Introduction
Brand ambition
Since our launch in 2012, GOV.UK has become one of the most recognisable and trusted online destinations in the UK.
As we increase the number of places that people meet GOV.UK, such as in people’s social feeds, and launch more personalised services like the GOV.UK app, we need our brand identity to do more.
It needs to be able to compete for attention in busy environments like social media, be equipped to come to life when used in formats including video, while remaining approachable and welcoming for all the people we serve.
The updated GOV.UK identity has been designed with this in mind.
It builds on our recognisable and trusted foundations while introducing new elements so we can thrive in the broader range of channels that people expect us in today and tomorrow.
A brand that can inform and inspire
The evolved brand is designed to adapt its tone, visuals and motion for different channels, formats and audiences. We call this the ‘inform to inspire’ scale.
On all channels, our focus is to help people find what they need from government and complete tasks using our services. The ‘inform to inspire’ scale shows how web aligns more towards an informative approach, with app flexing from inform on to inspire and social spanning across the entire scale from inform to inspire.
The brand can also shift depending on what we’re saying. For sensitive topics, we use a more muted and reserved style. For positive content, we can look brighter and bolder.
This flexibility comes from how we use key brand elements – the wider colour palette, the dot and our motion language.
These guidelines show how to apply the brand in different contexts to meet the needs of people using GOV.UK every day.