Pleo
Brand Book
Hej, we're Pleo!
Welcome to the home of the Pleo brand. Dive in to find out how this business spending sausage gets made.
Disclaimer: We’re proud of the Pleo brand. That’s why this is a public brand system. Still, a good magician never reveals their secrets, so expect a few dead ends here and there if you’re not a Pleo’er.
So, welcome again to our brand system. Explore it. Devour it. Pleo it.
— The Pleo Brand team
THIS BRAND SYSTEM HAS THREE CORE PURPOSES:
→ 01
A place for guidelines
Tell me all I need to know about the Pleo brand
→ 02
A place for resources
Give me some of that good Pleo brand stuff I can use
→ 03
A place for requests
Need something specific? Tell us about it, we’re all ears
WHO IS THIS BRAND SYSTEM FOR?
→ Pleo’s very own brand team
→ Freelancers and extensions to that team
→ Pleo’ers (new and old) looking to learn about our look, feel, and smell
→ Journalists looking for the Pleo press kit
→ Partners looking to showcase our logos in their respective channels
→ Passers-by looking to explore good brand work
Contents
1.
The Pleo story
Pleo, the company
We were founded in 2015 by fintech veterans Jeppe Rindom and Niccolo Perra. The idea of Pleo (and what we’ve stayed true to ever since) was born out of an opportunity – a chance to transform tedious business (as usual) spending into something effortless, delightful and suited to a 21st-century workplace.
Today, we’re an end-to-end business spending solution for forward-thinking teams everywhere.
Well, almost everywhere. Pleo is available for businesses in 10+ European countries. We’re staffed by over 1,000 people all over the world, all contributing to make Pleo, Pleo.
Pleo, the company
Before Pleo, many of our customers are held back by old-fashioned, bureaucratic processes that get in the way of meaningful work. Here, we’re talking manual expense forms, receipt chasing, lengthy reimbursement processes, tedious data entry and running around chasing a single company card.
So, we put all of that in the bin.
Pleo is automated spending that gives your finance team real-time oversight on company spending, makes your employees feel seen and valued, and puts time back in the day for everyone to work on the stuff they’re actually salaried to do.
You might be signing up to step up your company spend game but, with Pleo, you’re getting a whole lot more than expected. Oh, and that’s the reason behind that company name of ours if you were wondering.
Pleo is...
a verb
an app
a community
more than expected
painless, frictionless, effortless
an end-to-end expense solution
never bureaucratic, always empowering.
THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT
→ Short
Pleo is Europe’s go-to spending solution for forward-thinking companies. We automate tedious expense processes, giving money and time back to teams to focus on value-adding work.
→ Long
Meet Pleo: Europe’s leading business spending solution that simplifies expenses for everyone at your company. Give your employees a smart company card to buy the things they need so you can forget about missing receipts. Get real-time spend visibility, feel in control of your finances and slash your admin thanks to automated expense management, invoices, and reimbursements. Join the 20,000 companies using Pleo to focus on the work that matters.
Pleo, the BRAND
Everyone deserves to feel valued at work. Pleo is more than an end-to-end business spending solution; it’s the mark of strong company culture, and a sign of trust – for everyone – and we do our best to instil this through our brand.
BRAND TRAITS
→ 01
More than expected
We go the extra mile (and then some) by making the most tedious aspect of work a delight, all while giving freedom and autonomy to teams. Our brand is more than expected, which is exactly why we invest in it.
→ 02
Scandinavian, but not really...
Pleo may have been born in Copenhagen, but we’ve always thought globally. We lean into our Scandi-roots and bring a focus on simplicity, user-centric design and bottom-up organisational thinking to the masses across Europe.
→ 03
More autonomy, more trust
Without trust, we’re nothing. Just one way of showing this is giving everyone a Pleo card and putting employees first. No silos and no big decisions behind closed doors; open communication is the way forward.
→ 04
On the level
We’re direct, simple, and intelligent without being intellectual. There’s a lot of business jargon out there, and we’re not here to judge your knowledge of it.
VISION
Why we exist, the future we want to create. There’s an interesting cyclical play on the idea of ‘value’ – if a person feels valued, they’re more likely to work more productively and in doing so be more valuable to a business.
Mission
Our mission is what we will do to achieve our vision. It sits at the core of our business. It’s ambitious, progressive and inclusive, providing a strong strategic platform for everyone working at Pleo.
2.
Language
The Pleo voice and tone
We’re human, and we want to sound human, too. There’s a tale as old as time when it comes to B2B’s – they’re boring, communicate like robots, and overcomplicate the simple stuff. That’s not us.
Our voice reflects our essence as a brand: what we stand for, the people we are, and the culture we create. Our vision is to make everyone feel valued at work, and it's through our voice that we can really make that happen.
But how?
Simple, it’s all about showing people that we get them. We make them feel valued by treating them like real people in real jobs, not corporate drones that communicate in jargon and clichés.
And our tone? It depends on the situation; an email about a security upgrade won’t be written the same way as a blog post about employer branding, but the voice will still be Pleo.
HOW TO WRITE PLEO
→ 01
We’re direct but always warm
We’re considerate of people’s time, so we don’t mince our words, but our voice is always human, never robotic.
→ 02
We speak the truth and don’t hide things
We don’t sound too sales-y, or too brand-y. We do sound like the sort of real, friendly people our users love to spend time with.
The Pleo style guide
Wifi or WiFi? April 1 or 1st of April? Pleoers or Pleo’ers*? It’s a minefield out there when it comes to writing dates, numbers and indeed words in general. This is why we default to The Guardian and Observer’s style guide. It’s British English (which we use), it’s comprehensive, it’s continuously updated and it helps us ensure consistency in everything we write.
If you’re wondering: people working at Pleo are called “Pleo’ers”. You won’t find that on The Guardian though…
→ 03
We’re a little offbeat and unexpected
The teams that work with us aren’t like others. They’re forward-thinking and value independence over hierarchy and bureaucracy.
→ 04
We’re intelligent but never intellectual
Nothing good comes from overcomplicating already overcomplicated jargon; get to the point, and hold the waffle.
Show, don’t tell:
The Pleo voice and tone in action
UX content design
2022 saw content design become a discipline in its own right at Pleo. We took a long, hard look at how we communicate with users in the app and how that affects their experience with Pleo as a whole.
We know that our UX copy works – 95% of our customers agree – but there’s a big difference between a good user experience and a great one, and it’s great we’re aiming for.
So while we’re not at peak Pleo yet (can we ever be?), we’ve got a pretty good idea of what that journey might look like.
Writing for the product
Pleo should sound like Pleo no matter where you happen to be (website, emails, social, phone app, web app). So, broadly speaking, when writing UX copy, you should stick to the guidelines for how to write Pleo.
But, how does that look in the context of the product?
Basic principles
→ 01
Put the user first
Use familiar, everyday language. Focus on readability. Make sure all text is useful and relevant to user goals. Avoid leading users away from tasks to ‘learn more’.
→ 02
Stay out of the way
Think less-is-more and write for scanning. The next step should always be clear. Avoid distractions, pop-ups, and walls of text.
→ 03
Don’t be boring
Steer clear of jargon and soulless computer-speak. Keep things conversational, positive, and inclusive. Find space for fun (without being annoying!).
→ 04
Look at the bigger picture
See how the text fits into the UX as a whole. Strive for consistency and predictability. Write for a global audience and keep localisation in mind.
3.
Logo
INTRODUCTION
Our logo is a clear distillation of our brand vision. The bold simplicity of the wordmark reflects Nordic design principles, while the joyful intervention of the smiley ‘L’ brings to life our vibrant optimism.
LOGO LOCKUPS
There are two orientations of our logo – angled and horizontal. Both versions are interchangeable. When selecting which logo to use, consider what lockup will work best in the chosen format, providing the most visual stand out.
ANIMATED LOGO
Our animated logo is a dynamic, playful expression of our static horizontal wordmark. The animated logo can add visual interest to designs that allow for motion and to bookend content like presentations, adverts, and videos.
MOGO
noun. Our logo but this time, musical. We worked with the quite wonderful analogue electronics pioneer José Orozco Mora to produce this little ditty. You’ll find our mogo stamped at the end of our branded videos and maybe one day on TV.
LOGO PALETTE
Each colour in the Pleo primary palette can be used as a background for the logo. For best results the black version of the Pleo wordmark should be used on all coloured backgrounds excluding black.
The white version of the Pleo wordmark should only be used on black and dark backgrounds.
CONSTRUCTION
Care has been taken in crafting both versions of our logo. Each of the letterforms have been individually crafted and based on our primary typeface Neue Haas Grotesk.
Stroke-width, letter spacing and angles have been refined for visual consistency.
MINIMUM SIZE
For clarity across digital and print applications our logo should never be reproduced at any size below the adjacent guidance.
CLEAR SPACE
In order to provide visual stand out in brand communications, the following clear space rules should be followed. The height of the capital ‘P’ should be the minimum clear space zone for the Pleo logo.
PARTNERSHIPS
When partnering with other brands, consider which version of the Pleo logo will best match the size and orientation.
Each logo lock up has different spacing and alignment rules. Use your discretion and where possible align the logos from the baseline (horizontal) and baseline of the letter ‘E’ (angled).
Adapt colour of the corresponding partner logo to match with Pleo logo in owned communications, either black or white.
MISUSE
Our logo should never be altered in any way from the original artwork provided. The following examples demonstrate what not to do.
SYMBOL
The angled version of the Pleo logo should be used as our primary app symbol and icon across all digital touch points, including social media. It provides the most uniqueness and stand out.
PLEO CARDS
Mastercard guidelines for card design will need to be referenced when supplying final artwork.
PACKAGING
4.
Colour
PRIMARY PALETTE
Colour is our strongest and most recognisable brand asset. Our palette is inspired by our lead brand colour, pink. Black, grey and white bolster the lean palette with yellow adding flexibility in digital applications.
Pink, yellow and grey can be used as tints (25%, 50% or 75%) when seeking to define hierarchy within a design.
→ Adobe CC Libraries
COLOUR RATIOS
We are bold and uncomplicated when using our palette – often flooding canvases with white or a solid primary colour. For large canvas areas we use light pink opposed to pink, which feels airier and more subtle.
UI PALETTE
Our UI palette contains an extended set of colours for use within the digital product. Our lead brand colours remain (as pink, light pink, white and yellow). The additional colours are intended for data visualisation. Green and purple especially should be used as tertiary to the other colours within the palette.
This UI palette will also be used alongside our primary palette using the same restraints within our marketing materials.
BACKGROUND COLOURS
To achieve maximum legibility when applying colour across digital touchpoints we only use four background colours. To ensure that we pass AA standards, black text is used across all backgrounds, except black. On black backgrounds we use white text.
ACCENT COLOURS
Our dark UI colour group can be used for data and avatars. When they are used, text should be set in black to meet accessibility standards.
Dark pink is to be used for key CTAs that appear on a white background and icons within the navigation bar.
5.
Typography
INTRODUCTION
Our typography is simple, honest and functional, reflecting the true aesthetics of Nordic design. We use limited weights for consistent and bold visual stand out.
PRIMARY TYPEFACE
Our primary typeface is Neue Haas Grotesk. Designed in 1957 by Swiss typographer Max Miedinger, it was selected for its timelessness, simplicity and functionality.
We use Neue Haas Grotesk in varying weights depending on the context. For headlines and lead paragraphs we use 55 Roman Display. For body copy we use 55 Roman Text and 65 Medium Text for subheadings. Lighter weights such as 45 Light can also be used. We keep things simple using 1–2 weights per application.
When type is below 15pt we always use the Text versions, while for headlines and large bodies of text we use the Display versions.
HEADLINES
When Neue Haas Grotesk is used as an expressive headline, care should be taken to vertically align characters to create crafted lockups.
SECONDARY TYPEFACE
Spezia SemiMono is our secondary typeface. It’s a contemporary monospaced typeface designed by Luzi Type.
The typeface adds a digital tech feel, bringing to life the Pleo product experience. It is used sparingly for more detailed elements such as page numbers, graph details and CTAs within the Pleo app and website. Our URL should also be set in Spezia, in uppercase, to stand out from all other messaging.
The type family contains many weights, however we primarily use Regular and Medium.
HIERARCHY
DYNAMIC TYPE
Typography is an active part of the Pleo identity, often acting as an alternative to photography and illustration. Type can be treated to express an idea, tell a story or amplify the meaning of a word to elicit an emotional response from the viewer.
Type treatments can be both functional and expressive. Functional when we need to clearly communicate information such as advertising and more visually expressive on social platforms. When considering expressive type treatments look to the words for inspiration.
REPETITIVE TYPE
We also use typography as texture through repetition. Title case and/or upper-case characters can be used, however we never combine the two treatments within the same application.
SYSTEM FONTS
Neue Haas Grotesk is our go-to typeface, but in the few cases when it’s not an option, either because of software restrictions or language localization, we have secondary typefaces we use.
The secondary typeface that most closely aligns with Neue Haas Grotesk is Helvetica Neue and Arial. The secondary typeface that aligns with Spezia SemiMono is Courier.
6.
Illustration
INTRODUCTION
We’re honest and distinct. It’s honesty without feeling too naive or childlike. It’s distinct without feeling too foreign or crazy. Illustration is one of the strongest assets that can simplify the over-complicated in finance, all while putting the focus on people and relatability.
Illustration principles
→ 01
Our key principles are flexible and open to interpretation, allowing for our style’s natural progression.
→ 02
Pleo’s illustration style is meant to break down the cleanliness of our graphics with easy-going and playful expressionism.
→ 03
Illustration has become a distinctive hallmark of the Pleo brand in a sector where few do this. It reflects our brand traits and serves as an integral partner to our tone of voice.
→ 04
To name but a few, we’re inspired by mid-century cartoons, illustrations from magazines such as Monocle and New Yorker, and their take on the world of work and finance.
ILLUSTRATION AND PHOTOGRAPHY
When do we use illustration and when do we opt for photography? Well, it all depends on the message we’re trying to get across.
The choice is made according to which of the two sets the right mood and differentiates us from the competition in a particular case scenario. There are no strict rights or wrongs here; it’s a matter of finding the right balance on all our channels and our website.
We ought to aim for visual variety and embrace both illustration and photography when it feels right. While our illustration is soft and friendly, our photography is vibrant and energetic, thanks to the usage of flash.
→ It would often be an illustration when we want to highlight the soft, friendly side of our brand personality, or highlight how easy the Pleo product is to use. Drawings come in handy when metaphorical depiction captures complex concepts more accurately. Also, creating a new illustration is often easier to coordinate than executing a new photoshoot.
→ Photography’s greatest advantage is its unarguable authenticity. The testimonials prove our customers’ trust and enable us to show the value we bring to their work life. Having a broad photography library eases the pressure of always having to illustrate.
Style in more detail
The style combines linear, open strokes, solids for colours and hard shadows for contrast. The angles are usually soft and slightly rounded. The aim is simplicity and controlled spontaneity of the line.
Perspective and angles
We would either show faces from an angled view or use profile views of a person, think ancient Egypt and Picasso. It all depends on the context. We always aim to achieve playfulness and simplicity.
Colour combinations
Combinations are a very intuitive matter. In general, it’s better to keep images simple and stick to a limited selection of black and white, and one or two of the colours from our brand palette.
Illustrations which should be strictly on brand, for example, the app or campaigns, stick to our brand colours. In cases of sub-brands (like our Forward even or Team Camp), internal projects, or more flexible contexts such as blog images, we do allow ourselves to open up (still staying close to our brand palette). When creating data visualisations or simplified UI we look into the product’s set, which has a broader range. We try to be careful about having two too similar tones with little contrast next to each other, like pink with yellow. It might get too sweet.
Texture and brushes
As a base, we work with solids of colour. Depending on where an illustration will live, we can allow ourselves more freedom to work with fuzzy brushes and halftones.
→ Product
We would generally avoid using fuzzy brushes or halftones for the in-product illustrations, due to their complexity. There are no strict rules about it, but we need to bear loading time in mind. An exception is a set of half tones we have from retro supplies. It can work fine when expanded.
→ Any flattened image
We can work with charcoal, brush, and ink, such as textures and brushes.
→ Core brand
If a visual is meant to resemble Pleo in its entirety, we stick with using black, white, and solids. Always keep it simple.
DRAWING CHARACTERS
Almond-shaped eyes usually meet the eyelid, brow, or nose area. We often draw full lips and expressive smiles. Hairstyles and facial features are important to differentiate characters. It’s important to represent as many people as we can in our illustrations.
We do not paint real skin tones but stay within the white to grey spectrum, and never use colours outside our palette. We aim to find balance and end up with only the necessary amount of details.
One rule we always live by: Our characters are playful but are not caricatures.
Diversity and representation in illustration
Keep these in mind while drawing characters to avoid unconscious bias or just drawing generic people by default. Try to challenge these defaults and, when in doubt, move unrepresented people to the front.
→ Gender/sexuality
→ Ethnicity
→ Age
→ Body shape and size
→ Disability
→ Cultural background
Challenges
→ Our style is minimalistic and not realistic, we try to find smart angles and line flows, but we usually avoid over-exaggeration in disproportions of the limbs. This is so as not to fall into the corporate rabbit hole.
→ We need to arrive at a midpoint in which the audience can see that the characters are different from each other without the need to add too many extra elements or changing our style.
→ The focus should be on facial or physical features and clothing or accessories to depict diversity instead of just drawing the same person with a different skin tone.
The power of illustration at Pleo
USING ILLUSTRATION ASSETS
If using a group of illustrations from the board, please remember to choose consistently in terms of style, feel, and colour scheme. Do not mix illustrations with different colour schemes, brush strokes or styles.
Place illustrations with coloured details on the same colour background (using another shade of that colour to create contrast).
7.
Motion
Introduction
You’ve made it to Pleo’s motion brand guidelines – the section that digs into all things animation and how we make motion meaningful. Through animation, we bring Pleo’s voice to life, literally. Simplicity is at the core of our motion, never overcomplicating anything.
Our visual style is simple, honest and functional. We embrace our personality, combining a clean Nordic aesthetic with joyful interventions to make every visual vibrate and resonate with our audience.
Motion principles
Our focus is always on the content. The way our illustrations move and jump around should never take away from the message. Our animation style reflects our goals. These simple principles should help to understand how we make motion meaningful:
→ 01
Give space to every visual
Our customers shouldn’t be overwhelmed by our visuals, give them enough time to pick up all the content.
→ 02
Make transitions functional and flawless
Sometimes a hard cut is all you need. For all these precious moments use clever, seamless transitions.
→ 03
Elements are animated to feel light
Make use of opacity, gentle accelerations and ease of movement.
→ 04
Compositions are balanced and minimal
Our compositions demonstrate effortless simplicity. We don’t add unnecessary details and frills.
MOVEMENT PRINCIPLES
→ 01
Smooth
Animations should feel natural and organic.
→ 02
Uncomplicated
We don’t overcomplicate movements and graphics.
→ 03
Minimal
We only move the essential elements.
→ 04
Elegant
Picture this: Pleo is a puma walking on velvet, not an explosion of fireworks.
Copy
Copy should be clear, logical, and easy to read. It’s best practice to minimise the amount of copy we use because of the complexity that comes with localisation.
Textures and overlays
While the product itself is never altered, the visual style of the storytelling is enhanced with the help of grain, textures and hand-drawn effects on illustrations. Nothing too dramatic.
Sound:
VOICE OVER
→ 01
Smart and authoritative
We want customers to look to us as a guide and support. So our voice feels smart, authoritative and approachable. We’re on the ball in a way that’s reassuring, not condescending or alienating.
→ 02
Genuine and informal
Our voice should feel like a real person talking; we’re genuine, down-to-earth, and informal.
→ 03
Our tone
We don’t sound too sales-y, or too brand-y and commercial. And we don’t exaggerate.
→ 04
Real and friendly
We’re direct but warm – the kind of people our users love to spend time with.
Sound:
EFFECTS
Minimal sound effects are applied throughout explainer and how-to videos to avoid confusion. We don’t attribute sound effects to every movement, we only create accents here and there – it has to feel natural. Forget about the swishes and whooshes and concentrate on the ‘aha!’ moments and the sounds that set the atmosphere.
Sound:
MUSIC
We choose a track that sits in the background and complements the simplicity of the visuals. No upbeat commercial-type or fast-rhythm music here.
Pleo sounds sophisticated with a retro flavour.
→ Try some of these keywords
Instrumental
Electronic
Retro
→ Avoid
Vocals
8.
Product
INTRODUCTION
Pleo’s brand is embedded in every aspect of Pleo, and it helps guide the way Pleo products talk, look and move. Product design is the process designers use to solve people’s problems with technology – and in the context of Pleo, product designers work to optimise the experience people get when using Pleo products.
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
When working with product design, we use the following ideas to help guide the way we design Pleo’s products:
→ 01
Less time spent means more time gained
The less time spent buying stuff for work, the more time you get to focus on more important tasks. We never optimise to keep you in our universe for longer. We never force you to look at a screen for longer than needed.
→ 02
Remove the friction, and I’ll use it
Pleo works for many complex processes but never makes things feel complicated. We're helping people conform to a necessary – but often tedious – business process so we have to make success easy.
→ 03
Good design should be felt, not seen
Isn’t it nice when things just work? In a screen-based world, it’s very tempting to put things on screens. But sometimes things should work behind the scenes – no interface needed.
→ 04
Trust enabled by default
Assume the best, and plan for the worst. Employees are trusted with company money, but we don’t design to impose restrictions; we design to limit the possibility of things going awry.
→ 05
We’re human
While our industry is smothered with jargon, Pleo talks in everyday language to everyday humans.
→ 06
Fairness is only fair
Everyone can use Pleo, no matter their technical background, cultural background or physical ability. We don’t hide, mask, hoodwink, misdirect, or trick, and we treat people as we’d want to be treated ourselves.
→ 07
Cohesive over consistent
Pleo feels like Pleo in all situations. But we don’t force consistency at the cost of cohesiveness. Things feel familiar, not identical.
→ 08
Polished but not decorative
Pleo feels and looks like a well-made, responsive and thought-out product. But we don’t decorate for decoration's sake. Choices around form, colour, typography, illustration, and animation are made on purpose and based on reason.
UI Icons
UI icons carry intent both from product and brand design. UI icons should be something you can easily interact with, and they should capture the idea they try to represent. Across Pleo products, we use UI icons as stand-alone buttons, informative visual elements, or paired with interactive elements to amplify visual communication.
Illustrative Icons and Illustrations
Icons above size 32 are considered illustrative icons. When large amounts of space are available in the interface, we can afford more detail and be more playful with style. We use both illustrative icons and illustrations to amplify visual communication. They are very useful within interface elements like callouts, onboarding experiences or blank/empty states.
Accessibility
Technology makes so many things easier in modern life. And for people with disabilities, technology has the potential to take the impossible and make it possible. Accessibility is all about making content available to as wide an audience as possible – in our case, designing and developing flexible, high-quality solutions. We strive to make all content accessible so that everyone has the opportunity to interact with Pleo.
Motion
As humans, we are used to seeing the world move around us, and if a piece of software has consistent animation, it feels more natural to interact with. Most people are visual learners. Movement brings things alive. It also easily catches people’s attention. In product, Pleo’s motion has a purpose – and it’s often used to amplify visually key aspects of a particular experience.
Copywriting
Words are key to defining how usable products are. Without words, apps would be an unusable jumble of shapes and icons. Pleo’s voice strives to create clarity across all points of interaction, while maintaining the Pleo tone of voice.
Learn more about how we write for UX and our product in our content design guidelines.
9.
Photo/Video
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Pleo’s photography and videography guidelines. In this section, we’ll take you behind the scenes of what goes into every photo and video shoot at Pleo. From our philosophy to the rules we live by, it isn’t always as simple as point-and-shoot.
The Pleo philosophy
Our style is a visual representation of the core tenets of our brand: honesty, trust, and being human.
The genuine warmth and authenticity we feel each day while working at Pleo is reflected in all our imagery.
The fintech industry is overrun with flat product renders and over-stylised imagery. However, our focus is always on people. When shooting campaigns, we use real customers, co-workers, and models spanning a range of different ages, body types, genders, and ethnicities. We want our campaign photography to feel raw and honest, one way of doing this is using flash and high contrast, this way nothing looks ‘too polished.’
Images should have a loose editorial feel and be as natural as possible, capturing everyday people in everyday life.
Our videos showcase humans, their feelings, and their stories. We put authenticity at the forefront of everything we do.
PHOTOGRAPHY:
RULES TO LIVE BY
→ Always capture our customers in an authentic way – nothing should look like stock imagery.
→ Where possible, shoot from eye level and fairly close up. This makes things feel more casual and intimate.
→ Facial expressions should showcase happiness, and should always look natural. It’s also best to avoid any clichéd poses.
→ We always shoot with flash so images are bright with high levels of contrast and white.
→ Flash should fill up the whole foreground and background, to create colours that are consistent and alive. If there isn’t a bright background or if the space is too big, we use editing software to equal lights in the background.
→ Compositions should feel like candid moments. They should be rich in detail and not too sparse.
→ We aren’t afraid of clutter, but where possible, we strike a balance in the amount of visual noise with some clear backgrounds.
→ We aim for a mix of both asymmetrical and symmetrical shots. Asymmetry adds a more dynamic, un-staged feel. Meanwhile, symmetry heroes the individual by putting them front and centre, literally.
→ For employee branding, we use both digital and analogue photography to convey different types of social events.
Capturing people in photography and video:
RELATABILITY
→ Relatability is about not making people feel intimidated by Pleo.
→ We do that by showcasing people in realistic situations, avoiding unnatural exaggeration and overacting. The mundane struggles, moments of joy, and daily life seen through our lens are believable and evoke memories of lived situations.
→ Background should be simple, not overly busy. The focus should always be on people, a degree of imperfection is very welcome, whether it’s used furniture or a subtle splash of coffee over receipts.
→ People should be dressed in contemporary clothes, not overly trendy or cool. Above all, it’s down to what they feel comfortable and confident wearing.
→ Consider the environment and equipment used in the industry photographed. Not every business has the latest Macs or iPhones.
→ We are an international company with offices around the whole of Europe. It’s important for us to not fall into only English or Scandinavian-centric representation. We achieve this by using opportunities to shoot when travelling to different locations. We question the details: Are beans on toast a typical breakfast for everyone? Are mailboxes always red?
Capturing the Pleo product in photography and video
→ We photograph our product in real-life environments.
→ Our features shown in photography should be displayed on computers or mobiles selected according to the industry we’re targeting. For example, engineers or finance most likely work on PCs, rather than Macs.
→ Regular signs of usage, covers, or protection sleeves are welcome as they make photos more authentic and human.
→ If hands are involved, for example writing on a laptop, make sure they’re captured in actual motion. Flash makes dust and fingerprints a lot more visible, so make sure to clean the surfaces.
→ When photographing devices for UI mock-ups, it’s best to consider the angle of the screen. UI is usually added in postproduction.
→ We aim to have alternative versions of the photo. If the card is on one, take a version without it as well.
How to mockup UI in photography
→ First things first, we always make sure we’re using an updated version of the UI.
→ When using Photoshop, we play with opacity, fill, and screen mode. We always consider keeping natural light reflections captured on a photo to make it look more realistic.
→ Particularly in wider shots showcasing a work environment, desktops might look more interesting with signs of life on them. Whether that’s a full bin, notebooks, or plants.
→ Finally, we always look for opportunities to add easter eggs…
Capturing events through photography
Capturing events with photography can be tricky business because of a strong flash. Why? Well, people aren’t always comfortable in front of a camera, especially when there’s a giant flash – it can feel invasive and unnatural.
We always try to read the room and don’t force settings. If people feel intimidated by flash, we always give people a heads up about what we’re doing. It’s more important to make people feel comfortable and secure than to get the shot.
Events attract a whole array of people, so it’s important we capture a whole array of different people, not just one type of person.
CAPTURING EVENTS THROUGH VIDEO
Same as photography, we try to capture the event in a non-invasive way. We’re there as observers, not intruders.
We avoid bringing big lights and cameras. Picture this, there’s a person surrounded by intimidating camera equipment… They don’t look super approachable, right? Plus, moving around with all this heavy equipment isn’t ideal.
Finally, we capture real moments, and always avoid staged moments. You can see through stock settings.
VIDEOGRAPHY:
RULES TO LIVE BY
→ Nothing should feel like stock imagery, we always strive for authenticity at Pleo.
→ Where possible, shoot videos as a part of the group. Don’t be invasive; remain invisible and respectful of people’s space and privacy.
→ Facial expressions should feel happy and natural, not overly expressive or too serious. Avoid any clichéd poses.
Two extras for employer brand videos:
→ We encourage combining videos from a video camera with user-generated material. This adds authenticity to videos.
→ Use of analogue noise, film burns, and 8mm/16mm film look and feel are encouraged.
How to film:
Interviews/talking heads
→ The person should feel at ease in the space they’re being filmed to help them focus on what they’re saying rather than their environment
→ Record video at 25fps
→ Try to avoid loud spaces – but a bit of ambience is fine
HOW TO FILM:
Customer case studies
→ Ideally, the final case should be a combination of handheld and tripod footage
→ Filming should be at 25fps
→ Try to show what is said; if the person says they use Pleo mostly for transportation, then showing Pleo being used in that way/scenario is effective at amplifying the point made and shows the product (likely the Pleo card) in use
HOW TO FILM:
Product videos
→ Whenever possible, the main character should sit in the centre of the shot
→ Encourage them to speak directly to the camera to give the impression they’re talking directly to the viewer
→ For props, we often use a laptop. After all, that’s where most Pleo customers interact with us!
→ Film at 25fps
HOW TO FILM:
Events
→ Try to record people in action; talking, presenting, interacting. It helps bring the event to life
→ Do what you can to make the place look busy. It probably is, but if everyone disappears for a moment, it’s worth waiting for them to return
→ It’s important that people feel comfortable around the camera, which can conflict with the above. If that’s the case, open up the conversation and try to find a middle-ground where they’re comfortable, and there’s still some activity in the background
→ If you’re filming slow motion, please use 50fps
PHOTOGRAPHY and videography RESOURCES
→ Photography documents
How to organise a photoshoot at Pleo
How to choose photoshoot models
→ Videography documents
Subtitles, colour grading, voice over, mogo etc.
