How we speak through images - Deutsche Bahn · The landscape below the horizon takes up no more...

The visual language guideline from the DB Schenker Marketing Toolbox 02 Introduction 02 Principles 04 Image level 09 Product level 12 Editorial level 14 Photo production

How we ... speak through images

DB Schenker · Marketing Toolbox · Guides · Visual language · 21.10.2013

The DB Schenker visual language guideline | Introduction

Introduction

The visual language guideline is part of the DB Schenker Marketing Toolbox, which is a repository for all of the necessary marketing standards at DB Schenker. Examples and templates help you use the Toolbox with confidence.

This visual language guide and all the other tools in the Marketing Toolbox can be found on the Deutsche Bahn Marketing Portal. Together with the fundamentals and templates, the guides lay the groundwork for a strong, unified DB Schenker corporate identity worldwide.

Principles

1. Why does DB Schenker need a visual language guide?

• It raises awareness of the basic idea of DB Schenker‘s visual language.

• It ensures consistent use of image motifs with the same high image quality at all our locations across the globe.

• It facilitates local professional users‘ work with the motifs

2. What characterizes our visual language?

• Hierarchy levels in images determine usage.

• All levels use composition to create expanse, dynamism and visual tension.

Templates

Fundamentals

Guidelines


3. What categories of motifs do we use?

The visual language is divided into four levels. Each level has its own requirements and intended use.

The image level includes campaign motifs and title motifs of business unit brochures. The focus is on the image quality (in terms of image processing and composition) and reduces the motifs to core and key content (for a theme-based effect).

The product level focuses on industries and business units. It includes product-specific ad-ditions to the campaign. The quality and requirements of the product level are equivalent to those of the image level.

A variety of photos fall into the editorial level. The purpose of this level is to explain topics and content related to everyday operations. This level provides support and serves as a gene-ral illustration of the content.

Pictograms and illustrations are collected and creatively adapted for the illustration level.

The DB Schenker visual language guideline | Principles


The DB Schenker visual language guideline | Image level

Image level

The motifs of the image level essentially serve as an advertisement for DB Schenker. The visual language uses campaign motifs to underscore the attributes of DB Schenker.

1. Description

Impressive, expansive images with a dynamic composition. All motifs have a low-saturation basic color palette with unaltered contrast. This keeps the tone consistent between shots.

The sky, landscape and modes of transportation are the primary components. DB Schenker modes of transportation blend into the landscape. The image level does not depict people or any other modes of transportation.

DB Schenker’s fields of work are conveyed through the composition of the image motifs: sky for air transport, land for truck and rail transport, and finally ample water for ocean transport. The Earth’s curvature is shown to highlight the horizon.

Land

Sea Network Air



Color/saturation The saturation of motifs is reduced by up to 50 %. The motif is given a cyan hue. Only DB red remains unaltered.

Curvature of the Earth Conveys expanse and creates a dynamic composition.

2. Properties

Golden ratioA ratio between the sky and lands-cape that creates visual tension.

Modes of transportation The modes of transportation and roads/rails/bow wave/vapor trail intersect the image. The position of the mode of transportation is unimportant, but the mode must be large enough to be recognizable.

Surprising location Unusual and impressive locations create the right backdrop. A full Clean-Up is carried out. Distracting objects are removed. This under-scores the unusual impression.

ComponentsAir/ocean/land also stand for DB Schenker’s fields of work. All areas are subtly reflected, regardless of which mode of transportation is depicted. No people or other modes of transportation are depicted.



3. Composition

The sky serves as a “blank”

space for text.

The horizonshown with the curvature of the Earth, alludes to the ideas of reach, globality and dynamism.

The modes of transportationblend into this framework.

The landscapealludes to the fields of land

and ocean transport.



The sky takes up no more than the top two-thirds of the image. It provides a “blank” space for text. The length of the headlines also determine the amount of space.

The landscape below the horizon takes up no more than 80% of the space. The ratio of sky to landscape should follow the golden ratio.

The horizon should be wide/expansive enough to achieve the full effect of the Earth’s curvature.

Components in the foreground (mountains, land-scape, trucks) are not affected by the curvature.

To maintain visual tension, the ratio between sky and landscape should never be 50:50.



Components in the foreground remain

unaffected by the curvature.

Before: We can use an existing campaign motif for land transport to illustrate a few facts about image processing.

After: The curvature of the Earth is depicted without distorting the foreground or creating an artificial effect.

Nevertheless, the Earth’s curvature can be shown in the back-ground in this area.

Confusion and dissonant distortions are to be avoided.

The horizon line is

long enough to show the full effect.

The horizon is “pushed up” slightly, creating the effect of a wide-angle/fisheye lens.


The DB Schenker visual language guideline | Product level

Product level

Product level motifs depict DB Schenker’s industries, products and services, and thus supple-ment the image level. Quality remains a top priority.

1. Description

Expanse and dynamics continue to play a key role in composition.

However, visual tension is created using a wedge shape in the composition.

The business units of DB Schenker become concrete. We make a distinction between network (seamless transportation chain, full-load transport), combination of modes (rail-road-air-ocean) and industries (consumer goods, electronics, industrial goods, automotive, health-care/pharmaceuticals, chemicals).

Electronics

Industrial ConsumerFull Truck Load



Color/SaturationThe saturation of motifs is reduced by up to 50 %. The motif is given a cyan hue. The contrast remains unaltered.

Wedgeis stressed by a strong depth of field. Products and services in the fore-ground and in the distance are in focus.

2. Properties

Golden ratioA ratio between the sky and land-scape that creates visual tension.

Surprising locationUnusual and impressive locations create the right backdrop. A full Clean-Up is carried out. Distracting objects are removed. This under-scores the unusual impression.

ComponentsThe relevant products and services are depicted. No people or other modes of transportation are shown.



3. Composition

„Blank“ space for text is located at the

top of the image.

The wedgedominates the composition. Diagonal lines are clearly identifiable.

The area below the horizon line provides

space for depicting products and services.


The DB Schenker visual language guideline | Editorial level

Editorial level

Juxtaposition of large and small Employees

Motifs at the editorial level visually underscore company subjects and facilitate sympathy and understanding. A large selection of photos is used.

1. Description

Two lines are used at the editorial level. As in the other levels, line 1 depicts the business units and services of DB Schenker. Line 2 depicts employees. Typical components of editorial photos include situations, accessory parts and employee portraits. In general, people may be depicted.

Visual tension is created in line 1 by juxtaposing small and large objects. In line 2, employees are a “large component” in the foreground in the form of an upper body shot. The background depicts the daily operations of DB Schenker.


The DB Schenker visual language guideline | Editorial level

2. Properties and composition

CompositionLarge components are juxtaposed with small components. Attention can be drawn to the juxtaposition using image detail, composition, distance and/or size.

Upper body shotPortraits are taken of employees in their work environment.

Image techniques/shot propertiesIA small depth of field, motion blur, etc. may be used at the editorial level. Free-form selection may not be used.

Color/SaturationThe saturation of motifs is reduced by up to 50%. The motif is given a cyan hue. The contrast remains unaltered.


The DB Schenker visual language guideline | Photo production

Photo production

1. Selecting the right photographer If several shoots are required, using new, local photographers is a good idea given DB Schenker’s global activities.

Important: New photographers must be familiar with DB Schenker visual language.

Since the requirements of each level are so different, the requirements that photogra-phers must meet also vary. It is therefore advisable to review a photographer’s portfolio or to hire an agency.

Before the photo shoot

Image/Product level The right location must be selected for the image/product level. The contracted photographer or agency is responsible for location scouting.

The client first creates a detailed briefing with the location requirements.

The rights of ownership of the locations/objects and people depicted in the image must be determined. Can this location be photographed? Are there locations, objects or people in the motif that may not be photo-graphed?

Written permission must be obtained.

Safety provisions must be discussed with the photographer.

Editorial level Additional approvals must be obtained when using models.

The photographer or agency organizes a casting call to find models. The photographer or agency is also responsible for makeup and wardrobe.

Makeup must remain natural: no highlights, no heavy makeup.

Models’ clothing must be clean and pressed. Determine whether specific uniforms are need ed.

Occupational safety provisions must be follo-wed even if subjects wear their own clothing. Some areas require helmets, hearing protec-tion or reflective vests.

Logos on clothing must be visible.

2. Pre-planning



Scheduling

When organizing panorama shoots, a flexible schedule is indispensable for a successful photo. A suitable timeframe must be coordinated with the photographer or agency based on the weather, time of day and location.

Assignment of rights

The assignment of licensing rights must be discussed with the photographer in detail. Important criteria include the timeframe and region for publication as well as the medium in which the motif will appear.

Equipment

The photographer selects his or her own equipment.

The curvature of the Earth at the image level can be created in post-production.

Extreme wide-angle lenses (fisheye) or pano-rama cameras with electronically controlled lens rotation can create this effect during pro-duction.

Photographers may use this equipment if they have it. They must obtain the client’s approval first (based on examples).

3. Other important aspects



Image/Product level

The layout grid of different ad/brochure for-mats is digitally applied to motifs to make sure that they can handle all of the necessary edits.

The motif must have enough “meat” on each side so that it can be positioned for bleed-off.

Landscape format is the best basis for composition.

Have several versions – up to ten – of each motif prepared. The photographer will make a preselection.

Check the properties and composition of the motifs (see the visual language guide):

• Golden ratio

• Long enough horizon line to show the Earth’s curvature (image level)

• Wedge (product level)

• Components

• Unexpected location

Editorial level

The principles for motifs are similar to those used for the image/product level. It is a good idea to limit the number of motifs at the edi-torial level to three options.

The following aspects are also important at this level:

• Juxtaposition of large and small

• Portraits in the working environment

2. Art direction

People in the working environment must wear clothing that conforms to legal standards and safety provisions (protective footwear, helmets if necessary).

Any equipment used must be safe and able to be used in compliance with safety provisions.

1. Safety

During the photo shoot



Image data is saved as a RAW file (e.g. dng) for further processing. For image- and product level the resolution should be at least 40 mega pixels; it must be at least 30 megapixels.

After photos are edited, the image data is archived in TIFF or JPG format.

Motifs are saved as DIN A3 (landscape) format with a 400 dpi resolution for download from the Marketing Portal.

At the editorial level, motifs should have the minimum resolution required for print materials. That corresponds to an effective resolution of 300 dpi.

1. Data processing

After the photo shoot

Image level

The long horizon line is “pushed up” slightly during editing. This creates the desired optical illusion of the Earth’s curvature (see page 5).

All levels

The periphery of the entire motif is slightly shaded (vignetting).

The saturation of the image is slightly reduced. This increases and adjusts the dynamics and clarity and ensures a strong contrast when the saturation is reduced.

2. Photo editing

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