Social media content should primarily focus on GBCA members, not staff activities.
SOCIAL MEDIA OPERATIONS: ACCESS AND POSTING
Social media content is driven by the blog. All blog posts are shared on social media.
Social media accounts will be managed by GBCA’s Marketing Department. To maintain message voice, tone, and style, posts will be created and managed primarily by the Marketing Manager. The tone of GBCA’s social media is generally more formal, with a more conversational tone for comments and engagements. All posts and comments should be free of inappropriate language, including profanity, innuendos, and excessive use of slang/ colloquialisms. Engagement from official GBCA accounts is the responsibility of the Marketing Department. Posts should be daily on all platforms.
Staff are encouraged to share GBCA’s posts on their own personal social media platforms. GBCA staff engagements are their own, unless comments may negatively impact GBCA’s reputation or misrepresent GBCA as an organization.
Social Media
STANDARDS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA CREATIVE
VOICE + TONE
When posting on social media platforms the language should reflect the GBCA brand voice and tone. The language should be one or more of the following:
• strong
• bold
• safe
• educational
• proud
• efficient
DON’TS
We don’t want to be:
• sarcastic
• political
16:9 Format (landscape)
1080 X 1080 (square)
16:9 Format (landscape)
16:9 Format (landscape)
IMAGE SPECIFICATIONS HASHTAGS
Here are a few of our frequently used hashtags and should be incorporated into each post.
GBCA HASHTAGS
#WeBuiltThisSkyline
#ExcellenceIsBuilding
GENERAL HASHTAGS
#philadelphia
#philly
#construction
#phillyconstruction
#safety
The GBCA Facebook page a network that is for people interested in social aspects of the industry. There are occasional news pieces, but most of these posts are designed to see each other. Content includes the following:
• Photo galleries. All event photos, or galleries of photos for the blog, are posted through Facebook.
• Videos
• Occasional news or updates, such as Member Spotlight, Toolbox Talk, or project updates where members can be tagged
• Re-share member posts
• Events listings
• In photo galleries featuring projects, name GBCA member companies in the description
LinkedIn is a more professional source of information. This platform is where most GBCA members connect and get information. Almost all information should be shared here and the tone of all posts should be the most formal in tone. Content includes the following:
• GBCA News and events, including recaps
• Industry news, and resources
• No hashtags, except #excellenceisbuilding or #WeBuiltThisSkyline for certain posts pertaining directly to GBCA’s activities.
• Tag GBCA members when appropriate, especially for Industry News items, or for events where members’ representatives are speaking/ participating.
This is where GBCA has a large reach with non-members. Retweet members’ content, adding a comment or GBCA hashtag if necessary.
Instagram drives GBCA’s messaging about Philadelphia’s commercial building through images. The audience for Instagram includes GBCA member companies and tradespeople. This account follows other GBCA member companies, but not individuals. The profile URL should link to GBCA’s website, blog, or a specific event listing, depending on the content of posts. The URL is selected at the discretion of the Marketing Department.
The account does a mix of GBCA—created content and re-posted images from members’ accounts. Content should also be attractive to the general public (e.g. images of the skyline) and highlight the role of the commercial construction industry in images of the city. There should be a mix of images of building projects and of GBCA activities (i.e. people in meetings, in rooms).
When re-sharing content, the post should align the member’s content with the messaging of GBCA and tag additional members if appropriate (i.e. when highlighting a specific project, tag as many involved members as possible).
There should be one post per day on weekdays, at most two posts. Content includes the following:
• Mostly photos, occasional video (such as GBCA’s video vignettes)
• Use IGTV to post videos so that they can be uninterrupted
• Use stories for live content, but mostly re-shared stories from other members
VIMEO
Vimeo is the platform that we use to store and share GBCA-made videos. If we have videos of members’ content to share, these can be stored here, but not published visibly on GBCA’s Vimeo feed. Posts are made when videos become available.
HASHTAGS FOR INSTAGRAM
#philly #Philadelphia #construction #phillyconstruction #generalcontractors #contractors #commercialconstruction #constructionindustry #therealphilly #phillylove #cityofbrotherlylove #igers_philly #whyilovephilly #phillypulse #instaphilly #phillygram #igers_philly_street #instadelphia #phillyigers #we_philly #viewsofphilly #go_philadelphia #visitphilly #discoverPHL #visitPA #explore215 #howphillyseesphilly
SUPPLYING ASSETS
Supplying GBCA with Creative Assets
SPECIFICATIONS + FILE FORMAT
Preferred File Type
.AI or .EPS (vector file)
Acceptable File Type
.TIFF, .PSD, .PDF, .JPG, .PNG
Resolution: 300 dpi or higher
Acceptable File Type
.TIFF, .PSD, .PDF, .JPG, .PNG
Resolution: 300 dpi or higher
Construction Today Magazine
ADVERTISING SPECIFICATIONS
Editorial Calendars
FOR GBCA STAFF USE
CONSTRUCTION TODAY
Issue 1: March/ April 2020
Content Deadline: March 1, 2020
Publish Date: April 6, 2020
Issue 2: July/ August 2020
Content Deadline: July 1, 2020
Publish Date: August 3, 2020
Issue 3: November/ December 2020
Content Deadline: October 30, 2020
Publish Date: December 4, 2020
Link to Advertising Rate Card: https://gbca.com/news/press-room/gbcapublications/construction-today-magazine/advertise-with-us/
CLC NEWSLETTER
February: Content must be received by January 17, 2020
April: Content must be received by March 13, 2020
June: Content must be received by May 15, 2020
August: Content must be received by July 17, 2020
October: Content must be received by September 18, 2020
December: Content must be received by November 20, 2020
NEWS AT A GLANCE – EVERY MONDAY @ 8:30AM
Articles: All articles to be included in the Monday NAAG must be sent to Byron Lee, blee@gbca.com, by Wednesday at noon.
Sponsors: All sponsors must be in to the marketing team by noon on Friday to be included in the following Monday’s newsletter.
