b&b design guidelines

me&mydesign guide

Draft Version 1 – September 2006


Contents

3 me&my thinking

5 me&my words

10 me&my pictures

14 me&my colours

16 me&my layout

23 me&my contacts

me&my design guide 2

Welcome.This is a rough guide to creating a piece of me&my communication.Hopefully it covers everything you need to know. If not, justgive us a call and we’ll be happy to answer any of your questions.You’ll find our numbers at the end of the guide.

‘So what’sthe big idea?’

me&my thinking 3


The key to the campaign is the ampersand, which sits atthe centre of the company name. This branding device linksthe customer, their hopes, their fears, their dreams andtheir needs to Bradford & Bingley and the products they offer.It’s a collaborative, not authoritarian service. They understandthe customers’ needs and are enthusiastic about helping them.

This warm, friendly and accessible mood is supported by referringto the customer in the first person – an idea that results in an overtlyconversational tone of voice. The typography utilises a rounded,friendly font, mirroring the curves of the bowler hat icon. And theoverall look and feel is enhanced by the use of Lomographicphotography which is intrinsically intimate, personal and unstaged inits feel. The result is a very personal point of view, unusual angles andcrops as well as vibrant colour that all gives the work a unique look.

The‘me&my’idea isall about creatinga dialogue betweenthe customer...

andBradford & Bingley.

me&my thinking 4

me&my thinking

‘Tell me, inplain English’

me&my words 5

me&my words 6

So what arewe saying?’There are five main copy elements to everypiece of me&my communication.

1 The ‘me&my’ title.This should capture the essence of what the piece is about.Wherever possible, the title should be of an emotional or aspirationalnature. The title of a first-time buyer mortgage brochure forexample, might be ‘me&my dreams’. Literal titles such as ‘me&mymortgage’ or ‘me&my new home’ should be avoided.

2 The ‘me&my’ subtitle.In contrast to the title, the subtitle is a literal description of the contentsof the communication. The serious bit. Continuing with the aboveexample, the subtitle for a first-time buyer mortgage brochure couldbe ‘First-time Buyer’s Mortgages’. This would give us the following:

‘

For a full list of me&my examples, see page 25


1

2

me&my words 7

The me page The Bradford & Bingley page


4 The world according to ‘me’.This forms the introduction to the piece.The conversation starter. Written in the first person,it’s the customer’s take on the subject matter.It gives us an insight into their opinions, needs andconcerns. It should be direct, relevant, naturaland above all, believable. Where possible, the openershould end with a question. An invitation forBradford & Bingley to continue the conversation.

5 Bradford & Bingley’s response.This is the main body of the communication and containsthe specific product information. It begins by answering oracknowledging the comments made by the customer,and offering solutions to their needs. It should also includereasons why Bradford & Bingley are the best people tohelp them. Finally, the communication should end with aclear explanation of what the customer should do next.Where do they go? Who do they talk to? Where can theyget more information?

3 The Navigation Panel.This is a narrow strip that runs the full width of the spread.It contains the headings for the ‘world according to me’section on the left, and the Bradford & Bingley responseon the right. The first is written in the first person, from theperspective of the customer. The second is a generalBradford & Bingley heading. The headings are listed onthe contents page to aid navigation.

3

me&my words 8

How are wesaying it?’As we’ve already mentioned, the wholecampaign is based on a dialogue betweenthe customer and Bradford & Bingley.

To write successfully for both sides of theconversation it is vital we understandwho the customer is.

Without this information, the customer quotes won’t sound natural orbelievable. And more importantly, Bradford & Bingley will struggle tomake a connection with the customer. We should aim to get inside themind of the customer and understand what motivates them.

When it comes to writing from the customer side, we need to knowhow that person talks. Their age, sex, education, social standing andcircumstances all contribute to the way they come across. Are theyworried, excited, relaxed or sceptical? Is there someone you know thatfits the profile? If so, think about how they might speak. Aim to bedirect, relevant, natural, but above all, believable.

When writing the Bradford & Bingley side, be conversationalyet authoritative, and keep the content simple, yet comprehensive.Aim to make even the most complicated financial informationinteresting, entertaining and easy to understand. Also, try to useplain English, shorter sentences and active verbs. Here aresome examples of typical banking literature which has been giventhe ‘me&my’ treatment.

‘

With no loss of meaning, the copy is shorter, friendlier and easier to digest.

Finally, on a general point, the overall tone of voice shouldmirror the Lomographic style of photography used by being upbeat,warm and natural.

BEFOREAfter this date, the fixed rateof interest will cease to apply andthe bond will earn interest at avariable rate to be determined byus and notified to you.

Once your new account hasbeen opened you will receive acertificate displaying thebalance of your new account.

Prior to maturity, we will contactyou in order to make you awareof other investment opportunitiesthat may be currently available.

AFTERAfter this date, the fixed rate willswitch to variable. We’ll let youknow at the time what your newrate will be.

Once we’ve opened youraccount, we’ll send you acertificate showing the balance.

Before your investment ends,we’ll tell you about the otheropportunities available to you.



me&my words 9

What are wesaying it with?’

The font we’ve chosen for the new work is VAG. A friendly, roundedfont that mirrors the curves of the bowler hat icon. It supports theidea of Bradford & Bingley being a positive, approachable companywho are always happy to help. It injects personality into thecustomer quotes, bringing them to life.

We use two main weights of VAG for the communications.One for headings and main intro’s, the other for general body copy.

‘

This is VAG Rounded light.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890This is VAG Rounded bold.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890

Just to confuse things a little, there’s also a third, extra light versionthat we use exclusively for the ampersand in the main me&my line.

This is VAG Rounded Thin.

me&my ampersand

‘What are welooking at here?’

me&my pictures 10


me&my pictures 11

Yes, of courseI know whatLomography is…just remind me again.’Our chosen photographic style, Lomography, gets its name from aformer state-run optics company in Russia called Lomo. The camerasthey manufactured used an unusual lens, which produced largeamounts of distortion around the edges of the image, as well as over-saturated colours. The camera’s small size and ability to shoot in lowlight encourages casual, spontaneous use. The result is a very natural,rough-edged style that incorporates strange crops and odd angles.This is summed up in the Lomography motto of ‘don’t think, just shoot’.

So why is it right for the new campaign?The new work aims to convey the thoughts and experiences ofreal people and real lives. We feel the natural, uncontrived style ofLomography captures this idea in a very effective and striking way.

‘


me&my pictures 12

What aboutthe scenarios?’

The cover shot scenario always takes its lead from theme&my line above it. While the images on the inside relate tothe main customer quote, which is superimposed upon it.The link between the line and image should be subtle, andthe scenarios should appear natural and unstaged.We are aiming to capture the emotion or sentiment of theline, not a literal visualisation of it.

‘

This works’‘ This doesn’t’‘


me&my pictures 13

So are wejust using uglypeople?’

Not at all. But the people in the shots have to look real.If they’re too good looking, there’s a danger they’lllook like models. We should however aim to use peoplewho have interesting faces. It is their individuality andpersonality that makes them attractive, not their lusciouslips and chiselled jaws.

It goes without saying (but we’re going to say it anyway)that the people used should match the target audience forthe piece of communication being produced.

‘

This works’‘ This doesn’t’‘

‘Give it to me, inblack and white’

me&my colours 14


me&my colours 15

What have I gotto play with?’There are only two colours that remain constant throughout the wholecampaign. Grey and white. The grey being the colour of the abovepanel and the text you’re reading right now, and the white, well, youknow what white looks like. The cover and back page always usewhite type on grey.

The accent colour however, can be anything you like – providing it is light enough to sit comfortably on the grey. We chooseit by selecting a key colour from the main front cover image.

‘So what can I use the accent colour for?’The ‘me&’ on the front cover, and wherever else it appears, is alwayshighlighted in the accent colour. So too is the Bradford & Bingley logo.This works to give a subtle ‘me& Bradford & Bingley’ message.The main customer quotes on the inside should also use the accent,as well as any headings that need to be punched out.

As a general rule, the accent colour represents the customerwhile the grey and white represents Bradford & Bingley.

Finally, we can also use a paler, spot-lit version of the accent as atextured background colour for the inside spreads.

‘

The accent colour is selected from the main image.

Grey

textured background image.

Pantone:TBC

Process:TBC

‘How does it allfit together?’

me&my layout 16


me&my layout 17

Typical 210mm front cover

Headline text

34pt type

Subhead text

22pt type

me&my tip

Make sure theaccent colouryou choose forthe ‘me&’ andthe logo standsout well fromthe grey.

Fresher, lessmuddy coloursseem to workthe best.

Here we’vetaken a coloursample fromthe leaves in thebackground

me&my tip

Use the thin version of the fontfor the ‘me&my’ ampersand.

me&my tip

Use the little hat at the end ofeach ‘me&my’ statement.


me&my layout 18

Typical 210mm double page spread

me&my tip

The accentcolour youchoose for thefront covergenerallycontinuesthroughout theinside pages.

The ‘me’headline in ourexample hasbeen placed ina clear space,away from thewoman’s face.

Different typesizes havebeen used tocreate impact inthe headline.

me&my tip

In our example,we have useda texturedbackgroundimage on theright hand side,that reflectsthe photography.

When usedsparingly, thishelps to preventthe right handpages lookingtoo repetitive.

(The colour hasbeen takenfrom the greenaccent colour.)



me&my layout 19

Typical 210mm double page spread

Headline text

20pt type24pt leading

Bodycopy

10.5pt type12pt leading

Subhead text


Navigation text

Heading – 16pt bold typePage no. – 16pt light type



me&my layout 20

Fixed-Term Bondme&mysensibleside

80mm

30mm

100mm

99mm

7 Logo 57mm 7

23mm

13.5mm

13.5mm

5.10%p.a.

Fixed Term Bond

Gross/AER fixed until 7th July 2008

(Issue 132)

Fixed-Term Bond

5.10%p.a.

Fixed Term Bond

Gross/AER fixed until 7th July 2008

(Issue 132)

me&mysensibleside

Typical 1/3A4 leafletfront cover

Headline text

26pt type

Subhead text

19pt type

me&my tips

Use the thin version of the fontfor the ‘me&my’ ampersand.

Use the little hat at the end ofeach ‘me&my’ statement.


me&my layout 21

We don’t think so. That’s why ourFixed Term Savings Bond offers5.10% p.a. gross/AER until 7th July2008. That’s a great rate.And what’s more, it’s guaranteed.Which means you know exactlywhere you are at the start, and moreimportantly, exactly where you’llbe when the investment matures.

How does it work?All you have to do is make a one-off lump suminvestment. This can be as little as £1000or as much as £250,000. It’s important to thinkcarefully about the amount, as you won’t beallowed to make any deposits or withdrawalsonce the investment begins. When theinvestment matures on the 7th July 2008, you’llhave instant access to your funds and therate will switch to variable. If you’d rather haveaccess to your funds from the word go, we canhelp with that too. Just ask us about our othergreat investments products like our tax-free minicash ISA or our high interest savings account.

‘I’ve taken risks, of course.When I was younger. Some ofthem paid off, others didn’t.Nowadays, I want certainty.Predictability. When I put mymoney into a savings account,I want to know exactly howmuch I’ll get back, and when.That’s not too much to ask is it?’

What about the interest?Your interest can be paid annually or monthly.Whichever suits you. With annual payments, youcan earn interest on your interest by leaving itin your savings bond. Or if you prefer, you canhave it paid into a separate bank account.Payment takes place on the 7th July each year.If you choose the monthly option, your interestmust be paid into a separate bank account andhappens on the 1st of each month. For adetailed outline of the interest rates, please seethe main rate panel within this brochure.

What do I do next?First of all, we recommend you read the termsand conditions on the back of this brochure.We know it won’t be the most exciting thing you’llever read, but it does give you all the informationyou need to help you make the right decision.

If you do decide to take advantage of thegreat returns and peace of mind a savings bondcan offer, just get in touch with us and we’llarrange it for you right away. There are threeways you can do this:

Visit your local Bradford & BingleyCall 0845 600 8885Log on to bradfordandbingley.co.uk

me&mysensibleside Fixed-term Bond

Typical 1/3A4 leafletinside pages


me&my layout 22

We don’t think so. That’s why ourFixed Term Savings Bond offers5.10% p.a. gross/AER until 7th July2008. That’s a great rate.And what’s more, it’s guaranteed.Which means you know exactlywhere you are at the start, and moreimportantly, exactly where you’llbe when the investment matures.

How does it work?All you have to do is make a one-off lump suminvestment. This can be as little as £1000or as much as £250,000. It’s important to thinkcarefully about the amount, as you won’t beallowed to make any deposits or withdrawalsonce the investment begins. When theinvestment matures on the 7th July 2008, you’llhave instant access to your funds and therate will switch to variable. If you’d rather haveaccess to your funds from the word go, we canhelp with that too. Just ask us about our othergreat investments products like our tax-free minicash ISA or our high interest savings account.

‘I’ve taken risks, of course.When I was younger. Some ofthem paid off, others didn’t.Nowadays, I want certainty.Predictability. When I put mymoney into a savings account,I want to know exactly howmuch I’ll get back, and when.That’s not too much to ask is it?’

What about the interest?Your interest can be paid annually or monthly.Whichever suits you. With annual payments, youcan earn interest on your interest by leaving itin your savings bond. Or if you prefer, you canhave it paid into a separate bank account.Payment takes place on the 7th July each year.If you choose the monthly option, your interestmust be paid into a separate bank account andhappens on the 1st of each month. For adetailed outline of the interest rates, please seethe main rate panel within this brochure.

What do I do next?First of all, we recommend you read the termsand conditions on the back of this brochure.We know it won’t be the most exciting thing you’llever read, but it does give you all the informationyou need to help you make the right decision.

If you do decide to take advantage of thegreat returns and peace of mind a savings bondcan offer, just get in touch with us and we’llarrange it for you right away. There are threeways you can do this:

Visit your local Bradford & BingleyCall 0845 600 8885Log on to bradfordandbingley.co.uk

me&mysensibleside Fixed-term Bond30mm

13.5mm

40mm

210mm

99mm 99mm 97mm

9.5 80mm 9.5 9.5 80mm 9.5 9.5 80mm 7.5

Typical 1/3A4 leafletinside pages

Headline text

15pt type18.5pt leading

Subhead text

14pt type

Bodycopy


Navigation text

18pt type (On left)14pt type (On right)

‘Who’s responsiblefor all this?’

me&my contacts 23

me&my contacts 24

Paul RayAccount Director

Call 0161 831 7141M 07713214713Email [email protected]

Jon MarchantSenior Account Manager


Louise SouthernAccount Manager


Ideally we’d like to give you a direct line to the art directors,copywriters and designers responsible for the work but as so manypeople have been involved in its creation, this could prove to berather chaotic.

So instead, you can call any of the nice people below and they willbe happy to direct your queries to the relevant person. We hope youenjoy developing the new work and look forward to assisting you.


me&mypossibilitiesSavings Guide

me&mynest eggInvestment Guide

me&mynew lease of lifePension Guide

me&myloved onesInheritance Tax Planning

me&myfutureFinancial Planning

me&mylittle treasuresFirst Save Account

me&myindependenceSmart Save Account

me&mytidy sumClient Reserve Account

me&myawarenessLatest Account Rates

me&myeasy optionDirect Savings Range

me&myeye for detailTerms & Conditions

me&myprecious thingsChild Trust Fund


me&my examples 25

b&b design guidelines

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