Brand Guidelines
A practical standard for clear, consistent and compassionate communication.
How to use these guidelines
These guidelines help employees, contractors, and creative partners present Guardian Primary Care consistently across clinical, operational, and marketing materials. Use them whenever creating communications, signage, digital content, printed materials, or branded merchandise.
When a situation is not addressed here, protect the qualities that define the brand: warmth, trust, professionalism, clarity, and patient-centered care.
Section 1
Brand overview
- Mission
- Provide comprehensive healthcare that allows patients to become the best versions of themselves.
- Vision
- Become the premier healthcare provider in Southeast Missouri and elevate healthcare standards across the region.
- Team philosophy
- Every employee is a valued team member. Collaboration and evidence-based practice support optimal patient outcomes.
- Employee resources
- The Guardian Primary Care Employee Almanac contains day-to-day operations and staff expectations.
Core values
- Integrity
- Passion
- Inclusivity
- Equality
- Faith
- Compassion
- Respect
- Balance
- Honesty
- Humility
- Personal development
Brand personality
- Warm
- Professional
- Trustworthy
- Innovative
- Patient-centered
Section 2
Logo use
- Primary logo
- Use the full-colour official logo whenever space and background allow. It is the preferred expression of Guardian Primary Care and reflects holistic, trustworthy care.
- Alternate versions
- Use approved black-and-white, reversed, stacked, or icon-only versions when the primary logo is not suitable.
- Clear space and sizing
- Maintain adequate open space around the logo and use a size that keeps every element legible.
- Logo files
- Access the approved logo library
Preferred. Maximum contrast and the cleanest expression of the mark.
Correct use
- Use only approved logo files.
- Preserve the original proportions and orientation.
- Choose a background with sufficient contrast.
Incorrect use
- Do not stretch, compress, rotate, or distort the logo.
- Do not recolour the logo outside the approved palette.
- Do not place the logo over busy or cluttered backgrounds.
Section 3
Colour palette
Use Guardian Blue as the primary visual accent. Use white generously to keep materials open and approachable, and use Guardian Dark Blue for readable text and strong contrast. Select a swatch to copy its hex value.
Website headers, signage, brochures, and prominent brand accents.
- On white
- 3.24:1
- On Guardian Dark Blue
- 4.25:1
Clean backgrounds, negative space, and text on dark brand colours.
- On Guardian Dark Blue
- 13.78:1
Body text, buttons, highlights, and high-contrast backgrounds.
- On white
- 13.78:1
Reading the contrast figures. Guardian Blue on white measures 3.24:1. That clears the WCAG AA threshold of 3.0 for large headings, buttons and icons, but not the 4.5 that body copy needs — which is why the palette assigns body text to Guardian Dark Blue, at 13.78:1.
Section 4
Typography
- Primary typeface
- Marcellus, for headings and major titles.
- Secondary typeface
- Lato or Roboto, for body copy and supporting text.
- Web-safe alternatives
- Arial, Helvetica, or another clean sans-serif typeface.
Hierarchy
H1 · Marcellus Bold, large, Guardian Blue where appropriate
Compassionate care
H2 · Marcellus Regular, Guardian Blue where appropriate
For every stage of life
Body · Lato or Roboto in Guardian Dark Blue or dark grey
Guardian Primary Care provides routine, sick and preventative care for every stage of life, with the time to listen and the evidence to back what we recommend.
Captions and notes · Lato or Roboto Italic in a secondary brand colour
Photographed at our Cape Girardeau clinic, March 2026.
Section 5
Imagery and photography
Tone. Bright, approachable, and authentic, with natural lighting and real-world care environments.
Do
- Show diverse patients, families, and team members.
- Communicate warmth, movement, community engagement, and active lifestyles.
- Represent holistic care environments with dignity and realism.
Do not
- Use staged, gloomy, intimidating, or fear-based medical imagery.
- Rely on generic stock images that feel impersonal or inauthentic.
Section 6
Voice and messaging
- Tone of voice
- Clear, compassionate, encouraging, and professional.
Writing style
In practice
- Use plain language for patient-facing communications.
- Make community education evidence-based, practical, and approachable.
- Use direct peer-to-peer clarity in professional communications.
Guardian Primary Care — Compassionate care for every stage of life.
Section 7
Applications and examples
Stationery
Letterheads, business cards, and envelopes.
Digital
Website, email signatures, and social media templates.
Brochures, flyers, posters, and exterior or interior signage.
Merchandise
Scrubs, staff polos, and patient giveaways.
Marketing focus. Prioritise educational campaigns about preventive care, chronic disease management, and holistic wellness.
Section 8
Compliance and legal
- HIPAA marketing rules
- Do not use protected health information in advertising or promotional content without valid written authorisation.
- Trademark and ownership
- Guardian Primary Care owns its logo and brand assets. Use them only for authorised company purposes.
- Brand contact
- Contact Preston Holifield, GPC Founder, for brand questions or approvals.
- Marketing and advertising principles
- Keep messaging consistent, educational, patient-centered, and aligned with the mission and core values.
Section 9
Organisational philosophy integration
- Evidence-based practice
- Guide clinical decisions with the latest research, clinical expertise, and patient preferences.
- Patient-centered care
- Treat each patient as a unique individual and address physical, emotional, and social health.
- Team member expectations
- Demonstrate professional conduct, ethical responsibility, role clarity, collaboration, and commitment to continuous learning.
Keep a copy
Everything on this page is drawn from the source document. Download it to share with a contractor or creative partner.