# Arden Brand Guide

Plain-text reference. If you're writing about Arden, this is everything you
need. For anything else, email **hello@ardenmoney.com**.

---

## Name

**Arden.** Capital A, lowercase rest. Never ARDEN, never arden.

Full/legal operating name: **Arden Money**. Use only when a formal business
name is required (legal docs, banking, tax forms). Consumer-facing always
just "Arden."

---

## Identity

Two assets carry the identity:

1. **Wordmark** — "Arden" set in Instrument Serif italic. The type is the
   brand; there is no separate pictorial mark.
2. **A-monogram icon** — serif capital "A" (Bone on Moss). Used where a
   square pictorial mark is required: app icons, favicons, social profile
   images, App Store, Plaid/partner dashboards.

The wordmark and icon are siblings, not twins. Many product brands pair a
letterform icon with a non-matching wordmark (Airbnb, Stripe, Atlassian).

### Assets in this kit

- `arden-wordmark-light.svg` — wordmark, Ink on Vellum
- `arden-wordmark-dark.svg` — wordmark, Bone on Loam
- `arden-icon.svg` — A-monogram, Bone on Moss, scalable

A 1024×1024 PNG version of the icon is served live at:
`https://app.ardenmoney.com/api/brand/app-icon-1024`

Always fresh; matches whatever the current icon design is.

---

## Palette

Named "Editorial Indie." Full specification in `arden-colors.json`.

| Name          | Hex       | Role                                          |
|---------------|-----------|-----------------------------------------------|
| Vellum        | #FAF7F2   | Background — light mode                       |
| Ink           | #14171A   | Foreground — light mode                       |
| Loam          | #0E0F0C   | Background — dark mode; sidebar in both modes |
| Bone          | #F2EFE9   | Foreground — dark mode                        |
| Moss          | #4F7C4A   | Brand primary — light mode                    |
| Sapling       | #7BA876   | Brand primary — dark mode                     |
| Hearth        | #C97A4F   | Accent (terracotta) — fills, borders, glyphs  |
| Hearth-deep   | #985838   | Accent text — AA-passing on Vellum            |
| Hearth-lifted | #D8956F   | Accent in dark mode                           |

Moss (#4F7C4A) is the designated brand color for any third-party
integration that asks for one (Plaid, Stripe, social platforms).

---

## Typography

| Role    | Typeface                  | Use                                                |
|---------|---------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
| Display | Instrument Serif (italic) | Page heroes, empty states, milestones, the brand   |
| Body    | Geist Sans                | All non-display text; UI; long-form reading        |
| Mono    | Geist Mono (tabular-nums) | Every dollar amount; code; reference numbers       |

Instrument Serif does the brand work. Geist pair carries the technical
credibility a finance product needs. Italics are reserved — use sparingly
for emphasis, never for decoration.

---

## Voice

Seven rules, held strictly:

1. Direct. State the thing. No filler.
2. Six-word headlines. Take a position.
3. Specific numbers, specific verbs. "$240 / mo" beats "save more."
4. Banned words: *streamline, empower, unlock, effortlessly, seamlessly,
   leverage, robust, powerful, intuitive, delightful, magical.*
5. Never use the word "AI" in copy.
6. Footer humor allowed. Corporate gravitas not.
7. Italic display serif for emphasis. Bold sans for declarations.

---

## What Arden is

Privacy-first personal finance software: envelope budgeting, net worth
tracking, and investment holdings in one app. CSV-first import; optional
bank sync via Plaid. No ads, no data resale.

Two paid tiers: **Privacy** ($5/mo or $50/yr — manual + CSV, no bank linking)
and **Plus** ($12/mo or $120/yr — adds Plaid bank, investment, and liability
sync). Annual cadences save 17%. Plus ships with a 30-day free trial, no
credit card required; Privacy is upfront-pay with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

---

## What Arden is not

- Not a Mint/Personal Capital replacement powered by ad targeting or
  lender referrals
- Not a freemium funnel — the business model is one paid subscription, so
  incentives align with user outcomes, not advertiser ones
- Not a bank-sync-only app — every feature works end-to-end with CSV alone

---

## Contact

| Reason                          | Address                     |
|---------------------------------|-----------------------------|
| Press, general inquiries        | hello@ardenmoney.com        |
| Existing user support           | support@ardenmoney.com      |
| Security / vulnerability report | security@ardenmoney.com     |

Replies come from a real person, usually within a day.