BRAND STYLE GUIDE
The cornerstone of our belief system, we seek gratitude in everyday moments. Cultivating a culture of appreciation and recognizing the strengths and individuality of every advisor and team member.
With a mindset rooted in the thirst for knowledge, we embrace the power of it and are committed to continuous learning and growth. By staying agile in our approach, we navigate the dynamic landscape of our industry, valuing the insights gained from both successes and setbacks.
Understanding we are part of a larger ecosystem, our commitment to community never wavers. We strive to empower and uplift those around us, fostering a culture where everyone feels valued and heard.
Inside the Brand 02 Logo
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06 Agent Logos
20 Property Images
08 Colors
22 Social Media
10 Business Cards
26 Agent Websites
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32 Property Videos
Signage
14 Typography
Agent Headshots
34 Artificial Intelligence
Logo
P R I M A RY
02 A LTE R N ATE
All marketing materials must display the Seven Gables name and logo. The logo may never be modified in any way beyond the scenarios shown in this section by agents or third parties without formal approval.
LO G O S I Z I N G PRINT: Maximum / 3 inches wide
PRINT: Minimum / 2 inches wide
WEB: Maximum / 200px wide
WEB: Minimum / 145px wide
The logo should never be so large as to overpower the material and never too small as to impede clarity and devalue the brand.
03 LO G O S PAC I N G Always ensure the logo has plenty of breathing room. Use the Seven Gables monogram (“SG”) as a guide on all sides to help illustrate how much negative space should surround it, maintaining the logo’s visibility and legibility in all scenarios.
ACC E P TA B LE LO G O U S AG E
Full Color on White
White on Image with Sufficient Contrast
White on Brand Color
Drop Shadow
Off-Brand Color
04 U N ACC E P TA B LE U S AG E
Bevel, Emboss, etc.
ACC E P TA B LE M O N O G R A M U S AG E
Full Color on White
White on Brand Color
Corporate Gray
Corporate Blue
05 U N ACC E P TA B LE U S AG E
Bevel, Emboss, etc.
Drop Shadow
Bevel, Emboss, etc.
Drop Shadow
Agent Logos
S A M P LE S
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THE MERCERS It is recommended that an agent work with a Seven Gables Graphic Designer to create a custom logo.
ACC E P TA B LE LO G O LO C K U P
An agent logo may be used alongside the Seven Gables logo. At no time shall the agent brand and/or name of the agent be larger than the Seven Gables Real Estate name and/or logo.
LO G O S I Z I N G PRINT: Maximum / 3 inches wide Agent Logo in Proportion with Seven Gables Logo
WEB: Maximum / 200px wide PRINT: Minimum / 2 inches wide WEB: Minimum / 145px wide
U N ACC E P TA B LE LO C K U P
ACC E P TA B LE F I LE S
For logos designed outside of Seven Gables... AI: Adobe Illustrator EPS: Encapsulated PostScript
Agent Logo Not in Proportion with Seven Gables Logo
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P R I M A RY (CO R P O R ATE )
Colors
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Colors are extremely important to our brand, and their use must be approved by management (should they differ from those stated here).
CMYK: 80 - 69 - 58 - 67
CMYK: 55 - 41 - 38 - 5
CMYK: 55 - 32 - 24 - 0
RGB: 29 - 37 - 44
RGB: 123 - 134 - 140
RGB: 122 - 151 - 171
HEX: #1D252C
HEX: #7B868C
HEX: #7A97AB
S E CO N DA RY ( ACC E NT ) CMYK: 5 - 3 - 3 - 0
CMYK: 20 - 18 - 22 - 0
CMYK: 48 - 45 - 56 - 13
CMYK: 75 - 68 - 67 - 90
RGB: 238 - 240 - 241
RGB: 204 - 198 - 191
RGB: 130 - 121 - 106
RGB: 0 - 0 - 0
HEX: #EEF0F1
HEX: #CCC6BF
HEX: #82796A
HEX: #000000
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TE R TI A RY (C L A S S I C) CMYK: 20 - 37 - 79 - 1
CMYK: 86 - 69 - 50 - 46
CMYK: 100 - 6 - 36 - 0
CMYK: 4 - 64 - 100 - 0
RGB: 204 - 159 - 83
RGB: 36 - 55 - 70
RGB: 0 - 160 - 175
RGB: 236 - 119 - 0
HEX: #CC9F53
HEX: #243746
HEX: #00A0AF
HEX: #EC7700
Business Cards We offer horizontal and vertical options with preset layouts Fonts cannot be changed (aside from those present in agent logos)
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The placement and size of the Seven Gables logo cannot be changed Colors cannot be modified Agent headshots are not permitted
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Signage
OPEN HOUSE SIGNS v
Mike Hickman
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OPEN
OPEN HOUSE
Mike Hickman
714.731.3777 | DRE #00527723
714.731.3777 | DRE #00527723
SIGN RIDERS
FOR SALE
MIKE HICKMAN
7 14.7 3 1 . 37 7 7
Agent license numbers must be displayed on all open house signs.
CO N D O S I G N S
F O R S A LE S I G N S
MIKE HICKMAN 714.731.3777
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SG DRE #00745605 | AGENT DRE #00527723
Seven Gables and agent license numbers must be displayed on all for sale and condo signs.
MIKE HICKMAN
714.731.3777 SevenGables.com
SG DRE #00745605 | AGENT DRE #00527723
LEGACY GROUP
000.000.000 SevenGables.com SG DRE #00745605 | AGENT DRE #01794569
Typography
P R I M A RY S A N S S E R I F
PROXIMA NOVA FAMILY ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 1234567890!@#$%^&*()_ Located approximately two miles north of Orange County’s John Wayne Airport, Tustin is home to prime commercial, industrial, and residential development, and one of the oldest historical “Old Towns” in Orange County. Tustin features an eclectic assemblage of homes, industrial spaces, and community centers to live, work or visit.
14 S E CO N DA RY S A N S S E R I F
LATO FAMILY ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 1234567890!@#$%^&*()_ Located approximately two miles north of Orange County’s John Wayne Airport, Tustin is home to prime commercial, industrial, and residential development, and one of the oldest historical “Old Towns” in Orange County. Tustin features an eclectic assemblage of homes, industrial spaces, and community centers to live, work or visit.
P R I M A RY S E R I F
S E CO N DA RY S E R I F
IVYPRESTO DISPLAY FAMILY
CORPORATE A FAMILY
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 1234567890!@#$%^&*()_
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 1234567890!@#$%^&*()_
Located approximately two miles north of Orange County’s John Wayne Airport, Tustin is home to prime commercial, industrial, and residential development, and one of the oldest historical “Old Towns” in Orange County. Tustin features an eclectic assemblage of homes, industrial spaces, and community centers to live, work or visit.
Located approximately two miles north of Orange County’s John Wayne Airport, Tustin is home to prime commercial, industrial, and residential development, and one of the oldest historical “Old Towns” in Orange County. Tustin features an eclectic assemblage of homes, industrial spaces, and community centers to live, work or visit.
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Agent Headshots ACC E P TA B LE
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U N ACC E P TA B LE
Seven Gables requires agent headshots to be professional, preferably exterior shots (versus indoor studio shots), with a blurred background, well lit, using the rule of thirds, ensuring plenty of space around the subject.
Print Resolution: 300 PPI*
Agent headshots that are too tightly cropped, casual, out of focus / blurry, taken in busy backgrounds, or poorly lit will not be accepted under Seven Gables brand standards. Image files that are too low resolution for their respective format are unacceptable.
Web Resolution: 72 PPI*
*PPI stands for “pixels per inch.” A higher number for an image in a given frame will appear sharper and therefore more professional. The opposite is true for smaller values.
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Headshot Best Practices
CO LO R S
White / Black / Heather Gray / Navy Blue / Taupe
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Subtle Prints / Patterns
M A K E A G R E AT I M P R E S S I O N DON’TS Dark sport coat and light-colored shirt for men
NO RED / YELLOW / ROYAL BLUE FLORALS / BOLD PATTERNS NO PLUNGING TOPS NO STATEMENT JEWELRY
Fitted, simple, neutral shirt / blouse / dress with appropriate neckline
NO TIGHT PATTERNS (MAY CREATE A MOIRÉ EFFECT ON CAMERA, CAUSING DISTORTION) NO BULKY / BAGGY / OVERSIZED SILHOUETTES
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Property Images
ACC E P TA B LE
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Images are a very important part of our brand. The correct image choice can communicate more about our brand than almost any other element.
High Resolution: 300 PPI
U N ACC E P TA B LE
Seven Gables requires professional photography for all listings. High resolution, professionally shot photographs are the only way to properly market a property. Cell phone images will be not accepted.
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Low Resolution: 72 PPI or Less
Social Media 22
Your profile or bio on any social media platform MUST include your license number—NO EXCEPTIONS.
FAC E B O O K A D S A M P LE S
P R O F I LE CO NTE NT
PROFILE PICTURE Appear with professional attire and demeanor (should not contain any content that could be considered inappropriate or offensive). COVER PHOTO Should be community or real estate related and should represent the quality of Seven Gables’ brand standards. PROFILE NAME Name of page / profile must make clear of your affiliation with Seven Gables Real Estate. ADDRESS If you choose to use an address or if it is a requirement, it is strongly suggested that you use a Seven Gables office address. SEVEN GABLES & AGENT LICENSE NUMBERS (DRE #) Must be included in your bio and the description section of every post.
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I N S TAG R A M E X A M P LE S
PROFILE PICTURE Appear with professional attire and demeanor (should not contain any content that could be considered inappropriate or offensive). INSTAGRAM HANDLE Use a professional handle that is recognizable. ADDRESS If you choose to use an address or if it is a requirement, it is strongly suggested that you use a Seven Gables office address. SEVEN GABLES & AGENT LICENSE NUMBERS (DRE #) Must be included in your bio and the description section of every post.
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Agent Websites
R E Q U I R E D I N F O R M ATI O N LOGOS Seven Gables and agent logos should be the same size and displayed next to each other on the navigation bar or top section of the home page.
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LOGO SIZING WEB: Maximum / 200px wide SEVEN GABLES & AGENT LICENSE NUMBERS (DRE #) Must be included in the website footer. ADDRESS If you choose to use an address, we strongly encourage you to use a Seven Gables office address.
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S E V E N G A B LE S B R A N D S TA N DA R D S
Website Compliance
LOGO USAGE Seven Gables logo appears on the homepage / navigation bar in its approved, unmodified form. If an agent or team logo is used, it appears the same size as the Seven Gables logo. Agent / team branding is never larger or more prominent than the Seven Gables name or logo. Seven Gables logo is sized between 145px and 200px wide (web). Logo has not been modified with bevel, emboss, drop shadow, or an off-brand color. Logo has adequate clear space around it (no crowding by text or images). COLORS & TYPOGRAPHY Site uses only approved Seven Gables brand colors for logo and brand elements. No offbrand colors substituted into the logo or branded design elements.
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Any Seven Gables wordmark / logo text is left in its approved typeface—fonts within the logo itself are never swapped out. Agents building their own websites are responsible for making sure the site follows both Seven Gables’ brand standards and California Department of Real Estate (DRE) advertising law. Websites are considered “first point of contact” under the DRE, so the same disclosure rules that apply to business cards and signs apply here too.
REQUIRED LICENSE INFORMATION Seven Gables DRE license number (#00745605) appears in the website footer. Agent’s individual DRE license number appears in the website footer, alongside or near the agent’s name.
Complete every item listed before your site goes live, and recheck it any time you make major updates.
If a business address is listed, it is a Seven Gables office address (strongly recommended over a personal or third-party address).
NOTE: This is general background information, not legal advice. Talk to your website provider and, if you have concerns, an attorney about what level of accessibility work makes sense for your site.
PROPERTY IMAGES All listing photos are professionally shot (no cell phone or amateur photos). Images are not pixelated, cropped awkwardly, or low quality.
AGENT HEADSHOTS Headshot is professional, well-lit, and in sharp focus. Web resolution is at least 72 PPI, and the image is not visibly pixelated at the size it’s displayed. SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS (IF INCLUDED ON THE SITE) Any linked social profiles include the required Seven Gables and agent DRE license numbers in the bio, and profile photos / cover images are professional and on brand.
C A LI F O R N I A D R E LE G A L R E Q U I R E M E NT S Per California DRE requirements, a real estate licensee’s website is “first point of contact” advertising and must meet the same disclosure standards as business cards, flyers, and signage. MANDATORY LICENSE DISCLOSURES Agent’s full legal name (as licensed) appears on the site; nicknames alone are not sufficient. Agent’s 8-digit DRE license number is displayed, visible without excessive scrolling (i.e., footer or contact page). Seven Gables’ name and DRE license number are displayed. If more than one licensee is named on the site (i.e., a team), each licensee’s own DRE number is disclosed. License number and required disclosures are printed in a font size no smaller than the smallest text used elsewhere on the page. TEAM NAMES & FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAMES (IF APPLICABLE) If the site uses a team name, it includes the surname of at least one licensed team member and the word “Team,” “Group,” or “Associates.” Team name does not use “broker,” “real estate broker,” or “brokerage,” or otherwise imply an independent brokerage. Team or DBA advertising displays the responsible broker’s identity (Seven Gables) at least as prominently as the team / DBA name.
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TRUTHFUL, NON-MISLEADING CONTENT No false, deceptive, or exaggerated claims about listings, results, pricing, or services (all statements should be substantiated on request). Years-of-experience or production claims accurately reflect actual licensed real estate experience (not combined with unlicensed or unrelated work). Any professional designations (SRES, CRS, etc.) or use of the term “REALTOR®” are current, valid, and reflect actual membership / certification. Any testimonials, awards, or rankings displayed are accurate and can be substantiated.
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FAIR HOUSING Site content, images, and language contain no statements or visuals that indicate a preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, or other protected class. KEEPING THE SITE CURRENT Broker affiliation, license numbers, contact information, and DRE-related disclosures are reviewed and updated any time the agent’s status, brokerage, or license information changes. Listing status (active, sold, pending, off market) is kept current, and stale / expired listings are removed or updated.
A N OTE O N W E B S ITE ACC E S S I B I LIT Y ( A DA / WC AG) Business websites are increasingly treated as covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and courts and the DOJ commonly point to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1, Level AA) as the practical standard. Real estate sites are a frequent target for accessibility demand letters and lawsuits, often over property search filters, map-based search tools, mortgage calculators, and listing photos that don’t work with a screen reader or keyboard-only navigation. There’s also a Fair Housing Act angle specific to our industry: an inaccessible property search or listings page can be framed as denying disabled buyers or renters’ equal access to housing information. THINGS TO CONSIDER Add descriptive alt text to listing and headshot photos. Make sure contact forms and search filters have visible labels and can be used with a keyboard alone (not just a mouse). Check that text has sufficient color contrast against its background. Be cautious about relying solely on an accessibility “overlay” or widget plug-in. For sites with IDX / property search tools or other interactive features, consider a professional WCAG 2.1 AA audit rather than a DIY fix.
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Property Videos
R E Q U I R E D I N F O R M ATI O N CONTACT INFORMATION BOX AT THE END OF VIDEO SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
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•
Seven Gables Logo
•
Agent Logo (Optional)
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Agent Name
•
•
Phone Number
•
Seven Gables License Number (DRE #)
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Agent License Number (DRE #)
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LO G O S
Artificial intelligence
We DO NOT accept AI-generated logos as is for these reasons: • Improper File Formats: They typically aren’t provided in the editable vector formats required for professional branding and printing: ◊
Adobe Illustrator (AI)
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Encapsulated PostScript (EPS)
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Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG)
• Background Issues: Many include fixed white backgrounds instead of transparent versions needed for versatile use. • Lack of Color Variations: When we create logos in house, we include different color options so they stand out regardless of background color. We consider every use case—not just a single format or background color.
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• Overly Complex Designs: AI often incorporates excessive details that don’t scale well for business cards, signage, or social media. The advent of artificial intelligence has empowered people to express ideas and discover or manipulate tools that previously may have felt inaccessible. This partially extends to artwork, and you may think that whatever you generate is ready for you or Marketing to use as is—but there are caveats. It’s not always the magic bullet it’s purported to be. AI-generated artwork is great for inspiration, but is rarely productionready. It often lacks the quality and file formats needed for professional printing, doesn’t follow established brand guidelines, and can produce inconsistent results that don’t align with a company’s visual identity. Here, you’ll find some guidelines and suggestions for the use of AI as it pertains to Marketing projects specifically.
• Brand Inconsistency: The designs aren’t built around a cohesive brand identity or long-term marketing strategy. Here are some alternatives for your consideration: • Professional Recreation: Submit your sample to be recreated, simplified, and refined in house, resulting in a polished, production-ready logo with the color options we normally include ($150 fee). • Custom Design: Schedule a formal logo design consultation in which you meet with a designer to create a brand new logo that helps you stand out while also fit seamlessly into the fabric of the Seven Gables brand ($350 fee). • Third Party: If you have an outside designer creating your logo, you can send us their files— as long as they’re in the vector formats mentioned above (AI, EPS, SVG). If changes are needed, we can either share them with you to pass along to them, or we can try to tweak them ourselves. If the latter, you may be charged a fee depending on what needs fixing.
P R OJ E C T M O C K U P S To supplement written instructions and any samples you may have for projects we are creating for you, it might be helpful to generate a mockup to illustrate the layout you’re going for if you have something specific in mind for a custom project. A few things to consider: • Any text embedded in the artwork that you want included will need to be provided in a format that can be easily copied and pasted. ◊
Though we could try extracting it with AI ourselves, the results can be inconsistent.
• Any images you want used will need to be provided separately at the highest resolution possible—unless you permit us to search for alternatives. ◊
Generally, an individual photo with a file size in megabytes (MB) is suitable for print. Images with sizes in kilobytes (KB) are too low quality for anything but the web and will appear blurry and pixelated when printed.
A R T WO R K S U B M I S S I O N S If providing generated artwork you’d like produced without edits (such as printed on a postcard or flyer), note the following: • The resolution / quality of the material you generate may not be very high, which we have no control over. Be prepared for some blurriness or pixelation when adapting for your desired format. • Design fees will be incurred if the provided artwork does not match the size or requirements of the requested format. • If you know in advance what the final dimensions of your project need to be, you can include them in your prompt so the artwork exports at the correct aspect ratio. An example prompt might look like: ◊
“Make me an 11” x 6” postcard with 0.125” bleed about [real estate topic]. Leave about 4” x 2” of empty white space on the back for mailing.”
◊
You may need to finesse your prompts to get a double-sided result (if applicable), but it should get the artwork to a more workable place.
Email us at Marketing@SevenGables.com with any questions regarding these policies or services.
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The more consistency in a brand’s use, the stronger the brand will become. The stronger the brand becomes, the more strength it brings to each and every associate who operates under the brand.
UPDATED 9/2026
–MIKE HICKMAN, CEO