brand.
brand is how the work the world doesn’t see becomes something the world feels.
brand is not
marketing.
Marketing is one way brand gets applied. Brand itself is bigger than that — it’s the tangible expression of our culture.
This document is the strategic truth: what Zeal stands for and how we express it. The Zeal Brandbook sits alongside as the applied specification — logo rules, exact colour values, typography use, applied examples. Two documents, one identity. The one you’re reading lives at the level of intent.
Brand sits in the Core OS because it doesn’t change often, it applies to everyone, and it’s how the world experiences Pillar 3 — Story.
who we are.
Internal. Lives in OS-02. The roots — invisible to clients, but everything grows from it.
what we produce.
Protected by SPED, the project frameworks, and department playbooks. The bar for the work itself.
how it’s felt.
Brand is how Story becomes tangible. Not a layer applied at the end — the consequence of the other two, made visible.
the personality
layer on top.
Six words that describe how Zeal shows up in the world — in writing, in meetings, on site, in proposals, in how we treat each other and our clients. They sit on top of the CES pillars and shape how the brand feels.
These aren’t wall decorations. They shape how we hire, how we collaborate, how we write, how we design, and how we hold each other accountable to the standard.
imaginative.
We think creatively, see possibility, and bring ideas others wouldn’t.If a script could write it, it isn’t ours.
meticulous.
We care about the small stuff. Precision is creative, not pedantic.
strategic.
We think beyond the immediate. Craft serves intent.
passionate.
We care deeply about what we make.Hype isn’t the same as passion.
collaborative.
We make things with people, not for them. Trust is earned in both directions.
human.
We speak, write, and show up like people. Not a corporation.
under one roof.
Zeal designs and delivers lighting and visual productions under one roof.
We’re on a mission to become the most trusted lighting and visual production partner — making more imaginative experiences, delivered with precision and care.
In-house lighting designers, visual artists, programmers, technical specialists, a projects team, and a meticulously run operations department — all supported by our own equipment. Integration is our competitive difference. Not the word — the reality behind it. Fewer handovers. Less friction. More creative intent protected all the way to showtime.
Make light, visible.Lighting design, production design, visual art, show programming, renders, technical plans, equipment rental, and installations.
Anywhere with an audience.Music & touring, festivals, venues, attractions, corporate, fashion, theatre, experiential, sports presentation.
Integration. The reality, not the word.Fewer handovers. Less friction. Creative intent protected all the way to showtime.
quiet confidence.
let the work do
the shouting.
Human, curious, confident (not arrogant), passionate (not hype-driven), considered (not reactive), and quietly optimistic. Consistent across every touchpoint — social post, client email, the intro to a pitch deck.
how we write.
- Write like a human talking to another human. Warm, clear, direct.
- Short sentences are fine. Fragments too. Punchy where the idea deserves it; full sentences where clarity does.
- Use “we” and “our” naturally. Zeal is a team, not a corporation.
- Default to lowercase for headings where it suits the context. Sentence case otherwise.
- Show the process, not just the outcome.The wrong turns are part of the route.
- Bold, punchy lines for key messages. Let them breathe. UK English: colour, organisation, programme.
what we avoid.
- Buzzwords for their own sake. “solutions,” “leverage,” “synergy,” “seamless,” “best-in-class,” “cutting-edge.”
- Hype. “game-changing,” “revolutionary.” Over-selling. Preachiness.
- Trend-chasing. Arrogance or self-importance.
- Filler words and hedge phrases. Say the thing.
- Title Case On Every Word. ALL CAPS, except for very small labels.
- Anything that could be said about any other production company.If it could, it isn’t ours yet.
the principles
everyone should know.
The full visual specification — logo rules, exact colour values, typography use, photography direction, applied examples — lives in the Brandbook. The principles below are the foundations everyone at Zeal should carry by heart.
not a decoration. a kaleidoscope.
Our brandmark is called the Spark — a visual metaphor for what we do: taking light, energy, and imagination and shaping them into something you can’t look away from. The shape matters because what it stands for matters. Usage rules sit in the Brandbook.
orange is ours.
A colour we can own in our category, and we treat it that way — with discipline, not decoration. Zeal Orange is primary and everywhere. Zeal Purple is our territory colour, used deliberately. Warm Grey and White are the supporting cast. Red, yellow and green are accents — one at a time, never combined.
one family. aktiv grotesk.
Across everything. Three widths — Extended is the default for headers, Standard for body, Condensed for where space is tight. We pair weights expressively. Lowercase headlines are a Zeal convention.
how we introduce
ourselves.
let’s make imaginative experiences.
Hero moments, opening lines, decks, signage. The most important line we have.
made with zeal.
Sign-offs, footers, packaging, kit cases. The signature.
the lighting and visual
production wizards.
Social bios, intros, where the voice can be louder.
the home of imaginative lighting and visual production.
Sales decks, capability statements, “what we do” pages.
Imaginative lighting and visual productions, delivered under one roof. We’re on a mission to become the most trusted lighting and visual production partner — making more imaginative experiences, delivered with precision and care. We collaborate closely with you to deliver extraordinary shows, strengthen audience connection, and build lasting creative and production partnerships.
cover the logo.
can you still tell?
if yes, we’re close.
if no, we’ve been generic somewhere.
in the words, the layout, the tone, the image, the idea — fix that, not the logo.
A useful check for anything going out into the world with our name on it. Everyone at Zeal is a brand ambassador — on site, in meetings, on calls, in writing. Brand isn’t owned by one department. It’s reinforced by how the whole organisation behaves.
where to go next.
zeal brandbook.
The applied visual specification. Logo usage, exact colour values, typography pairings, photography direction, iconography, motion, digital and accessibility standards, applied examples. The “how to draw it”; this page is the “why”.
marketing playbook.
How the brand is applied in marketing activity. Content strategy, social media, campaigns, PR, publishing workflows, when each brand line gets used and where.