2015 BRAND GUIDELINES - RCOG · PDF fileRoyal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) 3 Brand guidelines 2015 Introducing new corporate branding guidelines for the Royal

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)

Brand guidelines 2015

2015 BRAND GUIDELINES

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Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) 2Brand guidelines 2015

Contents

Introducing new corporate branding 3

Full colour logo 4

Versions of the logo 5

Minimum size of logo and exclusion zone 7

Proportion and positioning 8

Incorrect use of logo 9

Resolution 10

Logo positioning examples 11

Cover structure 12

Joint branding 15

Membership devices 17

Typography 19

The colour palette 22

Secondary colour specifications 23

Kite mark logos 25

Images 26

Brand values and tone of voice 27

Contact details 30

Brand guidelines updated August 2015


Introducing new corporate brandingguidelines for the Royal College ofObstetricians and Gynaecologists

How an organisation is branded can play animportant role in whether it succeeds or fails.A brand is not just a logo, it is the ethics andpersona of the organisation. This includes thestyle of design, the execution of that design,the values, corporate logo, marketing, internalpolicies and even the business processes –all these can influence a brand image.

If image is everything, then the organisation’s imageneeds to be paramount.

A strong brand provides an instantly recognisableand professional image to the outside world. Lackof brand consistency causes confusion among ouraudience. Implementation of our brand consistentlyacross all marketing materials will enable us tohave positive associations for our audience, gainawareness and build upon our reputation for thequality and expertise of service we deliver.

This manual provides guidance and rulesto the staff and contractors of the RCOGon the use of the RCOG logo and how theRCOG brand is to be reflected on varioustypes of literature and marketing materialsto ensure we deliver brand consistency.


Full colour logo

Our corporate full colour logo is the mostrecognisable symbol of RCOG and isunique to us. As such, it is crucial we use it correctly and consistently.

Whenever you are using the full colour logo make sure it is the original version, found on the R:drive External Relations\ Marketing\Branding\Logos\RCOG Logo

Never alter or redraw it in any way, and always reproduce its elements in the correct size and specified colours.

The RCOG logo should appear in full colouron a white background (as shown).

For supply of the logo and/or guidance onits use, please contact the Marketing Team.


Primary and secondary logo files

The primary version of the logo should be,in most cases, considered as the default logo;however, there are times when alternativescan be used. For example, where verticalspace is limited then the secondary logomay be used.

In some cases it will be appropriate to usethe shield in isolation (particularly whenspace restrictions dictate) or when usingin graphic designs such as lapel badges etc.On printed and web media the name ofthe College should normally be apparentelsewhere on the page. If using the shieldin isolation, advice should be taken from the Marketing Team.

Secondary logo – PLEASE NOTE

The secondary logo should only to be used in exceptional circumstances. Please contact the Marketing Team.

Primary logo

Secondary logo


Logo variations

Colour options

The primary full colour version of the logo should be used when posible. However, there are times when alternatives need to be used. For example, on black & white documents.

The RCOG reversed type logo can be used on dark backgrounds but care is needed to make sure that all elements of the logo are clearly visible.

The white simplified logo can be used in cases when the coloured shield would not reproduce, or when a single white version is required.

Reversed logos – PLEASE NOTE

Before using the reversed logos, please contact the Marketing Team.

Coat of arms

The RCOG coat of arms is only to be usedin very exceptional high status material andcommunications, e.g. our certificates, mattersrelating to the royal charter, medals andcorrespondence with heads of state andgovernment. Before considering using the coatof arms, please contact the Marketing Team.

Black & White logo

Reversed type colour shield logo

White simplified shield logo

14

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Branding Guidelines 2012

Curves with image and text

The RCOG curves can be used effectively with an image and text. The text should be placed on the white space on the right of the document as shown.

Where necessary the curves can be moved to the left to allow for extended text space as shown.

Sample Text Headingsample text sub heading

sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text sample text

Sample Text Heading

Coat of arms

The RCOG coat of arms is only to be used in very exceptional high status material and communications, e.g. our certifi cates, matters relating to the royal charter, medals and correspondence with heads of state and government. Before considering using the coat of arms, please contact the Marketing Team.


Minimum size of primary logo

The minimum size the logo can be usedis shown here. Its width can be no lessthan 35mm to ensure clarity. No brandingshould appear smaller than this size.

Minimum size of secondary logo

The minimum size the logo can be usedis shown here. Its width can be no lessthan 25mm to ensure clarity. No brandingshould appear smaller than this size.

Minimum size of shield only

The minimum size the shield can be usedis shown here. Its width can be no lessthan 10mm to ensure clarity. No brandingshould appear smaller than this size.

Exclusion zone

To ensure that the RCOG logo isproperly represented, please ensure thatthe logo has enough clear white spacearound it (called the ‘exclusion zone’). Thisis the area surrounding the logo that noother graphics or text can encroach on. The illustration shows how to measure this.

The clear space around the logo is basedon a measurement which is the width ofthe star motif in the logo. This measurementmust be applied to the top, bottom,left and right of the corporate logo. EX = the width of the shield

35mm - minimum width

25mm minimum width

10mm minimum width

EX

EX

EX

EX


Proportion

When scaling the logo up or down to therequired size, it must always be scaled inthe correct proportion. Only click and dragfrom a corner of the logo artwork to altersizing. Never distort the width or height inisolation (see Incorrect use of logo – page 9).

The logo must also be the correct sizeand proportion relative to the size of thedocument.

See page 11 for more guidance on the correct logo sizes for A4 and A5 covers.

Positioning

The logo should always be positionedat the top right of a document or, inexceptional circumstances, bottom right.

Any other positioning of the logo must beapproved by the Marketing Team prior touse. Always follow the exclusion zone rulewhen positioning the RCOG logo aroundthe edges of a page or when you arecombining it with other graphic elements. X


Incorrect use of logo

To maintain the integrity of the RCOG’sbrand, adherence to these guidelinesmust be maintained wherever it appears.The simplest way to follows theseguidelines is to use the approved digitalartwork for all the variants of the logo,and good judgement in applying them.

Please contact the Marketing Team forsupply of the correct logo.

These are examples of how NOTto use the logo:

DO NOT take elements of the logoand use them in isolation

DO NOT distort the logo in any way

X

X

X

X

X

X

DO NOT alter the logo colour

DO NOT recreate the logo using

another typeface

DO NOT place the colour logo on a background colour that

inhibits legibility

DO NOT build new logotypes based

around the logo

DO NOT take elements of thelogo and use them

in isolation

DO NOT distort the logo in

any way


Resolution

The resolution of the logo affects the clarity of the image and therefore its legibility.

It is important the correct resolution is used for the media being producedas inappropriate usage could pixelate and blur the logo as it is enlarged.

Vector or other types of file aresometimes required by externaldesign and print companies; these mayinclude files with the AI, EPS and PNGextensions. In this situation please contactthe Marketing Team who will supplyyou with the correct logo format.


Logo positioning examples

This page shows the logo positioning on A4 and A5 covers.

The logo is 60mm wide on A4 and 45mm wide on A5.

Become an official training provider

RCOG CoursesBecome an official training provider

RCOG Courses

Join our community, share your values

Associate Membership


Associate Membership


Cover structure

This page shows the structure for front covers. Logo area

A5

A4

50mm

35mm

70mm

50mm

Title area

Branding area



RCOG Courses


Cover structure

This page shows examples of design specific and image based covers.


RCOG Courses



RCOG Courses


Associate MembershipBecome an official training provider


RCOG Courses


RCOG Courses


RCOG Courses


RCOG Courses


Cover structure

This page shows examples of text based covers.


RCOG Courses



RCOG Courses


RCOG Courses

This area could have a large positive statement in the Sabon Bold Italic.

This area could have a large positive statment in the Sabon Bold Italic.


RCOG Courses


RCOG Courses


RCOG Courses


RCOG Courses


RCOG Courses

Partner logos


Joint branding

We have defined an exclusion zone that prevents other logos interfering with the RCOG logo.

The clear space around the logo when positioned adjacent to another logo is based on double the measurement of the standard exclusion zone (i.e. the width of the star motif).

This measurement must be applied to the top, bottom, left and right of the corporate logo.

Use of logos with partners

Normally the RCOG logo should always be positioned top right and the partner logo top left or bottom left (if RCOG is top right).

If a potential partner’s own guidelines put this in conflict with our preferred approach, advice should be sought from the Marketing Team.

EX

EX

EX

EX

EX

EX

EX

EX


RCOG CoursesPartner logo

Example shown of a jointly branded advert

Partner logoTo register your interest please visit:

rcog.org.uk/events/eurapag2014

London 2014 17-20 September

13th European Congress of Paediatric

and Adolescent Gynaecology

To register your interest please visit:

rcog.org.uk/events/eurapag2014

London 2014 17-20 September

13th European Congress of Paediatric

and Adolescent Gynaecology


Cover structure – joint branded

This page shows examples of jointly branded covers.







RCOG Courses


RCOG CoursesFirst annual reportNational heavy menstrual bleeding auditMay 2011

A national audit to assess patient outcomes and experiences of care for women with heavy menstrual bleeding in England and Wales

First Annual ReportMay 2011

National HeavyMenstrual BleedingAudit

A national audit to assess patientoutcomes and experiences ofcare for women with heavymenstrual bleeding inEngland andWales

Funding provided by:




Funding provided by:




Funding provided by:Sponsors: Funding provided by:


Membership devices

The membership devices have been created to provide a recognisable identity for core membership communications Such as membership renewals and recruitment.

The devices are also a way to visually group and promote membership benefits.

The groupings are as follows:

• Support and Guidance

• Championing Change

• Get Involved

• Professional Development

• Professional Recognition

• Network & Engage

Colours from the brand palette have been assigned to the devices and are specifically linked to that type of membership communication e.g. membership renewal or benefits grouping.

No other colours should be assigned to the devices and the colours should not be swapped.

RCOGAssociate

Example above shown with the two options for the title positioning.

Membership device

Membership Associate device

Membership benefit devices


Templates have been created for regular communication that incorporate the devices i.e. guidance alerts, Get Involved e-alerts and O&G News.

Using the devices should always be considered when promoting membership benefits and services to members, potential members and stakeholders.

The membership devices should not be used without the prior consent and knowledge of the membership and/or marketing teams.

ExamplesThis page shows examples of devices.


Typography – internal use

Internal and electronic use:the RCOG’s approved typeface is Calibri. Calibri has been selected for its simplicity, contemporary look and availability on the majority of PCs.

Calibri should be used for all aspects of letter writing, email, PowerPoint presentations, general office and internalcommunications.

The standard size to be used is 11pt withCalibri Bold used for headings and Italicsfor quotations (in certain circumstances the font can be used down to 9pt; however, approval must be sought from Marketing).

As with the logo, consistent use of this typeface reinforces the RCOG’s brand image in the eyes of our customers, partners and employees.

Templates

To support day to day activities, a seriesof templates have been created and savedon the College’s R Drive. Templates include:Agenda, Minutes, PowerPoint, ElectronicLetter and Fax headers.

Calibri

Calibria b c d e f g h I j k l m n o p q r s t uv w x y zA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

Calibri Bolda b c d e f g h I j k l m n o p q r s t uv w x y zA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

Calibri Italica b c d e f g h I j k l m n o p q r s t uv w x y zA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

Calibri Bold Italica b c d e f g h I j k l m n o p q r s t uv w x y zA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0


Typography – external use

Externally printed marketing material: the primary typeface is Gill Sans.

For externally printed marketing material,such as service brochures, exhibition stands,posters, conference flyers, etc. the approvedtypeface is Gill Sans.

Gills Sans helps personify both the heritageand contemporary aspects of the RCOGbrand. Popular in the 1930s, the font stilllooks contemporary, confident and worldclass today.

The standard size to be used is 12pt withGill Sans Bold used for headings and italicsfor quotations (in certain circumstances the font can be used down to 9pt; however, approval must be sought from Marketing).

Consistent use of this typeface in externalpublications reinforces the RCOG brandimage in the eyes of our customers andpartners.

N.B. The branding excludes the use of GillSans Light Shadow and Gill Sans Shadow.

Gill Sans

Gill Sans Regulara b c d e f g h I j k l m n o p q r s t uv w x y zA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U VW X Y Z1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

Gill Sans Bolda b c d e f g h I j k l m n o p q r s t uv w xy zA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S TU V W X Y Z1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

Gill Sans Italica b c d e f g h I j k l m n o p q r s t uv w x y zA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W XY Z1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

Gill Sans Bold Italica b c d e f g h I j k l m n o p q r s t uv w x y zA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T UV W X Y Z1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0


Typography – external use

Externally printed marketing material: Sabon can be used for pull out quotes or main headlines.

It should not be used as body copy of standard headings.

Consistent use of this typeface in externalpublications reinforces the RCOG brandimage in the eyes of our customers andpartners.

Please see below for examples of how Sabon should be used.

Sabon

Sabon Italica b c d e f g h I j k l m n o p q r s t uv w x y zA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U VW X Y Z1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

Sabon Bold Italica b c d e f g h I j k l m n o p q r s t uv w x y zA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

Indicators on

‘WE STARTED with a long list of almost 200 different indicators – every

indicator that’s been used, or even considered, in the UK or by other countries, covering the whole range of obstetric care. Then we started to narrow this down by what we could actually calculate, given the available data.

‘Because we were using hospital data, we decided to focus on childbirth, when women are actually in hospital. We ended up with a shortlist of 30 indicators, which were reviewed by a panel of obstetricians, midwives, statisticians and health service academics until we ended up with the 11 indicators in the report.

‘Previous reports like this hadn’t adjusted for case mix, so clinicians couldn’t really make fair comparisons between units. But my colleagues at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and I spent months and months assessing data quality and looking at which risk factors we could adjust for. Some things aren’t recorded, like body mass index, but most of the important risk factors are included, such as age, ethnicity and previous history of childbirth. This means that hospitals serving high-risk mothers are no longer unfairly penalised, and that’s new.

‘One of our main challenges was the data quality. In a minority of hospitals we found that 100% of records were missing vital information so we weren’t able to calculate the indicators for them at all. We’ve since heard from lots of clinicians who said that they weren’t previously aware of these problems and

are now taking action to overcome them. It seems that, in most cases, the data is there, and it is being recorded – it’s just not getting through properly.

‘As the quality of data improves, as new data becomes available and as we refine our techniques we’ll be incorporating new indicators. Right now we’re trying to build on our existing work by using more detailed information from maternity units, starting a pilot project with around 15 trusts. And next year we hope to have data from Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland so that the report can show a truly national picture of maternity care.’

Hannah Knight is a research fellow for health informatics at the College’s Office for Research and Clinical Audit. She has spent the past 18 months working on the Clinical Indicators Project report, published in May 2013.

Our workEvaluating, informing, guiding

Good training and high standards are essential tools to improve women’s health.

But are they being used in practice? We need to measure the care that women actually receive and use this information to improve performance.

The Clinical Indicators Project does just that. Responding to demand from doctors for an objective measure of their performance, it was developed in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the Royal College of Surgeons. The first report was published in May 2013 and presented a series of 11 maternity indicators, including elective and emergency caesarean rates and induction of labour.

The indicators are based on Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), information routinely submitted by every NHS hospital in England. For the first time, this data was crunched to flatten out differences in factors affecting maternal outcomes, such as age, ethnicity and social deprivation.

SUNLIGHT – THE BEST DISINFECTANT

This ‘case-mix adjustment’ allows comparisons to be made between

hospitals serving completely different communities, enabling the performance of maternity units across England to be measured against each other fairly. This allows true benchmarking of clinical practice and outcomes and greatly reduces the shadows in which sub-standard units can hide.

The first report did not identify individual hospitals by name. However, every hospital was sent its own data to enable managers and clinicians to see how far their own results strayed from national norms. And the report did pinpoint enormous variations – some hospitals reported rates of induced labour, emergency caesarean sections and instrumental delivery that were twice as high as others.

These figures could mean that some women are receiving substandard care or that resources are being wasted. In such cases, outlying hospitals will hopefully combine this data with published standards and guidelines to normalise their performance where necessary.

However, some variation was certainly caused by poor quality data. The report’s secondary aim is, therefore, to encourage

hospitals and clinicians to take greater ownership of their data and improve its accuracy.

ANNUAL CHECK-UPS

The report will be published annually and in the near future we plan to include hospitals in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. We’re currently working on including more clinical outcomes; over time, we’ll also incorporate some qualitative indicators, such as patient satisfaction, and begin covering gynaecological care.

As the data becomes more robust, we’re going to remove the security blanket of anonymity from individual hospitals. This will give a new degree of transparency to maternity care, which should prompt further improvements in women’s health. Ultimately, we hope that the data expands beyond hospitals to individual clinicians. This will enable us to measure individual performance accurately and objectively, and will eventually provide our membership with an invaluable tool for revalidation.

Meanwhile, we’re currently examining variation in treatment of women with heavy menstrual

When I’m trying to get my own data for me personally, for David Richmond, it’s actually very difficult and that’s not acceptable... Dr David Richmond, Vice President Clinical Quality

14 Annual Review 2012 /13 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 15

Are you interested in delivering an

RCOG course in your country?

This brochure provides an overview of various courses

that can be delivered locally, become part of the RCOG’s

global community to improve women’s health care and

organise a recognised RCOG course:

• �RCOG�certificate�of�atten

dance�to�all�delegates�

and�participating�faculty

• �Provision�of�all�course�ma

terials�(constantly�updated�

with the latest changes)

• Supports participants registered on the RCOG’s

CPD�programme�

• Exclusively designed Training the Trainers

workshops�for�local�faculty

RCOG CPD Programme

Are you on the RCOG’s CPD Programme?

Franchising�and�video�confer

encing�supports�

continuing�professional�deve

lopment;�why�not�

join�our�programme�for�only

�£87�per�annum.

Visit www.rcog.org.uk/cpd

and�complete�the�application

�form.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and

Gynaecologists is a global college. With

more than 12,000 members living in

over 100 countries around the world, the

RCOG is reaching out so that you can

deliver our educational courses locally.


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The colour palette

Primary colour specificationsColour plays an important rolein the RCOG’s brand identity.Consistent colour usage is essentialto maintain unique look and feel.

This page shows the primary colour ofthe RCOG brand palette. The main colourshould always be considered as white;there should always be a large proportionof the page given over to white.

To avoid overwhelming the audienceor subject matter, care should be takenwhen applying the ‘RCOG blue’.

All corporate level marketing materialfor both internal and external use shoulduse the ‘RCOG blue’ in its design.Please contact the Marketing Teamfor further guidance on the use ofcolourways and template guides.

16


Secondary colour specifications In addition to the primary colours, RCOG has a secondary colour palette to provide greater flexibility and variety when communicating the brand. Again, these should be used sparingly.

Please contact the Marketing Team for further guidance on the use of colourways and template guides.

Pantone©1595C

CMYKC11 M76 Y100 K1

RGBR217 G94 B22

HEX#d95e16

Pantone©7462C

CMYKC100 M66 Y24 K6

RGBR0 G90 B140

HEX#005a8c

Pantone©258C

CMYKC46 M81 Y1 K0

RGBR149 G81 B158

HEX#95519e

Pantone©367C

CMYKC39 M0 Y76 K0

RGBR163 G216 B105

HEX#a3d869

Pantone©1685C

CMYKC31 M82 Y96 K32

RGBR133 G57 B31

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Secondary colour specifications

In addition to the primary colour,RCOG has a secondary colour paletteto provide greater flexibility and varietywhen communicating the brand.

Please contact the Marketing Teamfor further guidance on the use ofcolourways and template guides.

Pantone©7462c

CMYKC100 M70 Y22 K6

RGBR0 G84 B139

HEX#00548b

Pantone©185c

CMYKC0 M100 Y92 K0

RGBR235 G28 B45

HEX#eb1c2d

Pantone©1595C

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HEX#d95e16

Pantone©1685C

CMYKC31 M82 Y96 K32

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HEX#85391f

Pantone©367C

CMYKC39 M0 Y76 K0

RGBR163 G216 B105

HEX#a3d869

Pantone©258C

CMYKC46 M81 Y1 K0

RGBR149 G81 B158

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16


Secondary colour specifications In addition to the primary colours, RCOG has a secondary colour palette to provide greater flexibility and variety when communicating the brand. Again, these should be used sparingly.

Please contact the Marketing Team for further guidance on the use of colourways and template guides.

Pantone©1595C

CMYKC11 M76 Y100 K1

RGBR217 G94 B22

HEX#d95e16

Pantone©7462C

CMYKC100 M66 Y24 K6

RGBR0 G90 B140

HEX#005a8c

Pantone©258C

CMYKC46 M81 Y1 K0

RGBR149 G81 B158

HEX#95519e

Pantone©367C

CMYKC39 M0 Y76 K0

RGBR163 G216 B105

HEX#a3d869

Pantone©1685C

CMYKC31 M82 Y96 K32

RGBR133 G57 B31

HEX#85391f


Secondary colour specifications –continued

Pantone©444

CMYKC53 M40 Y42 K5

RGBR125 G135 B135

HEX#7d8687

Pantone©326

CMYKC79 M9 Y42 K0

RGBR0 G169 B162

HEX#00a9a1

Pantone©116

CMYKC0 M18 Y100 K0

RGBR255 G206 B2

HEX#ffce02

Pantone©550

CMYKC52 M22 Y18 K0

RGBR125 G169 B189

HEX#7da9bd

Pantone©7461

CMYKC95 M42 Y6 K0

RGBR0 G124 B186

HEX#007cba

Pantone©2715

CMYKC37 M39 Y0 K0

RGBR161 G152 B202

HEX#a299ca

Pantone©1777

CMYKC0 M76 Y32 K0

RGBR241 G99 B125

HEX#ed627d

17


Kite mark logos

RCOG has developed a new range of ‘RCOG lock up designs’ that can be used in a variety of circumstances to communicate varying levels of approval, association and sponsorship with other organisations and events, etc.

Please consult the Marketing Team for guidance on the correct use of these designs.

The RCOG typeface used in these kite mark logos is Helvetica Bold, which can be used with or without the shield.


Kite mark logos

RCOG has developed a new rangeof ‘RCOG lock up designs’ that can beused in a variety of circumstances tocommunicate varying levels of approval,association and sponsorship withother organisations and events, etc.

Please consult the MarketingTeam for guidance on the correctuse of these designs.

The RCOG typeface used in these kitemark logos is Helvetica 85 Heavy, which canbe used with or without the shield.

PLEASE NOTE

The blue undeline ‘swoosh’ from the old logo files should no longer be used in conjunction with the kite mark logo.


Image library

The RCOG has developed an expanded bank of images that illustrate the College and its activities. These can be found at:

http://medialibrary.rcog.org.uk

For external access to the media library, please contact the Marketing Team.

Images

When not using images from the RCOG library care should be taken when choosing them. They should be:

• High quality wherever possible

• Appropriate representatives of the profession, staff, members and public

• Real people are preferred if suitable

• Stock photography should be realistic and used sparingly

• All images should have appropriate permissions for use

• Monochrome with blue highlights can turn a low resolution file into an acceptable image


Brand values

We stand for: Better health care for women, everywhere.

To make this a reality the College has a ‘personality’ that reflects our values.

We are:Compassionate We are passionate about improving women’s health and demonstrating empathy to the needs of women

Inclusive We are open and engaging, transparent and accessible, and we seek and listen to the views of others

Professional We set and maintain the highest standards for quality and excellence in education and clinical practice and in everything we do

Innovative We are contemporary, progressive and forward-looking

We are recognised for:Leadership We are the authoritative ‘go to’ professional organisation for the promotion of women’s health

Integrity We are trusted by our stakeholders, including members, donors, partners, regulators and the women we serve.


Tone of voice and house style

RCOG’s personality comes across in the way we write and speak. The RCOG’s house style helps ensure consistency across the tone and written content of our published output, such as our website, email marketing communications, membership newsletters and magazine and the Annual Review.

Moreover, these branding guidelines ensure consistency in the visual design of all of our published output. This consistency helps to reflect our personality and brand values and presents the College as more professional to our various stakeholders, enhancing our image and our reputation as a trusted source of information. Here are some top tips on tone of voice for our general communications:

Use clear language and avoid unnecessary jargon• The meaning should be immediately

clear to the reader

• Readers shouldn’t have to seek clarification on abbreviations and acronyms

• Show empathy with your readers

• Remember that we’re a global organisation: not all your readers are likely to be clinicians and English isn’t the first language of many of our members.

Imagine you’re speaking to your readers• Aim for a professional, appropriate but informal

tone of voice – like a quality Sunday colour supplement

• Being too formal can mean using complex words or grammar: instead, keep it simple and direct, contemporary and accessible, and avoid clichés and jargon

• When communicating with members, clinical/medical terms are perfectly appropriate

• If addressing non-clinicians or mixed audiences that also include stakeholders, potential donors and women’s groups etc. and technical medical terms are unavoidable, ensure they are appropriately explained or contextualised

• Imagine you are talking to a Fellow, Member or Trainee of the College – use the same kind of tone when writing for membership publications and promotional communications

• Of course, if you are communicating something that demands a more formal style, e.g. policy announcements and commentaries, special advice or instructions etc., it is perfectly appropriate to adopt a more formal tone of voice.


Use language that’s inclusive• Avoid using ‘he’ when you’re also talking

about women

• Use accurate descriptions of race, ethnicity and culture

• T alk about ‘women’, not ‘patients’ or ‘cases’

• Safeguard the trust our readers place in the College.

Talking about the College• Spell out the College’s name in full the

first time you use it, followed by the initials in brackets, then use the initials from that point forward

• When it sounds right, use ‘the’ when talking about the RCOG; at other times you may opt to drop it, for example:

o ‘The RCOG is a membership organisation’

o RCOG staff are dedicated to providing a great service to members

• It’s fine to use ‘the College’ instead of ‘the RCOG’, but always capitalise College.

Talking to our members• Keep it personal – unless you are announcing an

important decision, avoid overusing ‘the RCOG’ or ‘the College’ as this can feel distant and unfriendly

• Be engaging: talk about ‘us’, not ‘them’ or ‘they’, and consider using ‘I’ or ‘we’ instead

• Even when you need to give people clear instructions, remember to do so in a friendly and respectful manner: your tone of voice should reflect the fact that you’re talking adult to adult, not parent to child.

Talking about our members• If you’re talking about members or membership

generally (i.e. our membership in its broadest sense – Fellows, Members, Trainees, Affiliates, Associates, etc.), use a lower case ‘m’

• If you’re talking about specific membership categories (Fellows, Members, Trainees, Affiliates, Associates, etc.), always capitalise the first letter.

Full details of the College house style, including more information about our tone of voice, can be found in the RCOG House Style Guide, please visit the link here.

Required information for inclusion in all publications

Ensure that all RCOG branded publications includes our registered address, copyright notice and registered charity number as outlined below:

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 27 Sussex Place, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4RG

© Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 2015

Registered Charity No. 213280

Contact details

If you have any questions or need any further advice please contact the RCOG marketing department:

Nigel MooreDirector, MarketingT: 020 7772 6457E: [email protected] Monica CallusCampaigns and Digital Marketing CoordinatorT: 020 7772 6269E: [email protected]

Ruth HalahmyCampaigns and Digital Marketing CoordinatorT: 020 7772 6322E: [email protected]

Further advice on RCOG design and visual identity is available from our branding agency. Please contact the marketing department for more details.

Documents

2015 BRAND GUIDELINES - RCOG · PDF fileRoyal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) 3 Brand guidelines 2015 Introducing new corporate branding guidelines for the Royal