HERE Brand Guidelines
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2D illustration

7 min read

The HERE brand makes use of both a 2D and a 3D visual style to best tell each story. The 2D style is used for stories that connect with audiences on an emotional level, for more creative or conceptual journeys and ideas. Whether used for illustration or animation, the HERE 2D style puts storytelling first. Some examples are available in our 2D illustration library.

HERE’s 2D style can be used in animation or illustration whenever a user journey is told and an exemplary case is shown. It is human-centric, not product-centric, so we use placeholder interfaces (instead of real interfaces) and don’t show partner logos.

Confused about whether the 2D or 3D style best fits the story you want to tell? Keep reading for illustrative examples of when each style would be used.

Let’s say we want to show a restaurant that can benefit from HERE technology by using an app for quicker delivery and increased customer satisfaction. The app doesn’t exist yet, so the story shows a vision for the future. Here we would use the 2D style.

But what if we want to show HERE technology being used in a certain restaurant, in a certain city, tracking beacons in delivery bikes to guide delivery personnel to a customer’s door? The situation we’re describing is already existing, or close to realization. Here we would use the 3D style.

A) Story telling colors

Yellow / Pink / Purple / Light green / Dark blue

What: Subjects/objects in story

Examples: car, bike, truck, clothes of a person

B) Highlight colors

Gradient blue / Aqua + gradient yellow / Aqua

What: HERE solution highlight, HERE solution applied

C) Function colors

Hazard/Alert: red

Examples: accident, an obstacle on the street, break!

Attention: orange

Examples: delay, slow traffic, a problem in the supply chain

Important notes:

  • Brand beats rules!
  • If HERE is under-represented in a shot (or illustration), further elements may be colored in aqua to ensure the brand is represented
  • Aqua is not an accent color

Color ratio should always match existing guidelines.

Color ratio depends on image size:

  • Big format: 65% white, 20% aqua, 10% accent, 5% black
  • Small format: 37% white, 45% aqua, 25% accent, 3% black
  • Do not use more than one accent color per image or set

Filled shapes should be using full color OR gradients matching the guidelines OR trasparent white / black overlays.

Important notes: Never use patterns

Illustrations including skin color may use colors outside of existing pallets and don’t have to follow use of color and color ratio rules.

HERE addresses a global community of all races, gender and ages.

Please illustrate and animate for a diverse and open audience.

Colors may be picked or created. Do not use unrealistic color for skin or hair.

2D illustration or animation always features benefits, user stories but no real applications. It is used for examples, visions and potentials. Perspective homogenously and content related.

There are three perspectives to use in illustration an animation:

To highlight one action or focus on one detail.

  • Focus is on one object or feature
  • Object does not have to be a handheld or small asset

Important note: Use perspective only in the background, the foreground should be almost flat

A scene shows objects interacting with each other to tell a story.

  • Constructed in a one-point-perspective
  • Single assets might break the perspective, for example if panoramic backgrounds are needed in the scene
  • Horizon has to be in the lower half of the image

OR

Horizon has to be outside of the image (birds-eye view)

  • Do not connect assets or pack the image
  • No falling lines, curves in main assets or isometric style

Maps should be part of every story as they are key to experiencing HERE.

- A map does not interact with any object or asset physically

- Assets, icons or overlays should be placed floating and matching the perspective

- Layering may be applied

Important notes:

  • Keep maps clean and technically precise

  • Set a clear focus

  • Never create miniature worlds or isometric scenes

The 2D style always features people and their stories.

Illustration or shots within the animation can be used full-frame or on a white background.

  • Full-frame scenes can be used within the animation for transitions, or an opening scene
  • It is for more complex and context setting moments
  • Fit-to-use format

  • On-white shows an aspect or moment in a story. The iconic HERE path is key, the number of assets is reduced
  • Only the path may be cut off
  • No frame outline or drop shadow

Important notes:

  • These specific guidelines apply to close, scene and map
  • Do not overcrowd a scene
  • Never cut or crop main assets or actors off-screen

HERE’s 2D style is used to show benefits for users. It can be reproduced by tracing pictures with clear silhouettes. All shapes are constructed with straight lines.

  • Skin tone is the only exception to the color palette
  • Proportions should be realistic but simplified
  • Clothing should be modern and urban
  • HERE addresses a global community of all races, gender and ages

Please illustrate for a diverse and open audience.

Important notes:

  • No silhouettes
  • Do not show faces
  • Glasses, facial hair or fashion accessories need to be positioned correctly and in proportion
  • Do not use any presets or stock material
  • Feelings can be transported via the pose

Most HERE images and clips tell stories of human-technology interaction. While concrete cases and real interfaces are only shown in HERE’s 3D-style, the 2D style shows possibilities, examples and user journeys.

  • Devices are always shades of grey
  • No branding of devices, timeless design (no iPhone series xy)
  • Simplified design
  • Do not show features that distract from the story
  • Focus on the user and the benefit that is being communicated

UI is simplified in 2D. Depending on the image portion of the screen, the level of detail must be adjusted and reduced to the main elements.

  • Use white and light gray as the dominant color
  • HERE technology is always blue-aqua
  • Simplified and not sticking to real UI
  • Adjusted level of detail

Important notes:

  • If the UI offers a high level of detail or is close to real applications, the audience will challenge the UI and be distracted from the story
  • If it is absolutely necessary, use 3D style

World / Background

Everything that is not a character or main asset is meant with the following.

  • Use gray and a background gradient
  • Geometrical and easy shapes
  • Give hints rather than details
  • Use single-point perspective if possible (see guidelines for “scene”)

Important notes:

  • Use color and layering for depth
  • Clearly separate assets (parts of the story like a car, a store, a construction site) and the background (city, village, forest, tunnel, indoors)

Location technology exists to help people find mostly moving objects or to move to places. HERE is represented by an aqua-colored path with a location pin at the end.

  • Use a gradient aqua + #A4C3FF, 100% Opacity
  • Every image should feature a path
  • Thickness: Handwidth in reference to humans, 2/3 of a car on streets
  • Set dynamic angles and go off-screen

Important notes:

  • Never let a path end without a location in a story (might be in only one illustration of a set or at the end of a clip)
  • The path may not always show a route, data-to-cloud or several path-options are possible

Icons and overlays are an additive part of HERE’s interaction with Characters. Intense use of icons and overlays may be a sign that 3D would be the fitting style.

  • Icons and overlays have to be designed according to guidelines
  • Should be flat on the image if possible

Important notes:

  • Type on overlays needs to be readable
  • Do not oversize icons and overlays
  • Avoid tilting
  • Laying parallel to the ground should only be used in top-shots

HERE animations follow the basic rules of all good animation: Never hold still, guide the eye, let it breathe.

References and best practices can be viewed here.

For special cases, some rules may be bent – for a greater outcome only.

Always:

  • Brand beats all rules (everything needs to look HEREish first!)
  • Continous parallax cam
  • Path connection (through cuts AND type!)
  • 70% easing
  • Characters rotoscoped (4 - 12 fps)

Sometimes:

  • Build-ups
  • Hard cuts / transitions

Never:

  • Still image without camera motion - >15 sec per image/frame (even with type!)
  • Goofy animation, funny elements
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