Brand Guidelines V1.0 · 25 September 2026 · For the Dala For Africa team, partners, suppliers and media
Corporate Identity

Brand Guidelines

How Dala For Africa looks, sounds and shows up. Use this page whenever you design, write or present on behalf of the business. It is also the place to collect our logo for a partnership, event or media feature.

Version 1.0 Updated 25 September 2026 Owner Executive Director
Download The Brand Kit View Logo Rules
01

Brand Essence

Why “Dala”?

In South African townships, “dala” means “do.” Many of the inhabitants do what they must to survive and then thrive. They dala what they must.

That mentality of resilience, action and determination is the heart of the brand. Every touchpoint should feel like it comes from people who get things done, not people who only talk about them.

Because execution is everything.

Brand mantra

We don’t just advise; we execute.

Proof line

Positioning Statement

Dala For Africa is a boutique consultancy for clients that value high engagement and structured delivery across emerging market contexts or between developed & emerging markets.

What We Do

We connect early-to-growth-stage companies with corporates to secure distribution, unlock cross-border trade and drive scale across Africa.

Brand Traits

01

Action-Led

We lead with what we will do and what we have done. Verbs over adjectives.

02

Structured

Clear process, clear numbers, clear next steps. Nothing vague, nothing hidden.

03

Connected

Our value is the network: corporates, funders, founders and partners across four continents.

04

Africa First

We see the African opportunity as unmatched in scale. We speak about it with confidence, never pity.

02

Name & Messaging

Writing The Name

UseCorrectIncorrect
Full name (first mention)Dala For AfricaDala for Africa · Dala Africa · DALA · Dala-Africa
Short form (after first mention)DalaDFA in client-facing copy (internal files only)
Legal entity (contracts, invoices, footers)Dala For Africa (Pty) LtdDala For Africa Ltd · Dala (Pty) Ltd
Websitedala-africa.comDala-Africa.com · www.dala-africa.com/ in body copy
General enquiriesThe contact form on dala-africa.comEmail addresses on the website or public marketing material

Messaging Hierarchy

Use these lines as written. Build campaign copy underneath them rather than inventing new top-level lines.

LevelLineWhere it appears
Brand lineUnlocking GrowthPage titles, covers, signatures
Headline promiseBridging High-Potential Growth & Corporate InnovationWebsite hero, deck openers
MantraBecause execution is everything.“Why Dala” stories, talks, closing slides
ActivitiesInnovating · Investing · ScalingHero buttons, Zoom backgrounds, event banners
AudiencesCorporates · Portfolio Companies (startups & SMEs) · Healthcare ProfessionalsServices, contact forms, proposals
Proof points60+ deals · US$8.5m fund management · 4 continentsTrack record sections; always credited to “our principals”

Legacy wording. The July 2025 company overview brochure uses “Innovation | Trade | Investment” as pillars and describes Dala as an “innovation, trade and investment advisory firm”. Treat the website wording above as the current standard and phase out the legacy lines when the brochure is next refreshed.

04

Colour

A disciplined black-and-gold palette. Black carries the brand, greys build structure and gold is used sparingly to point the eye at what matters.

Core Palette

Dala Black
#000000
RGB 0 0 0
CMYK 0 0 0 100
Primary canvas for web, decks and screens.
Dala Gold
#D4AF37
RGB 212 175 55
CMYK 0 17 74 17
Buttons, H3 labels, rules, key figures. Accent only.
White
#FFFFFF
RGB 255 255 255
CMYK 0 0 0 0
Logo, headings and emphasis on dark.
Silver
#CCCCCC
RGB 204 204 204
CMYK 0 0 0 20
Body text on dark backgrounds.

Supporting Neutrals

Charcoal
#0F0F0F
Cards and panels.
Graphite
#1A1A1A
Banners, call-out boxes, notices.
Line Grey
#222222 · #333333
Borders, dividers, secondary buttons.
Muted Grey
#888888
Captions, legal lines, meta text.

Light Context

For print, light documents and bright rooms (for example the light Zoom background).

Parchment
#F7F4EC
CMYK 0 1 4 3
Light canvas. Warmer than plain white.
Deep Gold
#9C7A16
CMYK 0 22 86 39
Gold on light backgrounds: rules, icons and large text only.
Ink
#0F0F0F
Headings and body text on light.
Slate
#555555
Secondary text on light.

Proportion

Roughly how much of any layout each colour should occupy. If gold starts to dominate, pull it back.

Accessible Pairings

TextBackgroundContrastUse for
WhiteDala Black21.0 : 1 AAAAll text
SilverDala Black13.1 : 1 AAABody copy
GoldDala Black10.0 : 1 AAALabels, figures, links
BlackDala Gold10.0 : 1 AAAButton text
MutedDala Black5.9 : 1 AACaptions, legal
Deep GoldParchment3.7 : 1 Large onlyHeadlines 24px+, rules, icons
GoldWhite2.1 : 1 FailNever use for text

CMYK values are straight conversions from screen colour. Always request a printed proof: flat gold can print muddy, so for premium print ask the printer to match Dala Gold with a metallic or spot ink.

05

Typography

Helvetica Neue

One typeface family across everything we make. It is neutral, highly legible and lets the logo and the gold do the talking.

  • Web: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif
  • Word, PowerPoint & Google: Arial
  • Body weight on dark: Light (300) at 1.8 line height
  • The wordmark is artwork. Never retype “DALA FOR AFRICA” in any font to imitate the logo.

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg 0123456789

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz

Type Scale

H1 · Page Title3rem / 48px · Bold
Uppercase · 2px tracking

Unlocking Growth

H2 · Section2.2rem / 35px · Bold
Title Case · 4px gold rule

Our Track Record

H3 · Label1.4rem / 22px · Bold
Uppercase · Gold · 1px tracking

For Corporates

H4 · Item1.1rem / 18px · Bold
Title Case · Grey underline

Hands-On Due Diligence

Lead1.2rem / 19px · Light
#E0E0E0

Dala For Africa leverages industry networks and operational expertise to help clients excel in competitive markets.

Body1rem / 16px · Light
Silver · 1.8 line height

We help management teams secure major contracts and distribution deals, enabling sustainable growth.

Small · Legal0.85rem / 14px · Regular
Muted Grey

*Subject to business case, investor readiness & due diligence.

Uppercase is reserved for H1, H3 labels, buttons and navigation. Everything else is in Title Case (headings) or sentence case (body).

06

Tone Of Voice

We sound like seasoned operators: calm, specific and confident because we have done the work.

Direct & Action-Led

Say what we do in plain verbs. Lead with the outcome.

SayWe help management teams secure major contracts and distribution deals.
AvoidWe aim to potentially facilitate synergistic opportunities for growth.

Precise & Qualified

Use real numbers and put the conditions right next to them.

SayTypical time to funded: 6 weeks.*
*Subject to business case, investor readiness & due diligence.
AvoidGet funded fast. Guaranteed.

Confident, Never Hyped

Let the track record carry the claim. No superlatives we cannot prove.

SayWe don’t just advise; we execute.
AvoidAfrica’s #1 world-class, best-in-class advisory powerhouse.

Africa First, Globally Fluent

Talk about the continent as an opportunity to lead, not a problem to solve.

SayThe African opportunity is unmatched in scale and affordability.
AvoidHelping struggling African businesses overcome the odds.

House Style

  • UK English: optimise, specialise, organisation, programme, centre, licence (noun).
  • No Oxford comma: innovating, investing and scaling.
  • Money: R20m, R1.2bn, US$8.5m. Ranges take an en dash: R20m–R100m.
  • Dates: 25 September 2026. In file names: 20260925.
  • Numbers: one to nine in words, 10 and above in figures. Metrics always in figures.
  • Headings: Title Case, including after hyphens (Early-To-Growth-Stage).

Claims & Compliance

  • Credit track record figures to “our principals”, as the website does.
  • Place qualifiers beside the claim with an asterisk, never on a separate page.
  • Never promise funding, returns or timelines.
  • Disclose fee structures where we publish services (see the acquisition FAQ).
  • Link the POPIA privacy policy on every page that collects personal information.
  • Only show client or partner logos and testimonials with their written consent.
07

Imagery & Graphic Elements

Photography

  • African cities, commerce and people at work: skylines, trading hubs, boardrooms, clinics.
  • Real and specific over generic stock handshakes.
  • Any photo carrying text sits under a black overlay of 70–80% opacity.
  • Supporting images inside sections run at 60–80% opacity with 4px rounded corners.
  • Partner logos appear in greyscale at 80% brightness, returning to colour on hover.

Unlocking Growth

× Text on raw photo

Unlocking Growth

✓ 70% black overlay

Graphic Devices

Gold Rule

64 × 3px. Sits under the logo or a title to close a block.

Section Title

Gold Edge

4px left border that marks every H2 section heading.

Arcs & Dot Field

Concentric gold arcs with a fading dot grid, used in corners only at 20–30% opacity. Signals reach and network.

08

Web Components

These are the live styles from dala-africa.com. Reuse them on new pages so every page feels like part of the same site.

Buttons
Primary Outline Back

Primary: gold with black bold uppercase text, turns white on hover. Outline: 1px gold border, fills gold on hover. Secondary: #333 for back or cancel steps only.

Metric Tile
60+

Deal exposure across grant, debt and equity transactions

Call-To-Action Box

Healthcare Professionals

Seeking structured acquisition financing for your practice?

Explore Financing
Step Badge & FAQ
1

Readiness & Structuring

How long does the process take?

Typical time to funded can be as quick as 6 weeks, subject to the business case and due diligence.

Form Field

We review and respond within 1 business day.

Notice

You look like a strong candidate. Let’s talk funding options.

Design Tokens

Paste this into any new page so colours and type stay in sync with the main site.

:root {
    /* Core */
    --bg-color: #000000;       /* Dala Black */
    --card-bg: #0f0f0f;        /* Charcoal */
    --text-primary: #ffffff;   /* White */
    --text-secondary: #cccccc; /* Silver */
    --accent-gold: #D4AF37;    /* Dala Gold */
    --font-main: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
    /* Supporting */
    --surface: #1a1a1a;        /* Graphite */
    --line: #222222;
    --line-strong: #333333;
    --text-muted: #888888;
    /* Light context */
    --parchment: #F7F4EC;
    --deep-gold: #9C7A16;
    --ink: #0F0F0F;
}
09

Applications

Video Call Backgrounds

Use the dark background by default. Switch to the light version in bright rooms or when you are wearing dark clothing. Branding sits in the corners so it stays visible around you.

Dark Zoom background with Dala For Africa logo

Dark (Default)

1920 × 1080 PNG · Dala Black with gold arcs

Download ↓
Light Zoom background with Dala For Africa logo

Light

1920 × 1080 PNG · Parchment with Deep Gold

Download ↓

Zoom: Settings › Background & Effects › Virtual Backgrounds › +. Teams: Video effects › More video effects › Add new. Your own preview is mirrored; everyone else sees it the right way round.

Email Signature

Dala For Africa
Full Name
Job Title · Dala For Africa
Dala For Africa (Pty) Ltd

Arial 14px. Black horizontal logo at 44px high. One Deep Gold rule. No quotes, banners or social icon rows.

Documents & Decks

Company Overview
dala-africa.com
Dala For Africa (Pty) Ltd
  • Black cover with the white logo; white inner pages with the black logo top left.
  • Footer on every page: legal name, city and dala-africa.com.
  • File names: YYYYMMDD-Title-Case-Words-V1, for example 20260925-Company-Overview-V2.pdf.

Social Profiles

Avatar: white icon centred on Dala Black (download below). Cover images follow the Zoom background layout: logo top left, activities line bottom right.

Events & Co-Branding

Supply the horizontal logo (white or black to suit the host’s background) with a link to this page. Our logo should be no smaller than other partner logos in the same row.

10

Downloads

Transparent PNG files ready for screens, documents and partner websites.

Download Full Brand Kit (ZIP)
AssetFormatBest forFile
Logo, horizontal, whitePNG · 1442 × 622Dark backgroundsDownload
Logo, horizontal, blackPNG · 1442 × 622Light backgroundsDownload
Logo, stacked, whitePNG · 963 × 1059Square formats on darkDownload
Logo, stacked, blackPNG · 963 × 1059Square formats on lightDownload
Icon, whitePNG · 592 × 622Watermarks on darkDownload
Icon, blackPNG · 592 × 622Watermarks on lightDownload
Social avatarPNG · 1024 × 1024LinkedIn, WhatsApp, XDownload
Zoom background, darkPNG · 1920 × 1080Video callsDownload
Zoom background, lightPNG · 1920 × 1080Video calls, bright roomsDownload

Need print or vector artwork? High-resolution masters and layered source files are held by the Dala For Africa team. Request them through the contact form, saying which format you need and where it will be used.

Not sure if a use is right? Send a draft to the same address before it goes to print or goes live. We review and respond within 1 business day.