American Barbell

American Barbell Branding Guidelines

1. Brand Essence

Tagline:
Strength in Every Detail. Built to Dominate.

Brand Pillars:

• Performance: Engineered for elite athletes, built for everyday warriors.
• Precision: Every weld, knurl, and detail is obsessively crafted.
• Durability: Equipment that outlasts trends and withstands abuse.
• Innovation: First to Cerakote. First to recessed welds. Never last in quality.

2. Brand Voice & Tone

Voice:
Confident. Direct. Expert. No fluff, no filler.

Tone:

• Edgy but professional: We push boundaries, but we don’t try too hard.
• Educated but accessible: We speak from experience, not arrogance.
• Real over hyped: We show more than we say—and back it up.

Examples of Tone:
✔ “Built for the barbell-obsessed.”
✔ “Forged. Refined. Repeated.”
✔ “Because strength is earned. And protected.”

✘ “This barbell will change your life!”
✘ “For all your fitness needs.” (Too generic)

3. Logo Usage

Primary Logo:

• Eagle shield with “American Barbell” wordmark
• Never stretch, distort, or recolor
• Clear space: Maintain a minimum margin equal to the height of the 'A'

Alternates:

• Shield only (preferred for social icons or apparel patches)
• Wordmark only (horizontal or stacked)

Acceptable Backgrounds:

• Light backgrounds: use primary logo
• Dark backgrounds: use white or reverse logo

DO NOT:

• Alter colors or rotate the logo
• Add drop shadows or glow
• Use over busy photography without a solid background layer

4. Color Palette

5. Typography

Primary Font:

• Headlines: Montserrat Bold or Oswald
• Body: Open Sans, Roboto, or Lato

Guidelines:

• Use ALL CAPS for headlines sparingly (mostly in ads and hero graphics)
• Maintain high contrast for readability
• Limit to 2 typefaces per design

6. Imagery

What to Show:
✔ Gritty, real environments
✔ Close-up product details (knurling, welds, textures)
✔ Functional training, not staged fitness models
✔ Real athletes and coaches in action
✔ Equipment under load

What to Avoid:
✘ Stock fitness images
✘ Empty gyms with no action
✘ Bright, over-edited filters
✘ People using equipment incorrectly

7. Product Representation

• Always refer to bars by proper names (e.g., Chewy Bar, California Bar).
• Do not Photoshop or alter product appearance.
• When showing product in use, demonstrate correct form and setup.

8. Social Media Guidelines

Voice:
Same as brand voice—edgy, confident, no fluff.

Hashtags to Use:
#AmericanBarbell
#BuiltToDominate
#StrengthInEveryDetail
#ForgedForAthletes

Hashtags to Avoid:
#GymLife
#Fitspo
#GetFit

Influencer Content:

• Must tag @americanbarbell
• No competitor tags in same post
• Avoid filters that misrepresent product color or material
• Use approved product names and descriptions

9. Partnerships & Co-Branding

• All co-branded materials must be approved by the American Barbell marketing team.
• Do not place third-party logos within or near our shield.
• Co-branded apparel must follow logo and color usage rules.
• Influencer giveaways, paid ads, or promos must use trackable codes and proper disclaimers.

10. Contact

For approvals, files, and brand assets:
ctoth@americanbarbell.com
Logos, templates, and product images available upon request