The style guide Key features Page 2

Our brand identity is key to our future Names Colour Channel bar success. As our business grows and The name of the master brand is To the extent that visual content Our brand icons set must allow for easy becomes more diverse (for example Absolute Radio and should never be features colour other than black and navigation between the channels in the with the addition of new stations), and shortened to Absolute. white, the primary colour shall be Absolute Radio portfolio. as digital becomes a more and more • It’s important as we extend our purple. • Moving our audience around within important channel, it is important that brand to new audiences and new Absolute Radio channels is central we present the brand in a recognisable channels that people understand to our strategy. and consistent way. what we do. We’re proud to be a • The ‘portfolio’ versions of the logo radio brand but we’re a modern This page summarises the key elements have been introduced for use within radio brand, that understands radio of our identity system (and also strongly Absolute Radio branded is content, not channel. any changes, where elements have environments to make navigation evolved). easy and fun.

Discovery Icon • They are secondary elements and Absolute Radio has one central icon, must not stand alone. the ‘Discovery Icon’. • Having an icon is important to help people navigate app stores (which they do with pattern recognition).

• We need to use our icon consistently and persistently to make sure it becomes indelibly associated with our brand. Principles Page 3

One brand Portfolio Modernity Content

• One brand with one attitudinal • A choice of channels available on • Absolute Radio is a modern, digital • Absolute Radio provides a branded audience (‘reluctant adults’), one many different platforms. audio brand. platform for a variety of content. attitude and one visual style. Some of that content is branded in • We need to strike the right • Our Absolute Radio 60s, Absolute its own right. So it is important to balance of ‘similar difference’ Radio 70s, Absolute 80s, Absolute understand, and keep separate, the when communicating the portfolio Radio 90s, Absolute Radio 00s and channel brand and the content. offering. Absolute Classic Rock channels are not retro or ‘gold’ stations. • To facilitate this separation, the They play classic music, but with identity system provides a strong a thoroughly modern attitude, way of ‘holding’ any content. and in a thoroughly modern context. Those channels are as innovative as the main channel, and recontextualise their themes and content from a modern point-of- view. Basic elements Page 4

An overview The basic elements of the Absolute Radio brand identity create the ‘DNA’ of how we present ourselves. Although they may be used in different combinations and with different emphases, they build a unique, distinctive and recognisable look and Logotype Colour palette Discovery icon feel in our marketplace.

The basic elements consist of our logo, our colour palette, typeface, Discovery Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii icon and photographic style. Our Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr tone of voice principles and the way Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz we write and talk to people are also covered later in this guide. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 £ & ! ? 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 £ & ! ?

Typography - Gotham typeface Typography - Whitney typeface

Brand photography Channel app icon Discovery Icon Page 5

We have created a graphic device, known as our ‘Discovery Icon’.

It can be used to add authority to messaging (therefore reinforcing our brand proposition theme of discovery) and to generally add energy within design work.

Our icon should be used sparingly to maintain impact and to create a ‘stamp Used to reinforce key message of approval’ alongside key messages.

The Discovery Icon should not be positioned at an angle and should not be used as a bullet point. Master brand logo Page 6

Introduction Our logo is bold and confident. The logotype lock-up shown opposite consists of two parts: the Absolute Radio logotype and the Discovery Icon as a graphic device.

Exclusion zone To ensure that the logo is always clear and consistent, an exclusion zone should surround the logo. No other text or graphics should appear in this exclusion zone. The exclusion zone is the height of the ‘l’ in Absolute Radio, as illustrated opposite.

This exclusion zone should be applied to all master brand and channel logo lock-up variations. There may be exceptions to this rule where space is very limited.

Always use the master logo artwork files. Never try to recreate or alter the master logo artwork.

A full logo suite of master artwork versions of the Absolute Radio logo and all the Absolute Radio channel logos in Exclusion zone a variety of different formats can be obtained from: marketing@ absoluteradio.co.uk. Master brand logo usage Page 7

We have created logotype artworks Print Digital for print and digital usage in a variety of formats. Please ensure you use the relevant artwork formats (Pantone, CMYK, RGB etc.).

Always use the master logotype artwork files. Never try to recreate or alter the master logotype artwork.

Where appropriate, the master logo with strapline should be used. Our strapline is ‘Where Real Music Matters’.

A full logo suite of master artwork Preferred A3 size - 100mm wide Preferred size - versions of the Absolute Radio logo Preferred A4 size - 55mm wide 125 pixels wide or greater and all the Absolute channel logos in a variety of different formats can be obtained from: [email protected]

With strapline Master brand logo usage Page 8

Non photographic backgrounds Photographic backgrounds When producing the logotype on a photographic background ensure the logotype sits on an area of the photograph with a consistent tonal value, so the logotype remains clearly legible. The decision to choose a standard or reverse logotype is dependent on the background that it is being applied to. Light photographic and white or light grey backgrounds require a standard logotype. Dark photographic and black backgrounds require a reverse logotype.

Standard logotype Always use the standard logotype on a white background.

Do’s Use the reverse logotype Use the standard on dark photographic logotype on light backgrounds. photographic backgrounds.

Dont’s Do not use the Do not use the standard logotype on reverse logotype on dark photographic light photographic Reverse logotype Always use a reverse logotype on black backgrounds. backgrounds. or dark backgrounds. Master brand logo usage Page 9

Positioning The Absolute Radio logotype has no preferred positioning but care should be taken to ensure the exclusion zone is applied wherever possible.

The logotype should be placed in the top right or top left corner for most stationery applications.

There may be special exceptions to this rule due to legibility or where space is limited.

Stand-ups at breakfast Business card Letterhead Channel logos Page 10

Standard lock-up We have created logotype lock-ups for the Absolute Radio 60s, Absolute Radio 70s, Absolute 80s, Absolute Radio 90s, Absolute Radio 00s and Absolute Classic Rock radio stations.

Stacked lock-up Stacked logotype lock-ups should be used only where (horizontal) space is restricted. Names and abbreviations Page 11

Absolute Radio and its channels FM London Virgin Media provide content through a number of Absolute 915 Absolute Radio different technologies. Each technology has ts own unique naming convention DAB names and technical constraints in naming. Facebook This page shows how Absolute Radio 8 characters – subset Long Name Full name Vanity URL and its channels are displayed across in order of Long Name 16 characters Absolute Radio http://www.facebook.com/AbsoluteRadio all current distribution technologies. Absolute Absolute Radio Absolute Radio 60s http://www.facebook.com/AbsoluteRadio60s Abs R60s Absolute Rad 60s Absolute Radio 70s http://www.facebook.com/AbsoluteRadio70s Abs R70s Absolute Rad 70s Absolute 80s http://www.facebook.com/Absolute80s Abs R80s Absolute R 80s Absolute Radio 90s http://www.facebook.com/AbsoluteRadio90s Abs R90s Absolute Rad 90s Absolute Radio 00s http://www.facebook.com/AbsoluteRadio00s Abs R00s Absolute Rad 00s Absolute Classic Rock http://www.facebook.com/AbsoluteClassicRock Abs Rock Absolute C Rock

Sky names Twitter 14 characters – although kerning is an issue Full name 15 character username meaning some 14 character variations don’t fit Absolute Radio AbsoluteRadio Channel Number Short Name Absolute Radio 60s AbsoluteRadio60 0107 Absolute Absolute Radio 70s AbsoluteRadio70 0188 Absolute Rad 70s Absolute 80s Absolute80s 0200 Absolute 80s Absolute Radio 90s AbsoluteRadio90 0201 Absolute Rad 90s Absolute Radio 00s AbsoluteRadio00 0203 Absolute CR Absolute Classic Rock AbsoluteClassic Freeview Apps 727 Absolute Radio Brand favicon as per the style guidelines. All listen apps to have the word Absolute underneath Freesat All product apps e.g clock radios to have specific brand name 724 Absolute Radio e.g. OC clock Colour Page 12

We have a palette of 4 colours (plus Primary palette white) which are divided into 4 pairs – one primary pair and 3 secondary pairs.

Primary palette The primary colour palette contains two purples which complement the Discovery Icon in our master brand logotype. White PMS 254C PMS 2617C C0 M0 Y0 K0 C52 M96 Y0 K0 C80 M100 Y0 K0 The primary colour pair is used more R255 G255 B255 R149 G45 B152 R97 G45 B142 than the secondary colour pairs – HEX ffffff HEX 952d98 HEX 612d8f especially in our corporate comms and design work. The pair comprises Secondary palette a bright ‘highlight’ purple and a dark, ‘detail’ purple colour which should be used together to complement each other.

Irrespective of the above, we are an open, engaging and fresh brand so White Grey Black using white space is key. C0 M0 Y0 K0 C0 M0 Y0 K20 C0 M0 Y0 K100 R255 G255 B255 R210 G210 B210 R0 G0 B0 Secondary palette HEX ffffff HEX d1d3d4 HEX 000000 The secondary palette provides a neutral background. This allows areas Listen live button blue and features highlighted using purple The listen live button blue is only to be to stand out. It also helps to avoid using used for actionable listen live buttons. too much purple across web and press Blue executions. R0 G152 B219 HEX 0098db Typography Page 13

Primary typeface Headlines Our primary typeface, Gotham Light, is used for headlines in sentence case. Headlines are set in Gotham Light, sentence case, and can be ranged left or centre. The leading is calculated at minus 10% of the heading point size. Therefore when the Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo point size of the text is 40pt the leading becomes 40 minus 10% (4pt) which equals Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 36pt. Headlines are always set with minus 20 tracking (Adobe packages).

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 £ & ! ? Body text Set in Whitney Book, upper and lower case, ranged left. The leading for body copy should be increased in increments of 2pts.

Secondary typeface Gotham and Whitney can both be purchased from http://www.typography.com. Our secondary typeface, Whitney Book, is used for body copy in sentence case. Electronic/system font Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Outside of printed applications we use Arial on a day-to-day basis. It resembles Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz Whitney and Gotham, having the same readibility and openness, and comes as a standard system typeface in Microsoft templates, emails, web and other digital applications. We use Arial in bold, regular and regular italic in these application. Arial 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 £ & ! ? should not be set below 6pt. When used in PowerPoint it should not be set below 10pt. Photography Page 14

Photography used should reflect most, if not all of the following themes:

• Timeless: A photgraph that feels like it could have been taken 40 years ago or last week.

• Intimate: The photograph should capture the artist up-close or unaware. Brand photography

• Expressive: The artist should be lost in the music.

• Alternate view: The photograph should provide a view not usually seen.

• Colourful: Where possible the photograph should make strong use of colours to compliment the timeless feel. 60s 70s 80s

Photography for the decades stations should also be relevant to their respective decades.

90s 00s Classic Rock Tone of voice Page 15

Key words describing the brand are ‘irreverent’, ‘un-inhibited’, ‘spontaneous’ and ‘upbeat’. Alternatively, here we are in a sentence: a brand that speaks simply, tells it as it is with charm, and enjoys the occasional diversion into mischief and absurdity.

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About us Putting it all together Page 16

Home page Our website re-skin shows all of our brand elements working in harmony together. The main panel should be used to display great imagery and smart, engaging headlines that keep the user inspired or intrigued. Discovery Icons are used to highlight key points of interaction or navigation. Striking the right balance of ‘similar difference’. Putting it all together Page 17

Channel pages Our website re-skin shows all of our brand elements working in harmony together. The main panel should be used to display great imagery and smart, engaging headlines that keep the user inspired or intrigued. Discovery Icons are used to highlight key points of interaction or navigation, striking the right balance of ‘similar difference’. Putting it all together Page 18

Mobile Following the brand guidelines for the iPhone app and other smartphone iconography creates the desired ‘similar difference’ across the Absolute Radio channel and content portfolio. Putting it all together Page 19

Stationery Bringing to life our love for real music and showing off our core artists. Business cards and comp slips use brand relevant statements/messages in a witty and relevant way to bring warmth and attitude to our stationery range. Thank you.