REPLAS STYLE GUIDE
What is a style guide?
A style guide is simply a set of standards for the design and writing of documents that an organisation has decided to implement in order to represent itself a certain way.
The Replas style provides a platform to help us communicate consistently and to differentiate our communications from other organisations.
Why do we need one?
The purpose of the Replas Style Guide is to ensure that the language we use in all of our communications (both internally and externally) is as far as possible consistent, as this will ensure we look professional.
This style guide is not cast in iron; instead, it is ‘a work in progress’ and will need to be updated and even changed from time to time.
If you notice any errors or inconsistencies across our various communications (including the style guide itself!), or if anything is unclear, please let us know. We welcome your opinions, suggestions, input or comments and look forward to receiving them via email to [email protected].
Replas Style Guide
Abbreviations You should use the full name of any organisation followed by the upper case initials in brackets in the first instance, then the upper case initials only after that (e.g. According to the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), its purpose is to protect, care for and improve our environment.
Apostrophes Add an apostrophe to a word to indicate possession (e.g. the seat’s leg, the council’s decision). If the word already ends in an s, there is no need to add another one (e.g. Replas’ products).
Apostrophes are also used to indicate the omission of a letter. To keep our language friendly and informal, we often use contractions such as can’t (can not) or they’ve (they have) in our writing.
Dates don’t need an apostrophe (e.g. the 1990s, not the 1990’s), and neither do words which are abbreviations of other words such as CEO and DVD. REPLAS STYLE GUIDE
Capitalisation Keep capitals to a minimum, but do use them for product names (e.g. Kingfisher Bench).
The names of local councils should be capitalised when used in full (e.g. Bayside Council) but left in lower case when used as a generic term (e.g. the council). Likewise, the names of places names are capitalised when used in full (e.g. Merri Creek, the Gulf of Carpentaria) but elements of a name are left in lower case when used on their own (e.g. the creek), unless widely used as an abbreviated name for a particular place (e.g. the Gulf).
Dates Use the simple date style 30 July 2009, without commas.
Email addresses Company email addresses should take the following form—First name.Last [email protected](e.g. [email protected]).
EM dash An EM dash is to be used in preference to a hyphen when there is additional information to a sentence, e.g. You recycle around 62 per cent of your solid waste— that’s a huge step in the right direction. There should be no space either side of the EM dash.
Enduroplank™
Enduroplank™ is trademarked and as such should always appear in text with the trademark symbol and a capital ‘E’. The trademark symbol is found in word, by going to ‘insert’ then ‘symbol’ and choosing from the selection. The term is never to be altered for example: Enduroplanking, enduroplanks.
Font Use of the same typeface for all communications is critical for achieving and maintaining a unified visual style for Replas. We use Times New Roman, in 12 or 10 point depending on the space available in your document.
Headings and sub-headings Headings in a document should be in Calibri 14 point and may be all upper case or a combination of upper and lower, unless there are sub-sections in which case the heading should be all upper case and the sub-heading should be upper case and lower case. For example: 1 SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY 1.2 Personal use of social media
Headings should appear in bold and no punctuation (colon, comma, or full stop) should be used at the end of the line.
Sub-headings used in the body of a document should be capitalised and lower case. They should be shown in bold, usually in the same size font used for the text. REPLAS STYLE GUIDE
Hyphens The term recycled-plastic should be written with a hyphen when used as an adjective (e.g. Replas sells recycled-plastic outdoor furniture). But where you are describing recycled plastic as an entity (noun), no hyphen is needed (e.g. Replas’ furniture is made from recycled plastic).
Logo All documents should have the Replas logo in the top right hand corner of the page.
The Replas logo must not be changed as per the preferred JPG file on the company drive. No additions below or surrounding the logo can occur without the written consent from the communications team. It is important from a brand point of view that our logo is represented the same in all areas of the business.
Measurements Use numerals to express measurements in text, but spell out the units of measurements (e.g. 25 millimetres). If they are used repeatedly, however, abbreviations can be introduced after the first incidence (e.g. 25 mm). Use the singular form for decimal fractions (e.g. 0.8 kilogram, 0.5 metre).
If abbreviation is used there must still be a space between the numeral and the measurement i.e. 5 mm not 5mm.
Use the following abbreviations: Millimetre mm Metre m Kilogram kg Square metre sq. m
Names of documents When referred to in text, the name of a document should be written in italics (e.g. Replas Product Guide, Customer Order—Checklist for Reps).
Numbers Spell out whole numbers in text up to and including ten and use figures thereafter (e.g. nine picnic settings, 240 bollards). If comparing a series of numbers in a sentence, and the comparison uses both numbers fewer than and greater than ten, use numerals for both.
Per cent In text, per cent should be spelled out (e.g. five per cent). You can use a percentage symbol (%) in tables with a number (e.g. 5%).
Quotation marks Single quotation marks to be used for a person’s quote, e.g. The council said, ‘They would continue to use Replas products’. Double quotation marks to be used to make a word stand out, e.g. Converting waste plastics into high quality “new” products. REPLAS STYLE GUIDE
Double quotes are also used to indicate a quote within a quote, e.g. The school said, ‘We love the seats and the children have said, “We can’t believe how comfortable they are”’.
Replas Where the Replas name appears in printed material it should only appear in black or ‘Replas’ blue. The RGB for ‘Replas’ blue is:
R 0 G 136 B 238
C 100 M 47 Y 7 K 0
PMS 285
Green (Trex)
R 0 G 255 B 0
C 50 M 0 Y 100 K 0
PMS 376
Specifications Should be shown as follows, and in this order:
Speed hump specifications
Height 60 mm,
Width 380 mm
Length 1.5 m
Weight 16 kg
Spike diameter 12 mm
Bolt diameter 10 mm
REPLAS STYLE GUIDE
Underlining
Underlining should not be used in any Replas correspondence. Underlining is unprofessional and difficult for the eye to process.
Bold type or different fonts should be used in preference.
Website address Should be written as follows: www.replas.com.au No underline is used unless it is a hyperlink.