Official Brand Guidelines
Boltzmenn
Brand Guide
Everything freelancers, designers, video creators, and new staff need to represent the Boltzmenn brand correctly and consistently.
Version 1.0 · April 2026 · Confidential
Internal Use Document
Introduction
Why this guide exists
Boltzmenn is a serious, Africa-focused business growth institution. How we look, sound, and show up publicly is part of our credibility. This guide gives everyone who works with us — full-time, part-time, or freelance — a clear, non-negotiable reference for representing the brand correctly.
The single most important rule: Boltzmenn should always feel like calm authority. Not loud. Not flashy. Not generic. Every design decision — font choice, color usage, spacing, tone — should point toward a brand that is intelligent, structured, and trustworthy.
Before you design anything, ask yourself:
Does this feel calm and structured, or chaotic and loud?
Is this clean and purposeful, or cluttered and decorative?
Does this communicate trust and intelligence, or just look nice?
Would a serious business owner trust a company that looks like this?
01
Color System
Our complete color palette — primary, supporting, and video-specific — with rules for every use case.
Primary Colors
The Gradient
The green-to-teal gradient is the single most recognizable visual element of the Boltzmenn brand. It represents growth, clarity, and forward movement. Everything else in the palette exists to support it.
Primary Gradient
#0b8c88 → #1eb085
135° angle standard
180° for vertical layouts
Teal Dark
#0b8c88
Gradient start, borders, accents, headings on light bg
Teal Light
#1eb085
Gradient end, highlights, CTA buttons, icon fills
Teal Mid
#12a08a
Hover states, mid-gradient fallback, interactive elements
Teal Deep
#076e6b
Pressed/active states, dark backgrounds with gradient text
Teal Deeper
#054f4d
Dark video backgrounds, overlays, deep contrast sections
Teal Pale
#e6f7f5
Section backgrounds, callout boxes, subtle highlights
Teal Muted
#b2deda
Decorative lines, dividers, inactive elements
Supporting Colors
Neutrals
The neutral palette creates the breathing room the brand needs. These are not filler colors — they are structural. Used correctly, they make the gradient stand out even more.
White
#FFFFFF
Primary background, text on dark backgrounds, cards
Ash
#F5F5F5
Section alternates, rules blocks, input backgrounds
Ash Dark
#EBEBEB
Borders, dividers, table rows, subtle separators
Grey Light
#D4D4D4
Placeholder text, inactive states, caption backgrounds
Grey Mid
#6B6B6B
Body text, secondary headings, labels, metadata
Grey Dark
#3A3A3A
Primary body copy, list items, supporting text
Near Black
#1A1A1A
Main headings, dark section backgrounds, video overlays
Important: Pure black (#000000) is not a Boltzmenn brand color. Always use Near Black (#1A1A1A) instead. Pure black feels harsh and conflicts with our calm, structured aesthetic.
Color Rules
How to use color correctly
✓ Do
- Use the gradient as the primary brand anchor — it should appear on every piece of content in some form
- Use white and ash to create breathing room around the gradient
- Use grey (#6B6B6B) for body text on white or ash backgrounds
- Use Near Black (#1A1A1A) for headings and dark backgrounds
- Use Teal Pale (#e6f7f5) for subtle branded highlight areas
- Keep text white on dark or gradient backgrounds
- Use the gradient on CTAs, borders, underlines, and key UI elements
✗ Don't
- Do not use pure black (#000000) anywhere in brand materials
- Do not use the gradient as a full-page background on every element — it loses impact
- Do not combine the gradient with other bright or saturated colors
- Do not use yellow, red, orange, or neon colors as accents
- Do not put grey text on the gradient — use white only
- Do not use multiple gradients or competing color themes
- Do not use gold, heavy black, or silver — these feel like luxury clichés
Text on Color
Readable combinations only
| Background | Approved Text Color | Never Use |
|---|
| White (#FFFFFF) | Near Black, Grey Dark, Grey Mid, Teal Dark | White text, Yellow, any light color |
| Ash (#F5F5F5) | Near Black, Grey Dark, Grey Mid, Teal Dark | White text, light grey text |
| Gradient | White only (#FFFFFF) | Grey, Near Black, any dark or colored text |
| Near Black (#1A1A1A) | White, Ash, Teal Light, Teal Muted | Dark grey, Near Black text |
| Teal Deep (#076e6b) | White only | Grey, Near Black |
| Teal Pale (#e6f7f5) | Teal Deep, Teal Dark, Near Black, Grey Dark | White text, light grey |
02
Typography
Our font system — chosen for clarity, intelligence, and brand distinction. Applies to all print, digital, and video content.
Brand Fonts
Our approved typefaces
Boltzmenn uses a small, deliberate font family. These choices were made to feel modern and distinctive without being trendy or generic. Do not introduce fonts outside this approved list.
Primary Font
Headings · Titles · Display · Key Statements
Satoshi
Geometric Sans-Serif · Available via Fontshare (free) · Use for all major headings
Light 300
Regular 400
Medium 500
Bold 700
Black 900
SAMPLE — HEADING USE:
Your business isn't broken.
It's just missing structure.
Satoshi Bold · 32px · Letter-spacing: -0.5px
Secondary Font
Body Copy · Captions · Labels · Supporting Text
DM Sans
Humanist Sans-Serif · Available via Google Fonts (free) · Use for body copy, captions, labels
Light 300
Regular 400
Medium 500
Bold 700
SAMPLE — BODY USE:
Many African businesses have talent, hustle, and real market opportunity. What they often lack is structure, strategic clarity, and systems that work without the founder being in the room.
DM Sans Regular · 15px · Line-height: 1.75
Video Fallback
Use in CapCut / video tools only when Satoshi is unavailable
Poppins
Geometric Sans-Serif · Available in CapCut and most video tools · Fallback for Satoshi in video only
Use Poppins SemiBold or Bold for headings and Poppins Regular for body/captions when Satoshi cannot be installed in your video tool. Do not use thin weights — the brand needs presence.
Display / Selective Use
Headlines and title cards only — confirm licensing before commercial use
Gotham
Geometric Sans-Serif · Licensed font · Strong for bold title statements
Gotham is excellent for bold, authoritative headline cards and title slides. If you have a licensed copy, use Bold or Medium weights. Do not use Gotham for body or caption text. Always verify licensing before use in commercial content.
Typography Rules
How to use type correctly
✓ Do
- Use Satoshi Bold or SemiBold for all major headings — headings need visual weight
- Use DM Sans Regular or Medium for body text and captions
- Apply slight negative letter-spacing on large headings (−0.5px to −1px)
- Add slight open tracking on small uppercase labels (+2px to +3px)
- Maintain generous line-height on body text (1.65–1.75)
- Keep a clear hierarchy between heading, subheading, and body
- Use DM Sans 300 (Light) sparingly for large display quotes or pull text
✗ Don't
- Do not use thin or ultralight weights for headings — they look weak
- Do not mix more than two fonts in one layout
- Do not use decorative, script, or handwritten fonts — ever
- Do not use ALL CAPS for body text or long sentences
- Do not use Montserrat, Roboto, Arial, or generic system fonts
- Do not use outlined/stroke text — it looks cheap
- Do not use text shadows unless absolutely necessary for readability on video
Type Scale
Sizing reference
| Level | Font | Size | Weight | Use |
|---|
| Display | Satoshi | 56–80px | 700–900 | Hero headlines, cover titles |
| H1 | Satoshi | 40–52px | 700 | Page or section main title |
| H2 | Satoshi | 28–36px | 600–700 | Section headings |
| H3 | Satoshi | 20–24px | 600 | Subsection headings, card titles |
| Label | DM Sans | 10–12px | 600–700 | Uppercase labels, eyebrows, tags |
| Body | DM Sans | 14–16px | 400 | All body copy and descriptions |
| Caption | DM Sans | 11–13px | 400–500 | Metadata, footnotes, image captions |
03
Video Content
Typography, color, layout, and overlay rules specifically for video creators using CapCut and similar tools.
For Video Creators
Video typography guide
Video is one of the highest-visibility touchpoints for the brand. Inconsistent fonts, wrong colors, or sloppy text overlays damage credibility instantly. Follow these rules on every video.
Font Priority for CapCut: First choice is Satoshi (install manually if needed from Fontshare). If not available, use Poppins. If neither is available, use Nunito Sans as a last resort. Never use CapCut default decorative fonts.
EXAMPLE — Landscape / YouTube / LinkedIn
Business Growth · Boltzmenn
Your business isn't broken.
It's missing structure.
Most African SMEs have the hustle. What they need is the system. This is where Boltzmenn comes in.
EXAMPLE — Reels / Shorts / TikTok
Three signs your business needs rescue, not funding.
Boltzmenn · Business Growth Africa
Reel / Short Format Rules
Headline text: Satoshi Bold or Poppins SemiBold, 24–36px equivalent
Keep headline to 10 words or fewer for vertical formats
Always include a thin gradient bar (top or bottom) as a brand anchor
Bottom credit line: DM Sans Regular, 11–12px, 60% white opacity
Avoid placing text over busy footage — use a dark overlay first
Video Typography Specs
Text layers in video
Text Layer Specifications — All Video Formats
Main Title / Hook
The opening statement that grabs attention
Satoshi Bold / Poppins SemiBold
36–52px · White #FFFFFF · Letter-spacing: −0.5px
Section Heading
Mid-video chapter or segment title
Satoshi SemiBold / Poppins Medium
24–32px · White or Teal Light #1eb085
Subtitle / Auto-captions
Spoken word captions
DM Sans Medium / Poppins Regular
16–20px · White · Semi-transparent dark bg recommended
Lower-Third Name
Speaker or guest name on screen
Satoshi Bold (name) + DM Sans Regular (title)
Name: 18–22px · Title: 12–14px · Both white · Gradient accent bar
Eyebrow / Label
Small category label above heading
DM Sans SemiBold — ALL CAPS
10–12px · Teal Light #1eb085 · Letter-spacing: +3px
Brand Credit / Watermark
Bottom corner brand tag
DM Sans Regular or Medium
11–13px · White at 50–65% opacity · Bottom right corner
CTA Text
Call to action at end of video
Satoshi Bold
20–28px · White on gradient bg · Never plain text on plain bg
Key Stat / Pull Quote
Highlighted numbers or key lines
Satoshi Black (900) for number · DM Sans for context
Number: 48–64px · Teal Light · Context: 14–16px White
Video Color Guide
Color in video
Video backgrounds, overlays, and text colors follow specific rules. These keep the brand consistent whether you're doing a talking-head video, motion graphic, or Reel.
GRADIENT
Primary Gradient
#0b8c88 → #1eb085
Intro/outro backgrounds, CTA slides, brand accent bars, text on dark bg
TEAL DEEP
Teal Deeper
#054f4d
Dark video backgrounds that still feel on-brand; Reels bg, lower-thirds bg
NEAR BLACK
Near Black
#1A1A1A
Neutral dark backgrounds; talking head overlays; caption backgrounds
OVERLAY
Dark Overlay
#1A1A1A at 70–80% opacity
Placed beneath text on busy footage to guarantee readability
WHITE
White
#FFFFFF
Primary text color on all dark and gradient backgrounds in video
TEAL LIGHT
Teal Light
#1eb085
Eyebrow labels, key stat highlights, gradient bars, icon fills in video
✓ Video Color Do
- Open and close every video with the gradient in some form — title card, bar, or full background
- Use the gradient accent bar (3–5px) at the top or bottom of slides and text overlays
- Use Teal Light (#1eb085) to highlight numbers, labels, and key moments
- Place a dark overlay behind any text on footage — never put text directly on raw video
- Keep backgrounds either gradient, deep teal, or near-black for brand consistency
- Use white as the primary text color in all video content
✗ Video Color Don't
- Do not use CapCut's default color presets — they are rarely on-brand
- Do not use yellow, orange, red, or pink text or highlights
- Do not put white text directly on raw, bright, or light-colored footage
- Do not use pure black backgrounds — use Near Black (#1A1A1A)
- Do not use gradient text effects on small or body-sized type — only on large display text
- Do not add colored drop shadows, glows, or neon effects
Video Layout Rules
Layout and composition in video
Safe Zones & Text Placement
Keep all text within the inner 80% of the frame — never crowd the edges, especially on mobile-viewed content where UI elements may overlap
For vertical (9:16) formats, keep main text in the lower 60% of the frame — the top is often covered by platform UI
Brand watermark/credit goes in the bottom-right corner, always
Captions should sit centered, mid-to-lower frame, with a semi-transparent dark pill or bar behind them
Lower-thirds for speaker names should appear in the bottom-left, with a gradient bar as the left border
Intro & Outro Standards
Every video intro should establish brand identity within the first 3 seconds — use logo, gradient bar, or branded title card
Outro slide should always include the logo, a CTA, and the gradient as the background or accent
Transition effects should be clean — cuts, simple fades, or subtle slides. No spinning, glitch, or flashy presets
Avoid CapCut's trending sticker packs and animated emoji overlays — they are not on-brand
On-Screen Text Readability
Minimum body/caption font size: 16px equivalent in CapCut — anything smaller is unreadable on mobile
Never use a font weight below Regular (400) in video — thin text disappears on most screens
Maximum of 2 text layers visible at once on screen — headline plus caption, or eyebrow plus headline
If auto-captions are used, change the default CapCut style to match brand colors — white text, dark background, DM Sans or Poppins if possible
Platform Formats
Size and format reference
| Format | Ratio | Resolution | Primary Use |
|---|
| Landscape | 16:9 | 1920×1080 | YouTube, LinkedIn video, website embeds |
| Portrait / Reels | 9:16 | 1080×1920 | Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Facebook Reels |
| Square | 1:1 | 1080×1080 | Instagram feed posts, Facebook feed |
| Portrait Story | 4:5 | 1080×1350 | Instagram feed portrait, LinkedIn portrait |
04
Brand Voice & Tone
How Boltzmenn speaks — in copy, captions, scripts, and all written communication.
Voice
How we sound
The Boltzmenn voice is the verbal equivalent of the visual brand: calm, sharp, structured, and grounded. It should feel like talking to a very smart, experienced business partner — not a motivational speaker, not a corporate robot.
✓ Boltzmenn sounds like
- Practical and commercially aware
- Calm and observant — we notice what others miss
- Intelligent without being academic or jargon-heavy
- Grounded in African business reality
- Honest about problems — we don't sugarcoat
- Confident but never arrogant
- Supportive but direct — we tell you what you need to hear
✗ Boltzmenn does not sound like
- "Let's go! Crush it! Hustle harder!"
- "We leverage synergistic growth paradigms..."
- "Your dreams are valid. Believe and achieve!"
- "We're disrupting the African business ecosystem!"
- Social media agency slang and trend-chasing language
- Vague promises with no commercial substance
- Overly formal or stiff corporate language
The test for every caption, script, and headline: Read it aloud. Does it sound like a sharp, trustworthy business advisor? Or does it sound like a generic Instagram post or a corporate brochure? If it's the latter, rewrite it.
Writing Rules
Copy guidelines
For Video Scripts & Captions
Open with a specific, real problem — not a generic motivational hook. "Most African businesses don't fail from lack of effort" beats "Are you struggling in business?"
Use short sentences in scripts. One idea per sentence. It lands harder on video.
Avoid hashtag spam in captions — 3 to 5 relevant hashtags maximum
End videos with a specific, single CTA — not three different asks at once
Name the audience clearly in the opening — "If you run a small business in Nigeria..." immediately filters in the right viewer
05
Quick Reference
Everything on one page. Print this or screenshot it for fast access.
Brand at a glance
| Element | Approved Choice | Never Use |
|---|
| Primary Gradient | #0b8c88 → #1eb085 (135°) | Other gradients, competing colors alongside it |
| Background | White, Ash, Near Black, Teal Deep | Pure black, busy patterns, random colors |
| Text on light bg | Near Black, Grey Dark, Teal Dark | Yellow, red, bright colors |
| Text on dark/gradient bg | White only | Grey, colored text |
| Heading Font | Satoshi Bold / Gotham Bold | Montserrat, Roboto, Arial, script fonts |
| Body / Caption Font | DM Sans Regular–Medium | Decorative fonts, serif fonts in digital |
| Video Fallback Font | Poppins SemiBold / Regular | CapCut default decorative fonts |
| Video Accent Color | Teal Light #1eb085 | Yellow, orange, pink, neon |
| Brand Tone | Calm, practical, intelligent, direct | Hyped, vague, corporate, motivational-speaker |
| Visual Style | Clean, structured, whitespace-heavy | Cluttered, flashy, luxury clichés, neon |
One sentence to remember: Every Boltzmenn output — visual, video, or written — should feel like it came from a company that understands business deeply, takes it seriously, and doesn't need to shout to get attention.
Questions about brand usage? Raise them before publishing — not after. When in doubt, keep it clean, keep it structured, and keep the gradient visible.