Brought to you by

teamdetroit.com

a brand story.

A LITTLE BOOK ABOUT

A BIGGER-THAN-LIFE
RADIO STATION.
In more than 60 years of
broadcasting, WDET has
been a lot of things to a
lot of people. But even a
station deeply committed
to diversity needs to have
a focus. And even a station
thats famous for breaking
the rules needs a rule book.

People who work for and with WDET need to know

what the station stands for. What it was. What it is.
What it isnt. And what it wants to be when it grows
even more.
This book contains the guiding principles that
WDET works by, lives by and plays by. We want
the words to help us speak with one voice, yet help
our community broadcast many voices. We want
the words to help Detroit get attention for all the
right reasons.
We want the words to inspire all of us, which
shouldnt be too difficult. The truth is, none of us
would even be here if we didnt share the values
of our amazing radio station.
Please note: Some assets found within the WDET Brand Book
are for position/reference only.

A supershort but
deeply meaningful
set of bullet points

WDET 101.9 FM started in 1949.

For the first four years, the UAW owned us,
airing public-service programming to its union
membership. One can imagine on-air content
like Barbecuing Tips for Shop Stewards and
Television: Will It Ever Catch On?
WDET was given to Wayne State University
in 1952, with a mission to continue its publicservice tradition.
WDET broadcasts a 48,000-watt signal
covering a 40-60 mile radius of metropolitan
Detroit and reaching into northern Ohio and
southern Ontario, Canada.
WDET is one of the few public radio
stations with a commercial radio frequency.

WDET is the third most powerful FM radio

signal in southeast Michigan, available to
nearly four million people in 17 counties.
Operating funds are provided through
federally appropriated monies by the
Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Wayne
State University, and through private donor
and corporate contributions.
More than half of WDETs operating cash
is contributed directly by listeners.
WDET once had a massive neon sign
on top of the Maccabees Building, now
the Schools Center Building.

WHOM WE SPEAK TO
People who are multiethnic.
People who are 25 and older
(with an emphasis on the 35-54 demographic).

People who are socially, culturally,

politically and environmentally aware.
And thrillingly active.
People who get involved. Doers. People who dont just spout off,
but jump in. Leaders. People who want to make a positive impact
in their communities. People who are optimistic, outgoing and not mired
in the past. People who are curious. Provocative. Engaging. People who
educate, inform and entertain. People who are tolerant, open-minded
and encouraging. People who have blueprints, real or imagined, of new
concepts, never-before notions and get-Detroit-on-the-map visions.
Lots and lots of people love morning teams and shock jocks.
Thats not our frequency, Kenneth.

A 48,000-WATT
SENSE OF PURPOSE.

OUR CLEAR-AS-CAN-BE PROGRAMMING

Its a carefully planned, thoroughly researched
WDET has a simple broadcast
agenda: News on the weekdays. architecture that complements the lifestyle of
our current audience. Its also a platform that
Music on the weekends.
encourages listeners to talk back to us. Engage
in conversation with us. And create an open
community forum that allows many voices
to be heard.
Thats the setup that will allow us to continue
to expand our listenership. Growth is absolutely
essential. It means our values wont just have
an impact in Detroit, but across the nation and,
if were really firing on all eight, the world.

OUR CLEAR-AS-CAN-BE PROMISE

WDETs promise is to help advance Detroit. A challenge if there ever was
a challenge. But one with a potential reward bigger than most cities will ever know.
So lets keep our eyes on the prize. Well keep our promise if we stay true to the
things weve always been good at.

THE WDET PROMISE:

A MANIFESTO
Detroit is a car. But WDET is not the radio in the car.
Its the engine. No other entity can come close to
keeping the city going like WDET.
WDET is not interested in moving Detroit forward at
a pace that allows it to simply stay alive. Theres no life
in just staying alive.
WDET believes moving Detroit forward is about
enhancing life in Detroit. To enhance life, you have to
move forward with purpose, attitude and a little growl
from under the hood.

Which is why were committed to doing things no one else

is willing or able or gutsy enough to do:
A local news show that doesnt just spew headlines, but actually
invites discussion from community leaders and station listeners.
A national news show so progressive, its created via a special
partnership between three global news sources.
Local music shows that feature the best tunes youve never heard.
Many of them played, recorded and produced right here in Detroit.
WDET makes Detroiters feel inspired. Intrigued. Curious.
It makes Detroiters think. React. Respond.
It makes Detroiters want to get more involved in their community.
It makes Detroiters love and respect the city they live in.
One very dedicated radio station. Moving Detroit forward not to stay alive
Moving Detroit forward to thrive.

To enhance life, you have to move

forward with purpose, attitude and
a little growl from under the hood.

HOW WELL LIVE UP TO OUR PROMISE:

By pumping up Detroit.
WDETs Detroit-ness is essential. People believe that were committed to Detroit
and connected to the community. Its true. Its what we do. Few radio stations in
the country, public or non-public, have as much heart for their city.
By enlightening people, home and away.
Were a radio station with a really big tower. Our powerful transmission should inspire
and educate people. It should expose people to new ideas. It should bring people
together to create a better community. The brighter Detroit becomes, the more
glowing it becomes in the eyes of the world.
By providing a levelheaded perspective.
Its a land of chaos out there. The yelling and the screaming. The bashing and the
belittling. And thats just the media. WDET is above the fray. Were thoughtful and
calm. Honest and unbiased. We inform, we make people think, and we encourage
them to make up their own minds.
By creating momentum.
Yes, WDET needs listeners. But we want our listeners to be so motivated by our
work that theyll turn into doers. Lets float great stuff out on the airwaves and let
the positive attitudes and participation become contagious.
Its intimidating, but its really the only way to start.

The brighter Detroit becomes,

the more glowing it becomes
in the eyes of the world.

WDET IS

OBJECTIVE
BALANCED
INFORMATIVE
THOUGHT-PROVOKING
MOTIVATING
HOMEGROWN
CONNECTED
CONNECTING
SOULFUL
ENTERTAINING
DETROIT

RULES OF COMMUNICATION
WDET is meant to be heard.
But if were really committed to
advancing Detroit, then this is
a radio station thats also meant
to be seen.
On the Web. On TV. In brochures. On posters.
On banners. On T-shirts. On everything worth looking at.
To make sure our visual communication is as fundamentally
sound as our broadcast communication, lets stick with
some basic guidelines. The guidelines will help us tell our
story in a simple, straightforward way. And theyll clearly
establish that we can speak with one voice.

THE TONE
The WDET voice is educated, approachable and unpretentious.
It is realistic, yet optimistic. It doesnt speak just to hear itself
talk; it brings substance and an informed perspective.

THE FONT

Gotham was chosen for its

friendly, conversational qualities.
Its clean, easy-to-read forms bring
a modern sophistication to WDET
communications without being
pretentious or fussy.

Gotham Light
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890

Gotham Book
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890

Gotham Medium
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890

Gotham Bold
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890

CMYK 5 | 6 | 12 | 0
RGB 237 | 232 | 220
HEX D08D2C PMS 454 C
CMYK 5 | 0 | 31 | 75
RGB 94 | 96 | 77
HEX D08D2C PMS 7497 C

THE COLORS
The WDET palette is as vibrant as the station itself.
Strong together or on their own, these colors
feel urban, yet earthy. Youthful, yet sophisticated.
Energetic, yet calming. Diverse, yet unified. Pulled
from the sights and colors of Detroit, this rich palette
is just waiting to be turned into something curious
and inspiring.

CMYK 0 | 47 | 100 | 8
RGB 208 | 141 | 44
HEX D08D2C PMS 143 C
CMYK 15 | 75 | 100 | 12
RGB 167 | 88 | 44
HEX A7582C PMS 159 C
CMYK 60 | 0 | 15 | 0
RGB 128 | 197 | 214
HEX 80C5D6 PMS 305 C
CMYK 100 | 30 | 20 | 40
RGB 12 | 92 | 120
HEX 0C5C78 PMS 3025 C
CMYK 8 | 2 | 100 | 20
RGB 194 | 188 | 47
HEX C2BC2F PMS 612 C
CMYK 19 | 16 | 100 | 39
RGB 137 | 131 | 40
HEX 898328 PMS 619 C
CMYK 0 | 85 | 10 | 0
RGB 208 | 78 | 139
HEX D1B227 PMS 7424 C
CMYK 0 | 100 | 53 | 37
RGB 139 | 0 | 59
HEX 8B003B PMS 7426 C
CMYK 0 | 18 | 100 | 0
RGB 244 | 206 | 48
HEX F4CE30 PMS 109 C
CMYK 0 | 35 | 100 | 5
RGB 220 | 165 | 46
HEX DCA52E PMS 110 C

THE LOGO
Like WDET, our logo is rooted in fueling dialogue
and a sense of community. Whether you see a
quotation mark, a talk bubble, or simply a round and
friendly shape, youre seeing the right thing. Together
with the elements in this book, its voice is authentic,
conversational, curious and open-minded. After all,
what brand guidelines provide this many colors
to choose from?

The logo likes to have a little breathing room.

We recommend a safe zone (shown above) when
using the full logo. And when using the logo over
an image, position it over an area of the image
where you can ensure that it is legible (left).

The Culture.
These devices could be used to divide
up sections of information on a website
or in print. The top cap could move
up or down depending on how much
(or little) you have to say.

The People.
These devices could be used to divide
up sections of information on a website
or in print. The top cap could move
up or down depending on how much
(or little) you have to say.

The Music.
These devices could be used to divide
up sections of information on a website
or in print. The top cap could move
up or down depending on how much
(or little) you have to say.

The Talk.
These devices could be used to divide
up sections of information on a website
or in print. The top cap could move
up or down depending on how much
(or little) you have to say.

THE GRAPHIC
LANGUAGE
The WDET logo inspires a wide range of shapes
and forms. On the facing page is a range of elements
that could be used as devices in print, Web and
merchandising. Together with the color palette
provided, youve got a toolbox of graphics at your
fingertips that are distinctly WDET.

13%

LOREM IPSUM
QUOT DOLOR.

ALL CAPS
The rounded corners of the logo lend
themselves to a number of intriguing
shapes. Just be sure to use them tastefully
and thoughtfully. Less is more.

60%
LOREM IPSUM
QUOT DOLOR.

79%

LOREM IPSUM
QUOT DOLOR.

THIS CURVED RIBBON

CAN HOLD ANYTHING FROM
HEADERS TO STATISTICS.

dont always sound like a shout.

Still, consider using lowercase
when a more conversational
tone is needed.

Youll see examples of the use of

this shape throughout this book.
It works well in both positive
and reverse, and is a nice place
for a longer quote to sit and
stay awhile.

WDET inspires and educates.

We expose people to new ideas.
We bring people together to
create a better community.

Photo Credits:
Noah Stephens
Brandon Bayer
Ray Schwartz
Ken Snyder
Danny Jacobs
Linda Hamlin

Portraits courtesy of The People of Detroit photodocumentary

(thepeopleofdetroit.com) by Noah Stephens, copyright 2010.
Used with permission.