With over 30 years as a tech industry recruiter under its belt, Dice has established itself as the go-to platform for both technologists and tech companies large and small for networking and career advancement. With the knowledge that no other platform could claim the same level of category expertise, Davis Elen leaned into Dice’s history, expanding on the identity that’s been their bread and butter while broadening their color palette and typography, defining their photography parameters and utilizing their logo as inspiration for extended graphic treatments
Fortified with a refreshed aesthetic, messaging was developed with the understanding that to reach the brand’s primary audience of specialists we needed to speak their unique language, while remaining mindful of Dice’s, perhaps, less tech-savvy secondary and tertiary audiences. The result was a straight-talking campaign that spoke to all three audiences by employing the basic elements of the industry’s most important tool: the keyboard.
Altogether, the creative served to tell the story of why Dice is where tech connects.
BRAND PERSONALITY
With each messaging opportunity, we at Dice want to make it clear that we’re dedicated to serving the people and businesses that make up tech. So when developing our tagline, we wanted a simple, concise thought that would cast a light on Dice as the leader in the category — a statement that would reflect our experience and our ability to work across all segments throughout the tech landscape.
Our tagline, Where tech connects.™, is born from the desire to impart the audience with a single, uncompromising point: When it comes to the critical networking that enables continued growth and success in the tech category, whether a client or a technologist, Dice is the most valuable and indispensable platform available.
LOGOS
The Dice logo is available in several color variations. Before applying the logo in practice, be sure to familiarize yourself with its proper use.
The primary logo is preferable and should be used in most instances. If the primary logo becomes problematic our secondary logo should be used. The tertiary logo is reserved only for cases where color is not an option.
LOGO LOCKUPS
When the Dice logo is paired with our brand tagline the combination of the two forms our logo lockup. Use of the lockup is not required on all materials, but is recommended for regular use.
DIGITAL ICONS
Digital icons should appear as the “D” from the logotype inside a solid red background. Allow adequate space around the “D” to accommodate rounded corners or circles.
These icons should be used for social media profile pictures and avatars, especially when the communication is coming from Dice.
LOGOS
The Dice logo is available in several color variations. Before applying the logo in practice, be sure to familiarize yourself with its proper use.
The primary logo is preferable and should be used in most instances. If the primary logo becomes problematic our secondary logo should be used. The tertiary logo is reserved only for cases where color is not an option.
LOGO LOCKUPS
When the Dice logo is paired with our brand tagline the combination of the two forms our logo lockup. Use of the lockup is not required on all materials, but is recommended for regular use.
DIGITAL ICONS
Digital icons should appear as the “D” from the logotype inside a solid red background. Allow adequate space around the “D” to accommodate rounded corners or circles.
These icons should be used for social media profile pictures and avatars, especially when the communication is coming from Dice.
COLOR PALETTE
Ruby, found in our logo (and throughout the brand), is supported by a rich and warm secondary palette that is as unique as our red.
While we always want our red to play a strong role in every part of the brand, it must be used thoughtfully and with restraint. Overuse diminishes its impact and can quickly overwhelm whatever it is applied to. Avoid completely flooding images and backgrounds with our red and refer to the applications section of this brand book for proper examples.
PRIMARY TYPEFACE
Degular Display is our primary typeface. It was chosen because of its instantly familiar, yet unique and ownable characteristics. It is approachable and clever. It should be used for display type, headlines, and subheads where appropriate. The typeface has a wide variety of weights to choose from. Degular Display’s unique letter-forms are best represented when used in sentence case, so we discourage using Degular Display in all-caps unless critical to the design.
SECONDARY TYPEFACE
IBM Plex Sans is our secondary typeface. It was chosen not only for it’s excellent pairing with Degular Display but because of its backstory. IBM Plex was developed by IBM as a typeface that could bridge the gap between man and machine. Which, in a way, is what Dice is in the business of doing. It should be used for elements like body copy and subheads, at point sizes 12pt or below. It can be used in both sentence case or uppercase depending upon its application.
PORTRAIT
Whether representing a tech professional, a long-time client, or one of our very own employees, we have a clearly defined approach to portrait photography.
We want to present people out in the world, not inside of a studio. Also, when possible, we want to leverage graphic backgrounds that work alongside our textural photography and our pattern library.
Depending on the desired mood, the subject matter can be looking directly into the camera or away from it.
LIFESTYLE
As with our portraits, we have a clearly defined approach to lifestyle photography. Lifestyle photography is used when a more traditional portrait-style photograph is not needed, yet we still want to represent those people we interact with.
Also in keeping with our portrait photography, our lifestyle shots present people in the world, rather than the studio. When possible, we want to leverage graphic backdrops that work alongside our textural photography and our pattern library.
WORKSPACE
The definition of “workspace” is evolving with more and more people working away from a traditional office space. It is important that our workspace photography captures this and celebrates it. Whether in a park, in a restaurant, in a living room or a traditional office, we will present heads-down, noses-to-the-grindstone within multi-person collaborations in a real and natural way.
TEXTURES
We think of technologists as digital architects. Whether building an app or a website or a robot, these driven people are creating critical, complex structures not unlike traditional architects.
To further expand our visual system and echo the idea of digital architecture, we use graphic, abstract images of building facades, natural environments, and even man-made objects.
The unifying factor in these photographs is a strong contrast and the use of repeated patterns that show structure and connectivity.
CONVERSATION BUBBLE
Alongside our brand patterns, we also have a core brand shape that has been derived directly from the conversation bubble that makes up our logo. This shape can be easily manipulated to work within any given format, whether tall and skinny, perfectly square or extra wide. It always acts as a window/container that can hold anything from photography to inspirational quotes.
PATTERNS
Our brand system includes a series of bold and graphic patterns. These patterns were built out of the 79 degree angle found in the Dice logotype, creating an immediate visual tie back to our logo. These patterns are to be used with intention and as strong, standalone graphic brand assets, rather than delicate accents interacting with other brand assets. In fact, the patterns should never be used as overlays or underlays to any other brand asset such as photography or typography.
79 DEGREE ANGLE
In addition to our existing library of patterns, we encourage the creation of additional patterns. It’s important to remember that our patterns should be bold, exciting and abstractly represent connectivity. They also always reflect the 79 degree angle taken from the Dice logotype.
ICONOGRAPHY
From sales collateral to our website, icons play a small but important role in our brand system.
Our icon set is from Streamline, and all of the icons are built with a single weight line. The weight of the line and the color of the icon can be adjusted for a specific need. The icons should always be treated in two colors, with a fill. The two colors can be any combination from our primary and secondary color palette as long as there is strong contrast and definition.
KEYS TO TECH
SAN DIEGO
7750 El Camino Real, Suite 2F
Carlsbad, CA 92009
SEATTLE
2033 6th Ave, Suite 600
Seattle, WA 98121
ARLINGTON
4201 Wilson Blvd, Floor 3
Arlington, VA 22203
KANSAS CITY
420 Nichols Rd
Kansas City, MO 64112
SAN DIEGO
7750 El Camino Real, Suite 2F
Carlsbad, CA 92009
SEATTLE
2033 6th Ave, Suite 600
Seattle, WA 98121
ARLINGTON
4201 Wilson Blvd, Floor 3
Arlington, VA 22203
KANSAS CITY
420 Nichols Rd
Kansas City, MO 64112
