Brand
Style Guide
The Edge in South Africa's Growth Economy
Version 1.0 · 2025
01 — Brand Values
What We Stand For
The Open Letter gives South Africa's builders, investors and operators the signal in the noise. Every word we publish is guided by five core values.
01
Clarity
We cut through noise. Every sentence earns its place — no jargon, no filler, no wasted words.
02
Edge
We give readers an advantage. Insight, data and perspective that moves the needle in the real economy.
03
Rootedness
South Africa-first. We celebrate what's built here and amplify voices from within the ecosystem.
04
Integrity
We call it straight. Editorial independence is non-negotiable — our readers' trust is our only currency.
05
Momentum
Growth is our beat. We document, dissect and accelerate South Africa's emerging growth economy.
02 — Logo
Logo Usage
Our logo appears in four approved configurations. Always maintain clear space equal to the height of the “O” around all sides. Never stretch, recolour, or modify the mark.
On Dark (Primary)
On Green
On White
Usage Rules
Minimum size: 24px height on screen
Never place on low-contrast backgrounds
Do not add drop shadows or effects
Do not rotate or skew the mark
Use only approved colour combinations above
03 — Colour
Colour Palette
Colour is the primary expression of The Open Letter brand. Use only the colours defined here.
Primary
Bright Green
#9FE870
Forest Green
#0D2603
Accent
Orange
#FFC091
Yellow
#FFEB69
Blue
#A0E1E1
Pink
#FFD7EF
Backgrounds & Neutrals
BG Screen
#F7F8F5
BG Neutral
#E7E8E2
Secondary
#454744
Primary Text
#0E0E0C
04 — Typography
Type System
Two typefaces carry the entire brand voice. Gabarito owns the headlines. Inter handles everything else.
Display — Gabarito
South Africa's Growth Economy
H1
64px · Bold · Uppercase
H2
42px · Bold · Uppercase
H3
24px · SemiBold
Body — Inter
The Open Letter exists to give South African founders, investors and operators the edge they need to build and grow in one of the world's most dynamic emerging markets.
Body
18px · Regular · 170% line-height
Small / Caption
14px · Regular · Labels & metadata
05 — Tone of Voice
How We Speak
The Open Letter voice is direct, intelligent, and grounded in South African context. We inform without lecturing — and we never lose the edge.
News / Analysis
“The Reserve Bank held rates again — here’s what it means for your cost of capital.”
Precise. Contextual. No filler.
Founder Stories
“She bootstrapped to R10M ARR before taking a single rand of outside capital.”
Human. Specific. Earned credibility.
Market Commentary
“Venture sentiment is shifting — not collapsing. Patient capital is having its moment.”
Measured. Contrarian when warranted.
Social / Headlines
“The deal everyone missed — and why it matters for SA tech.”
Punchy. Hooky. Always earned.
06 — Dos & Don’ts
Brand Rules
Keep the brand consistent and credible. These rules protect the integrity of everything we publish.
✓ Do
Use Forest Green or Bright Green as the primary background or accent on all brand assets.
Set headlines in Gabarito, bold, and uppercase for maximum brand recognition.
Use the defined accent palette (Orange, Yellow, Blue, Pink) for highlights and callouts only.
Maintain generous whitespace — the brand breathes.
Write with authority. Cite real data. Attribute sources precisely.
✗ Don’t
Don’t use unapproved colours — no gradients, no brand-adjacent greens.
Don’t stretch, rotate, or recolour the logo in any unauthorised way.
Don’t use decorative or display typefaces outside Gabarito for headings.
Don’t use clickbait language or vague superlatives without evidence.
Don’t place the logo on low-contrast backgrounds where legibility suffers.
Questions? Contact the brand team at [email protected]
The Open Letter Brand Style Guide — v1.0 — Internal Use
