Brand Guidelines
v2.0 — 2025
This document defines the visual identity, tone of voice, and application standards for GEM Information Systems — including the GEMIS Brand Studio practice. Consistent use ensures a coherent, professional brand presence across all client and public touchpoints.
The Three-Rung Ladder
The GEMIS brand operates across three service levels. Each has distinct positioning and entry criteria. Brand communications must be calibrated to the correct rung — do not conflate them in a single message.
Brand Identity
GEMIS Brand Studio. For startups and SMEs entering the market or refreshing their identity. From R4,999. Led by Sphamandla Xaba. Entry point to the GEMIS relationship.
ManaGEM ERP
GEMIS's proprietary ERP platform. For growing SMEs needing operational structure — CRM, inventory, financials, and people management integrated under one roof.
Bespoke Software Systems
Custom-built management systems, M&E platforms, cloud applications, and mobile solutions. R250k–R500k+. Led by Graeme Mehl and Byron Thompson.
The GEMIS Mark
The GEMIS logo pairs the Blue Hex mark — three concentric hexagons with a central gem dot — with the GEMIS wordmark in Cormorant Garamond. The hex motif represents precision, multi-faceted expertise, and structural integrity. It is the primary mark across all GEMIS touchpoints from v2.0 onward.
Logo Variations
Exclusion Zone
Maintain clear space around the logo equal to the cap-height of the "G" in GEMIS. No element — text, image, or graphic — may enter this zone. Minimum digital size: 120px wide. Minimum print: 30mm wide.
The dashed border represents the exclusion zone. Reproduce it with clear space in all layouts.
Do's & Don'ts
Use primary logo on white (#ffffff) or surface grey (#f5f5f7) backgrounds.
Use the reversed white version on navy (#0f2d5e) or primary blue (#1a56a0) backgrounds.
Maintain minimum exclusion zone. Download the SVG and place at correct size.
Stretch, skew, rotate, or distort the logo mark or wordmark in any direction.
Recolour the hex mark or place the primary logo on busy or coloured backgrounds.
Use a rasterised JPEG. Always use the SVG or high-resolution PNG originals.
Colour System
The GEMIS palette is anchored by Deep Navy and Primary Blue — authoritative, technically credible, and distinctly corporate without being sterile. A six-step blue scale gives the system range from dark anchor to airy background tint, replacing the previous emerald green palette in full.
Primary Palette
Supporting Neutrals
Colour usage rules
- Primary Blue is the dominant brand colour — navigation, buttons, accent lines, key headings.
- Deep Navy anchors dark sections, footers, business card backs, and dark-mode surfaces.
- Sky Blue is used for reversed-out text on navy, and for mid-weight accents.
- Light Blue (#daeaf8) is the light-mode equivalent of emerald-lt — used for tag backgrounds, callout fills, and section tints.
- Surface Grey (#f5f5f7) remains the page background across the website and all digital assets.
Colour pairings — accessible
- Primary Blue on White — ✓ AA (contrast 5.1:1)
- Deep Navy on White — ✓ AAA (contrast 12.6:1)
- White on Primary Blue — ✓ AA (contrast 5.1:1)
- Sky Blue on Navy — ✓ AA (contrast 4.6:1)
- Deep Ink on Surface Grey — ✓ AAA (contrast 16.4:1)
- Accent Blue — decorative only, never sole carrier of information
Type System
Two typefaces carry the entire GEMIS brand. Cormorant Garamond brings editorial authority to display and heading roles. DM Sans provides clean, reader-friendly body text. Together they create the tension between heritage and modernity that defines the brand.
Garamond
Weights used: 400, 600, 700
Italic: used for emphasis in headings
to last.
Partners built
to stay.
Weights used: 300 (body), 400 (UI), 500 (labels)
Never italic in body copy
Type Scale
Icon Language
GEMIS uses a restrained emoji-based icon set for web and digital — readable at small sizes, universally supported, and requiring no icon font dependency. Icons always appear in 44px light blue containers on light backgrounds. Reserve geometric SVG icons for print and brand applications.
MIS & Data
Management information and database systems
ERP & Operations
ManaGEM and enterprise business platforms
Cloud
Azure-hosted platforms and infrastructure
Mobile
Android field data collection and offline apps
M&E / NGO
Monitoring, evaluation, donor reporting
AI
ChatGPT API integration and automation
Brand Studio
Identity design and brand system work
Bespoke Systems
Custom software development engagements
How GEMIS Speaks
The GEMIS voice reflects the character of the people behind the business — experienced, direct, and honest. We never oversell, never use jargon for its own sake, and always lead with what the client gains rather than what we offer. Different rungs of the ladder require tonal calibration.
Direct, not blunt
We say what we mean without hedging. We also don't mistake directness for rudeness. Every statement serves the reader.
Authoritative, not arrogant
Twelve years and dozens of projects give us opinions worth sharing. We share them without positioning ourselves as the only answer.
Specific, not generic
We name the technology, cite the client sector, reference the actual outcome. Vague claims are invisible. Specific claims build trust.
South African, not generic African
We write for the South African business and civil society context. POPIA, SETA, NHI, CCMA, WhatsApp Business — we understand the environment our clients operate in.
The Tagline
The GEMIS tagline captures two commitments that differentiate us in the South African technology market: systems that endure, and relationships that last beyond delivery.
Partners built to stay.
Usage rules
- Always set in Cormorant Garamond, sentence case, as shown above.
- The word "last." is always italicised. The full stop is part of the italic.
- Use on email signatures, proposal cover pages, business card backs, and the website hero.
- Do not abbreviate to one line. Both sentences carry equal weight.
Where it appears
- Email signature footer — italic, mid grey, separator above
- Website hero section — large display, italic "last."
- Proposal cover page — centred, below GEMIS wordmark
- Business card reverse side — centred in white on navy
- Never in body copy paragraphs or social media captions
Business Card
85 × 55mm. 400gsm matte laminate with soft-touch finish. Primary Blue back with white text. Front: navy background, blue hex mark, personal details. Print specification: Pantone 2945 C (Primary Blue) + Pantone 295 C (Deep Navy) + white. 3mm bleed on all sides.
Partners built to stay.
Letterhead
A4 (210 × 297mm). Primary Blue top bar 12mm. Clean white body. The Word template at templates/gemis-letterhead.docx contains all formatting. Body text: Calibri 11pt, #3a3a3c, 1.15 line-height. Never use Arial or Times New Roman in official correspondence.
[Body text — Calibri 11pt, #3a3a3c, 1.15 line-height. Paragraphs separated by 6pt spacing. Left-aligned, no indent.]
Kind regards,
Leon Small · Business Development
Email Signature
A consistent HTML signature for all GEMIS staff. Copy from the template and paste into Gmail or Outlook. The hex mark, name, role, and contact details are mandatory. The tagline line is mandatory. The Academy link is included only for staff who work across both brands.
|
Leon Small
Business Development · Programme Director
Systems built to last. Partners built to stay.
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Digital Standards
How the brand system is applied across gemis.co.za, gemis.tech, PDF proposals, and any partner or social media presence. All values are CSS-ready.
Navigation
- Active links: Primary Blue text (#1a56a0) with 2px Primary Blue underline
- Inactive links: #3a3a3c → #1d1d1f on hover
- "Start a Project" CTA: Primary Blue pill (#1a56a0), white text, border-radius 980px
- Nav background: rgba(245,245,247,0.88) with backdrop-filter blur(20px)
Buttons
Tags & Labels
All tags: background #daeaf8, text #1a56a0, font-size 0.62rem, letter-spacing 0.08em, uppercase. Border-radius 4px. No secondary amber — retired in v2.0.
Cards & Surfaces
- Card surface: #ffffff with 1px #e8e8ed border
- Alternate card: #f5f5f7 background
- Blue-tint section: #f0f6fc background
- Border radius: 16px cards · 20px hero panels · 980px pills
- Hover shadow: 0 12px 40px rgba(15,45,94,0.08–0.12)
Brand Studio Identity
GEMIS Brand Studio is the Rung 1 practice led by Sphamandla Xaba. It operates under the GEMIS brand at gemis.co.za/brand-studio. It is positioned as the entry point to the GEMIS relationship — not as a separate company. All Brand Studio materials share GEMIS visual identity with a lighter, more accessible tone.
Brand Studio Visual Differentiators
Studio-specific elements
- Studio avatar gradient: linear-gradient(135deg, #2e6db5, #60a5d8) — distinct from main team navy gradient
- Studio section backgrounds: #f0f6fc (blue-bg tint) rather than #f5f5f7
- All brand colours remain consistent — no separate palette for Brand Studio
- Team tag: background #daeaf8, text #1a56a0 — same as other tags, label reads "Brand Studio"
What Brand Studio does not do
- Does not use a separate logo or sub-brand mark
- Does not have a separate domain — it lives at gemis.co.za/brand-studio
- Does not use a different colour palette
- Does not produce work under any name other than GEMIS
Package Reference
- Logo mark (3 concepts, 2 revisions)
- Icon / standalone mark
- Colour palette (3–5 colours)
- Typography specification
- Usage guidelines PDF
- Final files: SVG, PNG, EPS
- Everything in Spark
- Business card design
- A4 letterhead (Word)
- Email signature (HTML)
- Full brand guidelines document
- Colour-coded asset folder
- Everything in Identity
- Social media profile/header assets
- Pitch deck template (PPTX)
- Favicon + OG image set
- Brand roll-out session (1 hour)
- 12-month minor update access
The Academy Brand
GEMIS Technical Academy operates as a distinct brand under the GEMIS umbrella at gemis.tech. It shares the Blue Hex gem motif and Cormorant Garamond typeface, but is positioned and marketed separately as an AI training business targeting schools, corporates, and public sector organisations.
Bespoke software · ERP (ManaGEM) · Cloud platforms · MIS · M&E systems · Brand Studio
AI training · Facilitator-led programmes · Schools · Corporate · Public sector · AI Advantage™ · Education Excellence™