# FOUNDATIONS YOUTH — COMPLETE BRAND GUIDELINES
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---

## WHO WE ARE

Foundations Youth is a sub-brand of Foundations Church — Colorado, USA. It exists as an extension of the main brand, built to reach and disciple the next generation. The visual identity is bold and edgy, designed to relate to young people while remaining connected to the parent brand.

**Parent Brand:** Foundations Church
**Website:** foundationschurch.org
**Brand Type:** Sub-brand of a Branded House. Foundations Youth does not stand alone — it draws identity from Foundations Church while having its own distinct visual language.

**Mission (inherited):** Make disciples by communicating Next Steps effectively — bringing the extraordinary life of Jesus to a lost and broken world.

---

## COLOR PALETTE

| Name | HEX | RGB | CMYK | Proportion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest | #616526 | 97/101/38 | 4/0/62/60 | 15% |
| Platinum | #D5D9C8 | 213/217/200 | 2/0/8/15 | 13% |
| Maroon | #633C47 | 99/60/71 | 0/39/28/61 | 26% |
| Midnight | #1C2628 | 28/38/40 | 30/5/0/84 | 26% |
| Yellow Gold | #DFBE02 | 223/190/2 | 0/15/99/13 | 5% |
| Floral White | #FFFCF2 | 255/252/242 | 0/1/5/0 | 15% |

**Proportion Rule:** Midnight and Maroon are the dominant colors — this is a darker, bolder palette than the main brand. Forest and Floral White are supporting. Yellow Gold is a rare accent.

**Background Standard:** Foundations Youth defaults to dark backgrounds. Midnight (#1C2628) is the primary background with Floral White (#FFFCF2) text and Forest (#616526) or Maroon (#633C47) accents.

---

## TYPOGRAPHY

**Primary Font:** Britti Sans Extrabold
Same typeface as the main brand — consistent family, distinct application.

### Type Hierarchy

| Level | Size | Leading | Case | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headline | 80pt | 88pt (×1.1) | Sentence case | Bold, impactful |
| Subhead | 30pt | 36pt (×1.2) | Sentence case | Supporting context |
| Body | 15pt | 21pt (×1.4) | Sentence case | Readable, clean |

**Key Rule:** Size, scale, and position determine how information is read. Always ensure a purposeful, obvious difference between type levels.

---

## LOGO

### Variants Available
- **Primary** — "YOUTH" wordmark with bar element (7 color variants)
- **Secondary** — Alternate layout (7 color variants)
- **Alternate 1** — Additional variant (7 color variants)
- **Alternate 2** — Additional variant (7 color variants)
- **Alternate 3** — Additional variant (7 color variants)

All variants available in PNG and SVG formats.

### Color Application
When combining the Youth logo with brand colors, always ensure ample contrast. On dark backgrounds, use Floral White version. On light backgrounds, use Midnight or Forest version.

### Logo Usage Rules
- Minimum size: 20px screen / 0.25 inches print
- Do not stretch or distort
- Do not outline unless pre-outlined version provided
- Do not apply shadows, glows, or effects
- Do not use unapproved colors
- Do not rotate
- Do not apply patterns

### Primary Logo SVG (for embedding in HTML documents)
```svg
<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 3840 1342.79"><path style="fill:#fffcf2" d="m308.14,620.26L0,19.92h297.51l143.44,334.7h2.66L595.03,19.92h289.54l-313.45,600.34,2.66,320.09h-268.29l2.66-320.09Z"/><path style="fill:#fffcf2" d="m907.8,903.17c-67.74-38.06-119.76-93.18-156.06-165.36-36.3-72.16-54.46-158.26-54.46-258.33s18.16-187.27,54.46-259c36.3-71.72,88.32-126.38,156.06-164.03C975.53,18.82,1055.89,0,1148.86,0s176.42,18.82,245.05,56.45c68.61,37.65,121.07,92.31,157.39,164.03,36.3,71.72,54.46,158.05,54.46,259s-18.39,186.17-55.12,258.33c-36.75,72.18-89.45,127.3-158.05,165.36-68.63,38.06-149.88,57.11-243.72,57.11s-173.33-19.05-241.07-57.11Zm109.57-227.12c30.98,45.16,75.25,67.74,132.82,67.74s103.37-22.79,134.81-68.4c31.42-45.59,47.15-110.9,47.15-195.91s-15.73-152.29-47.15-196.57c-31.44-44.27-76.37-66.41-134.81-66.41s-101.83,22.37-132.82,67.07c-31,44.72-46.49,110.03-46.49,195.91s15.48,151.41,46.49,196.57Z"/><path style="fill:#fffcf2" d="m1666.04,853.36c-65.54-71.26-98.74-183.95-99.61-338.02V19.92h269.62v525.96c0,61.09,11.06,107.81,33.2,140.12,22.12,32.33,58.44,48.48,108.91,48.48s89.19-15.71,110.9-47.15c21.69-31.42,32.54-78.13,32.54-140.12V19.92h269.62l1.33,257.67-1.33,236.42c-.89,154.07-34.1,266.96-99.61,338.69-65.54,71.72-170.01,107.58-313.45,107.58s-246.61-35.63-312.13-106.92Z"/><path style="fill:#fffcf2" d="m2568.14,236.42h-215.16V19.92h697.29v216.49h-213.84v703.94h-268.29V236.42Z"/><path style="fill:#fffcf2" d="m3012.54,19.92h268.29v345.33h290.87l-1.33-345.33h269.62l-1.33,460.88,1.33,459.55h-269.62l1.33-354.62h-290.87v354.62h-268.29V19.92Z"/><rect style="fill:#fffcf2" y="1074.5" width="3840" height="268.29"/></svg>
```

---

## BRAND PERSONALITY

Foundations Youth inherits the four core personality pillars from Foundations Church and applies them specifically to a youth context.

### 1. Relatable
Sound like someone a teenager or young adult would actually trust. Not a youth pastor cliché. Not a hype machine. Real, honest, and conversational.

**DO:** "You don't have to be put together to show up. Seriously — just come."
**AVOID:** "Get HYPED for the most EPIC night of the semester!"

### 2. Grounded
Biblical truth delivered with humility. Not preachy. Not watered down. Teenagers can handle real truth — present it without condescension.

**DO:** "God sees exactly where you are right now. And He's not waiting for you to clean it up first."
**AVOID:** "If you're not living for Jesus 100% of the time, you're missing out on His blessing."

### 3. Encouraging
Point toward hope and progress. Never shame. Speak to the version of each student that God sees — not the version that's struggling.

**DO:** "One decision tonight could change the next ten years of your life."
**AVOID:** "You've been coming for months. Why aren't you more serious about your faith?"

### 4. Direct
Students respect clarity. Say what you mean, give a clear next step, and make it feel doable — not overwhelming.

**DO:** "Want to lead? We'll train you. Text us and let's talk."
**AVOID:** "There may be opportunities to get involved for those who feel called to consider leadership."

---

## TONE OF VOICE

**General Principle:** The Youth voice is bolder and more energetic than the main brand — but never at the cost of authenticity. A student should feel like they're being spoken to by someone who genuinely knows them, not being pitched to.

**Key Phrases to Embrace:** Real, honest, unfiltered, you belong here, next step, one decision, show up.

**Key Phrases to Avoid:** Epic, lit, hype, super excited, incredible opportunity, don't miss out, mandatory fun.

### Instagram/Social
- Short, punchy captions
- Lead with a human moment or honest question
- Visuals-first — the image or video does most of the work
- CTA: simple and direct ("Come Sunday." / "Text us." / "Link in bio.")

### Email / Parent Communication
- Warm but efficient — parents are busy
- Lead with what their student will experience or gain
- Always include dates, times, and one clear link
- Close with an invitation, not a demand

---

## COMMUNICATIONS RULES (inherited from Foundations Church)

1. Awareness is not interest — every communication drives a Next Step.
2. Sunday is not your savior — stage is one tool, not the only one.
3. More you announce, less they listen — keep it focused.
4. Inspiration over information — story first, logistics second.
5. One destination for every promo — foundationschurch.org or the Foundations App.
6. Values dictate voice — bold, real, mission-focused.

**Standard CTA Script:**
"For more info, head to the Next Steps area or visit foundationschurch.org."

---

## THE ANNOUNCEMENT FORMULA

**1 Story + 1 Next Step** — same as the main brand.

- Lead with a real student story or moment
- End with one clear action
- Never list logistics from stage
- Keep it under 90 seconds

---

## DOCUMENT TEMPLATES

### Youth Stage Announcement
```
[STORY — real student, real moment. 2-3 sentences. Specific.]

[BRIDGE — one sentence connecting the story to the next step]

[NEXT STEP — one action. Clear. Doable.]

"Head to the Next Steps area or foundationschurch.org."
```

### Youth Social Post
```
[HOOK — honest, human, specific. Not hype.]

[BODY — 2-3 sentences. Real. Conversational.]

[CTA — one direction. Simple.]
```

### Youth Event Promo
```
[EVENT NAME]
[DATE / TIME / LOCATION]

[WHY IT MATTERS — for the student. 2 sentences.]

[WHO IT'S FOR]

[NEXT STEP — foundationschurch.org or text/link]
```

### Parent Email
```
Subject: [Clear and specific. e.g. "This Sunday for your student — what to expect"]

[GREETING]

[WHAT'S HAPPENING — brief context, 1 paragraph]

[WHAT YOUR STUDENT WILL EXPERIENCE — 2-3 sentences]

[LOGISTICS — date, time, location, what to bring]

[CTA — one link]

[WARM SIGN-OFF]
```

---

## PHOTOGRAPHY STYLE (inherited)

1. **Candid** — Real moments. Real students. Never staged.
2. **Duotone** — Brand colors applied for cohesion. Works well for event graphics.
3. **Natural** — NoCo locations, outdoor settings, community feel.

---

## EXCELLENCE STANDARD

Every communication from Foundations Youth reflects on Foundations Church and on the God we serve.

- Timely, accurate, high quality in design and clarity.
- Written for the student or parent who has never been here before.
- Only commit to what can be sustained at a high standard.