MERIDIAN AUDIOBRAND COMMUNICATIONS GUIDELINES

meridian-audio.com

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1. Introduction 3 1.1 - Our Brand Values 4

2. Graphical Elements 5 2.1 - Meridian Primary Logo 6 2.2 - Logo Usage - Do's And Don'ts 8 2.3 - Meridian Secondary Logo 10 2.4 - Logo Usage - Minimum Sizes 11 2.5 - Colours 12 2.6 - Meridian Sub-Brands 14 2.7 - Typography 15 2.8 - Headers 17

3. Meridian Written Language 18 3.1 - How We Write 20 3.2 - Meridian Boilerplate 21

4. Meridian Design Templates 22 4.1 - Print Advertising - Style Guide 23 4.2 - Online advertising - Style Guide 24

5. Meridian Marketing Resources 26

CONTENTS

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Since 1977, Meridian Audio has been crafting innovative, elegant, high performance audio solutions. From its compact DSP loudspeakers with integrated

amplification, to its user-friendly music management platform, Sooloos, Meridian delivers easy to install, high resolution audio systems for home cinemas and

whole home solutions.

1. INTRODUCTION

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1.1 OUR BRAND VALUES

DESIGN PERFORMANCE

INNOVATION AWARD WINNING BRITISH

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We believe that our brand and the values it enshrines, is as important as the technology behind our products. By ensuring we apply a consistent approach to the

logo, fonts, colours and associated imagery, we can guarantee that the brand achieves the highest levels of recognition.

2. GRAPHICALELEMENTS

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Our primary logo comprises our stylised M (monogram) and our

name (wordmark). They are always used together except where

the application size or process doesn’t allow eg automotive

speaker enclosures and smaller screen sizes of our website as

viewed on mobile devices.

The logo is instantly recognisable and requires a consistency of

delivery across all media.

The logo and brand are trademarked which helps Meridian to

achieve a high degree of stand out and recognition in the market.

Examples of how the primary logo should be used can be found

in Design Templates (section 4).

High resolution logo files can be downloaded from the Meridian

Marketing Resources Media Centre - (section 5).

< monogram

< wordmark

No elements of the primary logo can be modified.

2.1 MERIDIAN PRIMARY LOGO

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Where the logo bleeds off the top of

a page, bleed would need to be added

in print so that the full primary logo

is displayed so keeping the square

proportions.

A clear boundary space needs to be left

around the logo to ensure its impact

is not compromised by other graphical

or typographical elements. To make it

simple the M used in the wordmark

should be used as a guide.

The logo should always be used in the

format above. The midpoint is formed

in the monogram as shown.

WITH BLEED ADDED

2.1 MERIDIAN PRIMARY LOGO (CONTINUED)

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To retain the consistency of the brand, the

primary or secondary logos must be not be

edited or customised in any way.

Examples of how the primary and secondary

logos should be used can be found in

Meridian Design Templates (section 4).

DO NOT deconstruct the logo

DO NOT change the colour of the monogram

DO NOT add descriptors to the logo

DO NOT place the logo on a background colour that isn’t black

DO NOT rearrange the logoDO NOT distort the monogram

DO NOT invert the monogram

DO NOT change the space relationship between the monogram to the wordmark

DO NOT change the proportions of the bounding box

DO NOT use black on white

2.2 LOGO USAGE - DO'S AND DON'TS

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2.2 LOGO USAGE - DO'S AND DON'TS (CONTINUED)

A transparent logo may be used on an image where it can achieve a high level of stand out. Busy or colourful backgrounds should be avoided. The logo's edges will

be denoted by a white border. A white border version of the logo should not be used for any other applications i.e. where solid black logo is used.

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Where the possible the primary logo should always be used. The secondary logo can be considered for applications where the primary logo doesn't work because of

the space available such as on email footers. The logos are available in different formats see Meridian Marketing Resources Media Centre (section 5).

A clear boundary space needs to be left around the logo to ensure

its impact is not compromised by other graphical or typographical

elements. To make it simple the M used in the wordmark should be

used as a guide.

2.3 MERIDIAN SECONDARY LOGO

Example of use on a white background.

Examples of use on a black background.

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In order to retain the integrity of the design and the legibility of the wordmark and monogram, the minimum size for the logos are:

PRIMARY SECONDARY

13 mm

300 DPI (print ) 72 DPI (online)

13 mm

70 pixels

70 pixels

72 DPI (online)

11mm 60 pixels

11mm 60 pixels

2.4 LOGO USAGE - MINIMUM SIZES

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In most applications Meridian Black and white are our primary colours, but we have a secondary pallette for use on applications such as print ads, online, technical sheets etc.

The Meridian colour palette consists of Meridian Black, white and a selection of secondary greys. The black allows the logo(s) to achieve a high level of stand out and

the use of white provides a clean space that allows copy and imagery to achieve a high level of prominance. The grey pallette is used for highlights and to add interest

to the designs.

Meridian Black

CMYK:*100, 100, 100, 100

Pantone® 433(Use for mono print)

85% Meridian Black

CMYK: 0, 0, 0, 85

55% Meridian Black

CMYK: 0, 0, 0, 55

11% Meridian Black

CMYK: 0, 0, 0, 11

White

CMYK: 0, 0, 0, 0

PRIMARY COLOURS SECONDARY COLOURS

* Please note the usual CMYK colour split of Pantone® 433 is 90/68/41/90, but in print 100% of each value is used to add depth.

PRINT

2.5 COLOURS

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SCREEN

The Meridian colour palette consists of Meridian Black, white and a selection of secondary greys.

Black Headings (second line): Rich Black

White Headings (first

line): Main Grey

Selected menu

text:

Mid Grey

Icons/lines etc:

Main Grey

Panels: Lightest

Grey

Additional panels:

Light Grey

Grey text over

black

2.5 COLOURS (CONTINUED)

HEX: #7f7f7f

RGB: 127, 127, 127

CMYK: 52, 3, 43, 8

HEX: #999999

RGB: 153,153,153

CMYK: 43, 35, 35, 1

HEX: #7f7f7f

RGB: 127, 127, 127

CMYK: 52, 43, 43, 8

HEX: #f8f8f8

RGB : 248, 248, 248

CMYK: 2, 1, 1, 0

HEX: #eeeeee

RGB: 238, 238, 238

CMYK: 5, 4, 4, 0

HEX: #cbcbcb

RGB: 203, 203, 203

CMYK: 20,15,16, 0

HEX: #000000RGB: 0, 0, 0CMYK: 75, 68, 67, 90

HEX: #ffffffRGB: 255, 255, 255CMYK: 0, 0, 0, 0

PRIMARY COLOURS SECONDARY COLOURS

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Our sub-brands have been designed to work in harmony

with our primary logo. Pantone®, CMYK, HEX AND RGB

values of each are shared with our primary logo.

The logos are available in different formats in our online

resources area. The logos are trademarked so must not be

edited or customised in any way.

2.6 MERIDIAN SUB-BRANDS AND CO-BRANDING WITH MERIDIAN PARTNERS

Our partnerships with leading manufacturers help us to demonstrate the world-class reputation of our products. Partner logos must not be used.

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Our font is an important component of our brand. It has been chosen because it reflects our personality - contemporary and distinctive. To ensure continuity of our brand

look and feel it should be used on all written materials.

The font size varies on the application. Examples of how the typeface should be in print and online etc can be found in Meridian Design Templates (section 4).

FONT LICENSING

FF Scala Sans Pro requires a licence which can be purchased from:

www.myfonts.com/fonts/fontfont/scala-sans-pro/

or

www.fontshop.com/families/ff-scala-sans/buy

NUMBERS

FF Scala Sans Pro allows for the capitalisation of numbers. Capitalised numbers are used in headers but not in body copy except online die to code format restrictions.

FF Scala Sans Pro Light:

0123456789 (uncapitalised)

0123456789 (capitalised)

FF Scala Sans Pro Regular:

0123456789 (uncapitalised)

0123456789 (capitalised)

2.7 TYPOGRAPHY

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Our primary typefaceOur primary typeface is FF Scala Sans Pro.Light and regular weights can be used.

FF Scala Sans Pro Regular

AaBbCcABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

FF Scala Sans Pro Light

AaBbCcABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

Digital typefaceOur primary online typeface is FF Scala Sans Pro.Light and regular weights are used.

FF Scala Sans Pro Regular

AaBbCcABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

FF Scala Sans Pro Light

AaBbCcABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

Whenever using the primary or secondary

fonts please use the following settings:

Leading - auto

Kerning - font size x 5/6.

The font size is dependent on the media.

Please refer to Meridian Design Templates

(section 4).

Text colour - 85% black

2.7 TYPOGRAPHY (CONTINUED)

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• A header style has been developed to use across a range of media to achieve a

high level of standout.

• The black box is to be created using the primary logo black which appropriate

to the media, see page 13 for Pantone®, CMYK, hex and RGB values.

• Text is always UPPERCASE.

• The font size and line spacing are dependent on the media. Please refer to

Meridian Design Templates (section 4).

MERIDIAN 808v6 SIGNATURE REFERENCE COMPACT DISC PLAYER

Numbers in headlines must be set to caps when used for print or online.

2.8 HEADERS

MERIDIAN AUDIOBRAND GUIDELINES

EThe perimeter space surrounding the text is half the x-height of a letter as illustrated here by the magenta coloured box layed over the letter E

ULTIMATE POWER ABSOLUTE CONTROL

The left or right alignment varies depending on layout of the

design. Please refer to Meridian Design Templates (section 4).

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How we communicate in written form is as important as our logo and typeface. We should highlight key messages i.e award-winning performance, commitment to

quality and innovation.

3. MERIDIAN WRITTEN LANGUAGE

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WHAT DOES THIS MEAN IN REALITY?

• Our copy should be professional, factual and friendly in tone.

• We want to excite and leave the reader wanting to find out more.

• We may need to tailor copy for different markets, but our message needs to be consistent.

1. COPY STRUCTURE:

Keep it simple - less is more.

Our style is:

• Sparing and concise.

• Short sentences and paragraphs.

• Informed and accurate.

• Technical when it needs to be.

• Up-to-date.

2. KEEP MESSAGES AND IDEAS TO A

PALATABLE NUMBER

• Lead with most important message.

• Avoid repetition.

• Tailor content to audience.

• Ensure content is engaging.

• Add clear calls to action.

3. IT'S ALL IN THE DETAIL

Attention to detail is paramount.

We should ensure that our written

language is of the highest quality to reflect

the quality of the Meridian brand.

3. MERIDIAN WRITTEN LANGUAGE

Here are a few pointers:

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KEYWORDS ASSOCIATED WITH

THE MERIDIAN BRAND AND

MERIDIAN PRODUCTS:

Aspirational

Visionary

Innovative

High Performance

Unrivalled

Quality

Award-winning

How to refer to Meridian and our products:

• In written copy the company may refer to itself as ‘Meridian’ and/or ‘we’, ‘us’ etc.

• ‘Meridian’ (the company) should always be singular when referred to – e.g. ‘Meridian is proud to be...’

• ‘We’, ‘us’ etc. make copy more personal, more inclusive and more human – important qualities in the relationship

with customers.

• Where usage of ‘Meridian’ and ‘we’, ‘us’ etc. are mixed, attention must be paid to correct grammatical usage –

sticking to the singular with ‘Meridian’ and plural with ‘we’ etc. as appropriate – and the transition between the two

properly managed, e.g.

From its beginnings over 40 years ago in Cambridge, UK, Meridian has grown and evolved to become a

global, high performance brand. Despite the passing of several decades our ethos remains the same as

when the company was founded.

• Where products and/or technology are specified that are unique to Meridian, it is good practice to qualify them

with the company name, at least in the first instance, e.g. Meridian Apodising Filter.

• While it is important for Meridian to take – and express – clear ownership of both its products and its technologies,

care should be taken not to overuse the name. Meridian is authoritative and confident; overstatement undermines

this position.

Please see Meridian Design Templates (section 4) to see samples of our written style across various media.

3.1 HOW WE WRITE

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When producing press releases, this is the standard introductory text about Meridian.

Since 1977, Meridian Audio has been crafting innovative, elegant, high performance audio solutions. From its compact DSP loudspeakers with integrated amplification,

to its user-friendly music management platform, Sooloos, Meridian delivers easy to install, high resolution audio systems for home cinemas and whole home solutions.

The Meridian Audio experience is now also available in the latest models from Jaguar Land Rover, thanks to a collaborative partnership between these two leaders of

British innovation and engineering. Learn more at www.meridian-audio.com.

Follow Meridian on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and You Tube @MeridianAudio.

3.2 MERIDIAN BOILERPLATE

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The Meridian brand has many consumer touchpoints from our website and leaflets through to adverts. It is important that a consistent look and feel is delivered

across all these different channels. The examples in this section demonstrate the correct use of the logo, fonts, colours and how the different graphical and written

elements come together.

We have a range of advert templates for common sizes in our Meridian Marketing Resources Media Centre (section 5). Please note a licence for our corporate fonts is

required, please do not substitute the font.

4. MERIDIAN DESIGN TEMPLATES

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Our advert design uses the following style rules:

FONT SIZES

Leading - auto

Kerning- zero

Body copy colour - 85% black

Body copy colour - 80% black

Lines 1pt stroke - 100% black

Heading black panel behind text uses the CMYK splits for

Meridian Black.

This page shows an example of the typical layout with its

clean and concise approach to the message and design.

THE BEST POSSIBLE SOUND, WHEREVER YOU ARE

At Meridian, we are experts in crafting and delivering innovative, elegant, high performance audio visual solutions for our international customers. With over 300 industry awards and accolades to our name, we know a thing or two about authentic performance so if you’re looking for audio perfection, then look no further.

AWARD-WINNING PRODUCTS

CRAFTED IN BRITAIN

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

meridian-audio.com

Find out More by

visiting us At:

MAudio ad 240x300_v2.indd 1 21/11/2016 14:34

4.1 PRINT ADVERTISING - STYLE GUIDE

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We have a range of advert templates for common sizes in our online resource

area at Meridian Marketing Resources Media Centre - (section 5). Please do not

substitute our corporate font. A licence to use the font is required and available

from:

www.myfonts.com/fonts/fontfont/scala-sans-pro/

or

www.fontshop.com/families/ff-scala-sans/buy

Due to the size and low reolution of online adverts the font size and logo

placement sizes may need some flexibility to allow legibility.

Please see examples here for page layout, font sizes/style, placement of logo,

cobranding and pictures.

4.2 ONLINE ADVERTISING - STYLE GUIDE

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4.2 ONLINE ADVERTISING - STYLE GUIDE (CONTINUED)

Example of Leader board

Example of video player window Example of animated GIF

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5. MERIDIAN MARKETING RESOURCES

MERIDIAN AUDIO LTD, Latham Road, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE29 6YE United Kingdom

E: info@meridian.co.uk T: +44 (0)1480 445678

meridian-audio.com

Updated 27th July, 2017

MARKETING RESOURCES:

To ensure that we deliver a consistent brand experience across all media, the Meridian marketing team have

created a online Media Centre which contains the latest authorised assets including: logos and sub-brand

logos, icons, document templates and photographs

To access these resources please go to: www.meridian-audio.com/en/media-centre/

If you require further assistance or assets which aren't in the resources area please contact our marketing team

at marketing@meridian.co.uk.