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DENSO Corporate Identity Design System

DENSO Corporate Identity Design System

Lively coloring style

The lively coloring style is friendly and accessible. By giving color to nature and humans this style is well suited to communicating our vision and values about well-being for people and the planet. The DENSO brand's primary DENSO Red and Crafting Blue, white and Deep Blue are generally used throughout all illustrations.

The extended color palette for illustrations contains the primary, secondary and supplementary colors plus some extra shades as extensions of these. In addition, the palette includes a number of brown earth tones and a selection of diverse skin tones.

Color specifications

Color usage

Overall guide

Primary colors for illustration

DENSO Red, Crafting Blue, white and Deep Blue are usually used throughout all illustrations to ensure a branded expression.

  • DENSO Red

  • Crafting Blue

  • White

  • Deep Blue

Secondary colors for illustration

The red and blue hues which are tone-in-tone colors based on the Primary colors for illustration are frequently used to create color perspective and to prevent a messy and multi-colored expression.
Neutral grays are used to balance the use of colors in order to create a cleaner, simpler expression. Please note that Deep Blue is preferable to black.

Supplementary colors for illustration

To prevent a messy and multi-colored expression, as a rule you may only use one or two extra colors in addition to the core and Secondary colors for illustration. Each extra color may be applied in different hues within its range.

Skin colors & Hair colors

Skin colors are used only for coloring of skin and thus are considered indispensable. They are not taken into account regarding the limited use of colors. The same goes for hair colors.

Color specifications

expressing DENSOness

The DENSO way of using colors

"DENSOness" is a visual expression that partly stems from the way we use colors, which creates simple, strong and beautiful compositions. The overall visual DENSO universe is bright, spacious and positive, where only a limited number of colors are used in every single illustration, as well as in the overall layout. A clean uncluttered expression that allows the DENSO Red to stand out and create focus on (mobility) services and solutions as well as on the advantages that technologies offer local communities and people.

Ratio and consistency

  1. DENSO Red, Crafting Blue, white and Deep Blue – the primary colors for illustration – are used throughout all illustrations to ensure visual brand recognition.

  2. The secondary colors for illustration – the tone-in-tone red and blue colors – are used as supplementary colors creating an overall clean, simple and branded expression.

  3. Indispensable colors used for skin and hair add warm tones, while secondary grays and white hold it all together in a light and simple composition which characterizes the visual brand concept "DENSOness".

  4. If needed, you may apply one or two supplementary colors for. Each color may be applied in its different hues.

Ratio and consistency – examples

    Primary colors for illustrations, secondary colors for illustrations, and skin and hair colors for illustrations are most important and basic color for illustration that characterize the visual concept "DENSOness".

    + One additional color – A color may be applied in all of its hues, light and dark. In this example green has been added.

    + Two additional colors – In this example both Crafting Blue (green house and digital screens) and DENSO Red (apples) balance the maximum use of two extra colors (green and brown).

Ratio and consistency – examples

Example
Only Primary colors for illustration in different hues plus skin and hair colors are applied.

Example
Green, in various hues, is used as an additional color, with one blue shade for the solar panels.

Complex illustrations

Complexity made simple

The overall expression is light and simple. Basic elements like roads and buildings are kept in light gray shades, a calm set for illustrating scenes of people's life and the various services and solutions that technology offers.
In a detailed and complex illustration it is crucial to limit the number of colors and keep the distribution of colors simple. Apply the color scheme that is already being used within a particular area when coloring the many details.
Only add extra colors if necessary, such as for illustrations of food, fruits and vegetables.
As a general rule DENSO Red and Crafting Blue are used to represent technology and services such as devices, autonomous vehicles or the color of clothes on people who either use technology or receive and deliver services.

Complex illustrations

    The base, buildings, houses, industrial plants and roads are neutral in shades of gray. Technology and related services are in general DENSO Red and Crafting Blue, such as devices, autonomous vehicles, production units or the color of clothes on people who receive or deliver services.

    Create focus on a specific scenery by adding a color space.
    Apply only the color scheme that is already being used within a particular area when coloring the many details.
    DENSO Red draws attention to people who receive or deliver services.

    Extra color(s) for a specific purpose
    As an exception, extra colors may be added for a clear understanding, such as for food, fruits and vegetables or an orange safety vest.

Use of DENSO Red

DENSO Red is used to create focus

When applying an illustration in a layout, consider the use of DENSO Red. If the focus is on text, use DENSO Red for that purpose and leave it out or limit its use in the illustration.

  • Red focus in the image

    Use the red color to focus on the key messages of the illustration.

  • Focus on red text boxes

    The use of red in the illustration is limited to make the red text boxes stand out.

Occasionally, DENSO Red is irrelevant.

Occasionally, there will be illustrations and other visual communication where DENSO Red isn't relevant, or at least should not be the main focus.
In cases where the DENSO brand is clear, consider using Crafting Blue more dominantly with secondary grays, white and an extra color or two. Always strive to create a light and simple composition with a limited number of colors.

Color perspective

Creating background and foreground

In order to create perspective and focus, distant landscape elements should appear in lighter colors than the objects in the foreground. Gradient and transparency are used for the landscape and buildings in the background,
whereas objects in the foreground stand out in solid color.

  • Foreground

    Objects in the foreground are in solid color. As an exception, trees and bushes may have color with both gradient and transparency.

  • Background

    The landscape and buildings in the background feature gradient. You may apply transparency in the gradient color so that the distant landscape elements blend in with the sky and make the foreground stand out.

Gradient and transparency

  • Gradient with transparency

    Tinting color by using transparency in the gradient set-up. The blend of the blue sky and the green hill creates a smooth blurry effect, amplifying perspective.

  • Gradient without transparency

  • Avoid translucency from the underlying layer

    Copy the front lying object, apply the background color and place it as a screen between the two transparent objects.

  • Translucency from the underlying layer

"By night"

"By night" illustrations use the full blue color range to create a dark blue universe with a vibrant-gradient sky where Crafting Blue and Bright Blue add light to the skyline.
Solid DENSO Red and/or white creates focus on the given technology, solution or service.

People

Diversity
With various skin tones and choice of hair color you may depict a broad diversity of people.
Skin tones may be tinted from 100–30% in order to optimize the contrast with the background.

Color of clothes
In general, use the Primary colors for illustration for clothes optionally combined with gray, red and blue hues. You may also use an additional color if it's prominently used in the illustration.

Contrasts
Choose skin and hair color with acceptable contrast to the background. You may tint the skin colors in order to optimize the contrast.

Additional colored clothes
Green trousers and apron may be applied because green is prominently used in the illustration.

Abstract coloring

Abstract, strong and functional

Abstract and monochromatic usage of red and blue shades provides simple and strong brand visuals. The simplified compositions and color combinations create a perfect surface for placing text on top.

  • The Simple Coloring Style

  • The Lively Coloring Style – Alternative abstract color usage