Brand Guidelines
2026-27
The complete guide to the consistent use of the Kent FA brand across all external correspondence, presentations, and marketing materials.
Internal DocumentIntroduction
This document provides advice and guidance for the consistent use of the brand style for Kent FA. The brand should be considered as an integral part of any design from the outset.
Mission
To safeguard, govern, protect and develop football across Kent.
Vision
To make Kent Football the most trusted, visible and community-centred County FA in England where compelling stories and strong partnerships inspire more people to play, coach, officiate and support the grassroots game.
Our Brand Is
Tone of Voice
Consistency of voice across all channels builds trust and recognition. We will apply these principles to all content.
Who Are We?
We are Kent football, and we represent, unite, and promote the game of football in the Kent County.
Proudly. Purposefully. Passionately.
Who Are We Talking To?
Our potential consumer base is wide. We want to appeal to and encourage all those who come into contact with the game of football in Kent. Every spectator, parent/carer and volunteer, however they support the game. And every player, referee, or coach, regardless of ability.
How Do We Sound?
If we were to personify the brand, it would be a trusted, down to earth but a knowledgeable coach/volunteer/personality who enjoys the game. Someone warm and approachable with a level of insight and love for the game.
Marketing Tone of Voice
Consistency of voice across all channels builds trust and recognition. We will apply these principles to all content.
| Principle | What It Means | In Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Community first | Football is for everyone. Celebrate the people who make it happen. | Name clubs and volunteers. Use 'our' and 'we'. Tell real stories. |
| Clear & accessible | Plain English, no jargon, inclusive language at all times. | Maximum of five sentences per social post. No acronyms without explanation. |
| Positive & energetic | The game is brilliant and our content must reflect that. | Lead with the positive. Action verbs and use exclamation marks sparingly. |
| Authoritative on protect | Safeguarding content must be clear, unambiguous and always signpost help. | Avoid hedging language. Always include resource links. Calm, confident tone. |
| Authentic on TikTok | Young audiences distrust corporate messaging. | Let staff and volunteers speak naturally. Real footage over polished production. |
| Professional on LinkedIn | Partners and sponsors expect credibility and data. | Use statistics and case studies. Formal sentence structures on LinkedIn only. |
General Do’s & Don’ts
Name
Kent FA has been the custodians of grassroots football in Kent since 1881 and supports its governance and development. It is vital to ensure consistency across all forms of communication when mentioning the Association.
Subsequent references: All additional references should be listed as ‘Kent FA’.
Logo
The logo is made up of two graphic elements: the shield and the logotype ‘Kent FA’. It must not be altered in any way and must only be resized in proportion.
Logo Variations
Logo Positioning
The crest should be left to stand alone without interference from other elements.
- For printed materials, the Kent FA crest should be positioned in the top right-hand corner.
- For digital assets, the Kent FA crest should be in the bottom right-hand corner.
Logo Safe Area
Always follow the exclusion rule to provide a sufficient safe area. The width and height of the logo (indicated as X) becomes the exclusion zone.
Minimum Sizes
| Context | Minimum Size |
|---|---|
| 22mm wide | |
| Screen | 70 pixels wide |
Available Formats
The Kent FA logo is available in JPEG, PNG, PDF and .ai (for printed materials such as apparel/merchandise).
Logo Misuse
Composite Logos
Partners, local authorities, funders, charities and schools have composite logos. The Kent FA logo should always appear on the left and the other logo on the right. Composite logos must not be edited or changed in any way.
Colour
Our primary colour is blue. Supporting colours are bright blue, pale blue and gold. It is preferable to lead with blue on white.
Primary Colour
CMYK: 100, 83, 36, 26
Secondary Colours
CMYK: 60, 0, 5, 0
CMYK: 98, 29, 0, 0
CMYK: 29, 0, 0, 2
CMYK: 54, 84, 4, 46
CMYK: 68, 0, 70, 0
CMYK: 0, 19, 81, 0
Colour Usage Rules
- Dark blue is the primary colour and should feature on all assets as a leading colour.
- Sky blue can be used on any asset.
- Bright blue can be used on any asset.
- Baby blue can be used on assets with a dark background.
- Dark Berry can be used as a secondary accent colour across assets.
- Astroturf can be used as a secondary accent colour across assets.
- Trophy Gold is for celebrational posts such as Referee Promotions, funding success, awards. It can be used elsewhere, but this is it's key use.
- White should be used for titles, backgrounds, brand shapes and highlights only.
Mono Versions
Positive mono crest: To be used on a single colour item using the brand in black. Should always appear on a white background. Can be embossed, debossed or foil-blocked.
Negative mono crest: Should always appear white on a solid background. Can also be embossed, debossed or foil blocked.
Typography
To create consistency across the brand and effectively convey the tone of voice of Kent FA, typography should be used as directed below.
Primary Typeface: FS Dillon
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
0123456789 !@£$%&*()
FS Dillon Regular is permitted for body copy.
Secondary Typeface
Calibri should be used if FS Dillon is not available.
Font Size Guidelines
| Context | Minimum Size |
|---|---|
| Body copy | No smaller than 11pt |
| Accessible communications | 14 to 16pt (and/or white text on black background) |
Photography
Our photography places the participant(s) at the focus of the image.
- Images with space around the main subject allow for flexibility when being used in different assets.
- The background allows the image to tell a story and should always be considered.
- Photography should never depict participants or any young person in a negative light.
- Images should always be in colour where possible.
Photography Examples
A selection of approved photography that demonstrates the Kent FA style in practice. Click any image to view full size.
Image Libraries
Videography
All video content should be engaging and accessible. It should never depict participants or young people in a negative light.
Subtitling
To comply with accessibility standards, all Kent FA videos should include subtitles set in FS Dillon, with a dark opaque background. They should be large enough to be read whilst not obstructing the video and should never go across two lines.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Font | FS Dillon |
| Minimum size (Premiere Pro) | 55 |
| Background opacity | 85% black |
Captioning
A person’s name should always be set in FS Dillon Bold, with any secondary information set in FS Dillon Regular. Always left aligned, in either white or black depending on the background. Captions should not animate in. They should appear and then disappear.
Asset Design
Guidance for creating digital assets across social media and marketing materials.
Logo Placement
The Kent FA Logo must be presented on all assets and be placed on the bottom right-hand corner with a colour background. Use the PNG/JPEG version on all assets.
Text Guidelines
Description: Under 155 characters.
FS Dillon Bold - for titles and straplines.
FS Dillon Regular - for any additional text.
Social Media Asset Sizes
Social Frames
Social media frames are not always required but should be considered on occasion. Three frames are available for use:
- Straight-edged frame - primary blue colour.
- Horse-mane-themed frame - primary blue colour.
- Gold frame - for all celebratory assets (funding, award winners, new partnerships).
Graphic Devices
Kent FA uses a set of graphic devices across its brand materials. These devices add visual identity and should be used consistently as documented below.
Iconography
We use a variety of icons, graphics and football related visual devices. These can be used in various ways to present, support or add value to the visual story of what we are sharing.
Mane Devices
The horse-mane graphic device is a core part of the Kent FA visual identity. It can be used as a framing element, section divider, or decorative accent across digital and print assets.
Templates
Ready-to-use templates for creating on-brand Kent FA content. Select a template below to get started.