AAN Standards
Email Style Guide
A practical reference for creating consistent, accessible, on-brand email content using AAN visual and content standards.
Prepared by Ben Lambert, Email Marketing Strategist
Quick Navigation
Color Palette · Banner Standards · Image Rules · Copy and Buttons · Background Colors · Headshots and Signatures · Leadership Updates
Color Palette
Use this palette to maintain consistent visual identity across email content and supporting web documentation.
#023002
#008923
#08A842
#CAFFCA
#000000
Banner and Supergraphics
Banner layouts should follow a clean two-column structure with middle alignment for balanced composition.
- Use a two-column layout
- Align content vertically to the middle
- Stack left column above right on mobile
- Hide supergraphics on mobile
- Align supergraphics to the right
- Use 32px H1 text in banner areas
- Apply 12px top/bottom and 20px left/right padding
Add an example banner image from the PDF here using a HubSpot image module.
Image Standards
- Banner images should be 800px wide
- Headshots should be 400 × 400
- GIFs should be 1MB or smaller
- Avoid placing important text inside images
- HubSpot will dynamically size images across devices
Copy, Spacing, and Buttons
Copy Standards
- Subject lines should stay within 70 characters
- Body copy should use Arial, 18px, black
- Disclaimers should use Arial, 14px, italic, black
Spacing and CTA Standards
- Left/right padding: 10px
- Top padding below banner: 20px
- Body top/bottom padding: 10px
- Padding above footer: 40px
- Buttons should be all caps with no punctuation
- Buttons should be left aligned in Pine with 10px padding
Background Color Usage
Use Mint (#CAFFCA) for highlighted content blocks and supporting callouts. Keep text black, use Arial at 18px, and maintain 20px internal padding for readability.
Headshots, Signatures, and Links
- Include headshots whenever possible
- Use smaller alternate headshots when names or titles are longer
- Convert partial URLs into fully linked URLs
- Keep signatures and supporting visual elements clean and consistent
Leadership Update Examples
Leadership updates should follow a consistent headshot-and-message format that feels authoritative, readable, and personal.
This layout works especially well for CEO updates, executive messages, and quote-driven email content.
Using This Guide
Build future email-related pages with live text, modular sections, consistent spacing, and AAN-approved color usage. Use uploaded images only to demonstrate layouts or examples, not to replace readable web content.