Kaplan

Official Websites

• https://www.kaplaninternational.com
• https://www.kaplanpathways.com

Brand Guidelines

2021

Brand Summary

Mission

• Helping individuals achieve their educational goals by providing innovative, effective, and personalized language learning experiences worldwide [^1].

Core Values

• Integrity
• Personalization
• Efficiency
• Innovation
• Lifelong Learning [^2]

Target Audience

• Students of all ages seeking to learn English and other languages abroad, including juniors, adults, professionals, and those preparing for exams or seeking specialized courses [^3].

Personality Traits

• Warm
• Helpful
• Professional
• Knowledgeable
• Reliable
• Inspiring
• Honest [^4]

Visual Identity Overview

• The visual identity is modern, clean, and professional, featuring a proprietary color palette (Kaplan Purple, Blue, Red, Orange, Green, etc.), distinctive logo with a swoosh, clear typography (Meta Pro, Open Sans, Lobster Two), and dynamic branded elements like gradients, folding strips, and corner elements. Imagery is light, airy, natural, and diverse, focusing on authentic, engaging moments [^5].

Categories

Brand Voice

• Our brand voice online should be inspiring and energetic, but reflective of the Kaplan brand. Responses should be upbeat, optimistic and positive, and you should avoid being vague or blunt. Social media posts can be more playful, while other communications require a slightly more formal tone. There should, however, never be a huge difference in the tone -we want to sound like the same brand across all platforms.
• Kaplan International Languages is… Warm and helpful Professional Knowledgeable . and reliable Inspiring Honest
• Kaplan International Languages is not… Informal Serious or boring A rrogan t Dreamlike or vague Blunt
• This applies to everything we produce, but there will be slight variations depending on the medium and the recipient. Social media posts will be more playful, while partner communications require a slightly more formal tone than promo emails sent to students. However, there should never be a huge difference in the tone -we want to sound like the same brand across all platforms.
• We can be more fun and slightly more informal when writing content for juniors. But remember that the primary audience is parents, so the content should never feel childish. Also, juniors can be as old as 16-18 -at this age, they certainly won’t appreciate being spoken to like children.
• Our tone of voice should remain the same for Study 30+. Be wary of the language you use for this audience. We want to make them feel like they are getting an exclusive, specially designed program, but we don’t want to make them feel old. Although the product is called Study 30+, we do accept students in their late 20s.
• As much as we want to promote our courses and schools, be careful of saying things that we can’t explicitly prove. Accreditors compare what’s on our website and in our fact files to what they find in school inspections -and if it doesn’t match up, we’ll be in trouble.
• Avoid writing things like ‘We’ll equip you with the best test­taking strategies’ -instead write something like ‘We’ll equip you with a variety of test-taking strategies’.
• Everything we write should be succinct and to-the-point. Be specific and avoid “nothing” sentences that don’t add value.
• No long sentences. Read the content aloud -if you are struggling for breath, your sentence is too long. Try to keep to one point per sentence. No long lists with loads of commas. Use bullet points or only mention the top three things. No long paragraphs. Paragraphs should be minimum two sentences and maximum five. Use headings and subheadings to direct your reader. These should be informative, engaging and relevant. Your content should flow down the page in this order:*1. Essential to know 2. Important to know 3. Useful to know 4. Good to know 5. Nice to know
• If your content is too long, focus on what is ‘Essential/Important to know’ and cut anything that is ‘Good/Nice to know’.
• Allourcontent should be written in American English (even when we are talking about the UK or ANZ). If you are using Microsoft Word or PowerPoint, make sure you set your proofing language to English (United States) before you start, and double check it hasn’t switched back to UK English when you’re finished.
• Note: Alpadia use UK English. If you are writing for an Alpadia platform, use UK English. If you are writing about Alpadia on a Kaplan platform (e.g. Kaplan website, brochure, email from Kaplan staff), change the spelling and grammar to US English to align with our house style.
• Always use the active voice and avoid the passive voice. The active voice is much more straightforward and makes us sound like a reliable, can-do kind of company-which is exactly how we want to sound.

Brand Imagery

• Effective imagery enables our communications to make direct and emotive connections with our audiences.
• Integrity is one of the five brand values and must be upheld in photography through authentic depictions. Choose positive images that look natural-with real people in credible situations, and expressions appropriate to the setting and activity. Use images that are warm, modern, and energetic.
• Kaplan leverages photography as a tool to celebrate our diverse and dynamic communities. Our photography must tell compelling stories and help us connect to our audiences in a powerful, personal way.
• Always consider the publishing context: how and where the image will appear.
• Images should be in sharp focus. Images for print should be at least 300 dpi at full size. Images for electronic or digital communications should be 72 dpi at full size.
• Blank spaces in an image are useful for layout and design.
• Whether in a portrait or group setting, our customer should be the focal point of the majority of our imagery.
• Respect the person’s image as you would a close friend or family member (for example, don’t crop parts oftheirface and respectfully apply colorwashes and other artistic treatments).
• We recognize that in certain circumstances metaphor or landscape imagery is necessary to support marketing objectives. In those cases, imagery selected should be aligned with the following brand pillars.
• Kaplan is a company that tailors its programs and services to our customers’ needs.
• Therefore, it is important to use photos of authentic, believable and engaging subjects that demonstrate customers’ real circumstances. They should not seem posed.
• Our goal is to make the educational process simple and clear for our students and to give them an efficient path to achieving their goals. Simplicity and clarity should guide our photography selection; avoid overly complex or ambiguous imagery.
• Imagery should be fresh and modern, and display a positive energy -representing our continuous innovation to improve customer outcomes.
• Where appropriate, depict settings and situations that are characteristic of Kaplan’s innovative approach to education.
• Kaplan serves learners of all ages. Imagery should reflect the relevant level of diversity appropriate for your program offering.
• Often referred to as “lnstagram-like images”, lifestyle shots will feature a student or group of students “in the moment”. They may be posing, but not like a model. They will, instead, be posing in reaction and in relation to what is going on in their surroundings. This might mean “holding up a building”, drinking their coffee “in contemplation” or even posing alongside a statue as if they are a statue themselves.
• This imagery is helpful in connecting the viewer to the subject matter. Using escapism, the viewer can relate to the person, allowing them to imagine themselves in that location or situation.
• Not all images should be photographed and used in this style, but it is particularly helpful when portraying a destination or experience.
• The Kaplan photography style is light, airy and natural. Our images reflect the real needs and aspirations of our students, teachers, communities, and partners.
• ‘Slice of life’ photography lets us show natural, unembellished representations of everyday experiences in Kaplan environments throughout the world. Like the experiences we offer, our photographs should be engaging, immersive and inviting.
• Strive to capture real moments that reflect the authenticity of the Kaplan brand.
• People are at the heart of Kaplan, and they take center stage in our photography.
• We connect with our audiences best when they see themselves in the people we feature in our images.
• Take every opportunity to showcase the diversity of our students and customers.
• Show the impact of our work by focusing on customers’ goals and outcomes.
• Use still-life images and task shots (with subject cropped out) sparingly, as it is difficult to communicate the energy of Kaplan through objects alone.
• We convey excitement, energy and impact through our subjects’ expressions: relaxed, confident, and enthusiastic.
• Photographs should capture natural smiles and realistic movements, not feel staged or posed.
• Avoid posing subjects -try for a natural look, as if the subject is unaware of the camera.
• Minimize having the subject stare straight into the camera, except for testimonials.
• Kaplan customers experience a wide spectrum of day-to-day activities. Capture real subjects in their natural environments; for example: in a classroom, on the way to class, working in an office, studying online, taking a test, talking with colleagues or relaxing on a campus.
• Put subjects in the best light possible: bright, airy environments radiate warm and positivity.
• Kaplan communities are located around the world. Try to establish a sense of place in your photographs, to invite audiences into our distinct learning and living locations.
• Minimize the use of artistic and digital photography effects to social media and special campaigns (duo­tones, colorwashes, filters). Use filters sparingly, and in the Kaplan color palette.
• Integrate the Kaplan brand into photography as a subtle nod to the Kaplan brand. This may be in the form of props in the Kaplan Purple, branded merchandise or signage. Be careful not to overdo.
• Consider the use of the Kaplan color palette for backgrounds.
• It can be very helpful to utilize user generated content in our marketing. This term refers to imagery that someone has taken themselves, as opposed to something that Kaplan has taken as a part of a photos hoot. Often, this will be a student or influencer.
• User generated content is a great way for us to create authenticity, but we must ensure that we go about this the right way. Always get written permission to use the photo. You can approach the student using this online form: www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4846485/Consent-for-Images Always seek the original image. This needs to be high enough resolution for us to use -either in print or in digital applications Credit the photographer were the medium allows Ensure it doesn’t breach any of our other guidelines.
• Preferably we should make use of our own photos in the image library but if stock photos must be used they must: Look like our students. Look like they are in our destination. Look like we have taken it ourselves.
• Warm and relaxed feel. Candid shots where it doesn’t feel like the subjects are set up. At the same time, don’t make the images look too candid/ unprofessionally taken. Realistic looking hair styles and clothes, cool styles that you’d want to wear or see people wearing. Natural smiles and laughter. Natural lighting, sunlight, soft sun glow. Different angles and viewpoints, not always front on direct at the camera. Realistic looking backdrops, places you feel that you’ve been or want to visit.
• Overly bright lighting, unnatural lens-flares or over saturation Too perfect and new looking clothes, accessories, books, cars, phones etc. Models hair and clothes are too neat/ flawless and models facial expressions are contrived, too staged. Overall fake feeling to the image -you can tell that it’s a set up photo. Obviously photoshopped backgrounds that look fake, atmosphere feels fake. No offensive clothing (fur, too colourful, leather, too flashy, etc.)

Color Palette

• DO NOT colour pick or sample directly from this PDF. Mix the colours yourself in the software you’re using.
• Kaplan Purple is the primary color option and must be adhered to unless the document is black and white.
• The Kaplan logo must only ever be represented in the following color options: a. Kaplan Purple b. Black c. White
• The anchor panel must only use the Kaplan Purple, no other colors permitted.
• Anchor panels may only be produced in two versions: In Kaplan Purple or white, with reverse-color logos. The purpose of this is to always maintain an acceptable amount of Kaplan Purple in all our communications.
• Do not change the color of the anchor panel
• Do not use other color combinations
• When using a gradient background, ensure that the brandmark is set against Kaplan Purple, and observing the required clear space.
• The ‘K’ element is broken down into two components: the stem and the arrow. When selecting any of these approved color combinations, always keep purple in the stem section only.
• A single-color “K” may use any color in the Kaplan color palette. It may only be used in premiums, location markers and icons.
• Do not use color combinations not in the color palette
• Do not use in a color, except for icons, location markers, and premiums
• Do not use either the “K” stem or arrow in solid white
• Do not mix solid with a key line
• Do not use the transparent “K” over multicolored, high-contrast backgrounds with large details or patterns in focus that make the “K” difficult to read
• Do not use the transparent “K” over solid colors or very subtle gradient backgrounds, as the “K” won’t look transparent but will shift in color toward the background
• Kaplan Purple color code: R: 36, G:15, B:110 / #240F6E
• Blue Green HEX #00A4D9
• Deep Blue Green HEX #007DB3
• Aqua HEX #00E4FF
• Darker Blue Green HEX #0A5E85

Typography

• Three distinctive type families have been chosen to support the Alpadia logotype and to establish a proprietary look for all Alpadia communications. Calibre is our main typography. We use it fortext, titles, headlines, secondary information and charts. We also use it for messages on advertising, merchandising, etc. You can change size, colororspatial positioning in order to create emphasis within our typographic design. Open Sans is our website version typography. We use it all along the website. You can change size and color in order to create emphasis within our typographic design. Lobster Two is only used for headings in the Juniors marketing materials.
• Three distinctive type families have been chosen to support the Kaplan logotype and to establish a proprietary look for all Kaplan communications. Meta Pro is the primary font and lends a modern, streamlined look to our communications. Open Sans is ideal for electronic communications such as websites, as it is better for search engine optimization purposes. It is also usable as a secondary font in presentations, videos, and print materials. Lobster Two (Bold Italic) is only used for headings in the Juniors marketing materials. Never use in all caps.
• Meta Pro is a widely kerned font meaning it has large uneven gaps between its letters. It also has large abnormally wide leading (line spacing). These details allow designs to form an unkempt look; rivers start forming in pages of text and headlines start to look gappy, losing their power. It is especially noticeable when using the foreign character set. We must be very careful when designing documents and translating designs that we fix the kerning and all times. Here are the most important rules to abide by: 1. Always use kerning on your body copy to -20pt. 2. Always manually kern your headlines with a -20pt guide. 3. Tighten the leading in all upper case headlines. 4. Always use style sheets to set proper spacing after paragraphs. 2pt is standard. 5. Always turn auto hyphenation off. 6. Always use the upper case numbers, not the lower.
• Meta Pro Normal without: -20 Kerning 2pt spacing after paragraphs Auto hyphenation Messy line endings: a, if, to, the, and, can, of, it etc. Orphans: one word left on a line Meta Pro Normal with: -20 Kerning 2pt spacing after paragraphs No hyphenation Clean line endings No orphans
• Meta Pro lower case numbers: Lower case numbers sit too randomly on the baseline of the main copy, some high, some low. They look incorrect, do not use them. Meta Pro upper case numbers: Uppercase numbers sit perfectly on the baseline, in line with all text, always use them.
• Meta Pro Upper Case leading: The natural leading and kerning which comes with Meta Pro when used in upper case is extraordinarily wide. You must manually tighten the leading and kerning in headlines/taglines.
• Usage Meta Pro Rules 1. Always use Meta Pro Black for headlines in all caps. 2. Always use Meta Pro Normal for body copy. 3. Meta Pro is a font that has naturally very wide kerning. That means we need to close the tracking on body copy to at least-20. Always set your style sheets to this when creating a new document. 4. Always individually kern letters in headlines to make sure they are balanced and that no letters are too close or too far apart. 5. Always adjust the leading to make sure the lines of text are tight together, but not too close and not too far. 6. Subtitles below a Meta Pro Black headline must never be in bold as it competes too much with the thickness of the headline. Instead use Medium, Book or Normal. 7. Never use ALL CAPS for body copy or long sentences. It causes eye fatigue and should be kept for short headings only.
• Product names should be on the same line. Headings, subheadings and contents pages. Only proper nouns (e.g. company/product name, language/country name) and the first letter of the first word should be capitalized (unless the heading is formatted in all capitals). Course names are proper nouns and should always be capitalized. Do not capitalize words when they are not a proper noun or not part of a Kaplan/Alpadia course title. Course category names are not proper­nouns and should not be capitalized.
• Primary Font: Open Sans Original source: fan ts.goog/e. com/specimen/ Open+Sans Applied languages: English, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Turkish. Market Specific Typfaces Arabic: Noto Kufi Arabic Chinese: Simplified: MicrosoftYahei Traditional: Microsoft Jhenghei Japanese: Meiryo Korean: Malgun Gothic Thai: Prompt
• Open Sans Weights Extra Bold Bold Semi Bold Regular Light

Logo Usage

• There are TWO versions of the Kl Languages logo: 1. Standard 2. Stacked The preferred version is the standard (horizontal) logo, but the stacked version may be used in cases where this fits better with a particular layout or design.
• The Kaplan logo must only ever be represented in the following color options: a. Kaplan Purple b. Black c. White Kaplan Purple is the primary color option and must be adhered to unless the document is black and white.
• Changing the design of the Kaplan logo in any way will diminish the legal ownership of our brand and create confusion in our overall identity. See the next page for rules on how to use (and not use) the Kaplan logo.
• There is a specific amount of clear space that must be left around the edges of the logo at all times.
• Recommended clear space: 1.25 “K”
• Throughout the system we use “K” as a key measuring tool. The “K” we use to measure is equal to the Kin the Kaplan logotype in the size you intend.
• This measurement is further divided into quarters (0.25 “K”). The recommended clear space around the logo is determined by the cap height of the “K” + 0.25 “K”.
• The logo has a minimum size for use in both digital and print applications so that it is always legible and clear.
• When re-sizingthe logo it must always be done proportionately. You can achieve this by holding down shift when enlarging.
• Never enlarge a logo which is not a vector file (.ai or .eps) as it will instantly lose quality. You can however reduce the size of non vector files with no loss of quality (.jpg or .png).
• Always adhere to the minimum size requirements on this page.
• If you require a logo larger than the one you have, contact the design team with your specifications eg: 10cm wide, A4, 500 pixels wide etc.
• Our brandmark consists of the Kaplan logotype and the Learning Curve graphic device. These elements have been designed to appear in a fixed relationship that must never be altered.
• Always use approved artwork for the Kaplan brandmark or any of the Kaplan business unit brandmarks.
• Do not replace the Kaplan logotype with another font
• Do not change the approved colors
• Do not use the logotype without the curve graphic
• Do not use the curve graphic alone as a graphic element
• Do not alter the character spacing (kerning)
• Do not reposition the curve graphic
• Do not place the brand mark on colors other than white
• Do not place the reverse brand mark on colors other than white
• Do not contain the logotype in a shape, or extend the curve graphic to enclose the logotype
• Do not redesign or use an alternate curve graphic
• Do not place the brand mark on any part of a gradient that is not 100% Kaplan Purple
• Do not place the brand mark on a gradient or shape unless the entire clear space is Kaplan Purple
• Do not add graphic elements, text or messaging that encroach into the clear space relationship between the logotype and the curve
• The anchor panel must only use the Kaplan Purple, no other colors permitted.
• The primary position for the anchor panel is the lower right in both print and digital applications.
• Anchor panels may only be produced in two versions: In Kaplan Purple or white, with reverse-color logos. The purpose of this is to always maintain an acceptable amount of Kaplan Purple in all our communications.
• Do not change the color of the anchor panel
• Do not use more than the specified number of rounded corners or alter their shape
• Do not use other color combinations
• Do not use a rectangle or reposition the logo inside the anchor panel
• Do not reduce the scale of the logo inside the anchor panel
• Do not use as a key line
• When using a gradient background, ensure that the brandmark is set against Kaplan Purple, and observing the required clear space.
• The brandmark may be set against a Kaplan Purple shape, again observing the required clear space.

Tone And Messaging

• Our brand voice online should be inspiring and energetic, but reflective of the Kaplan brand. Responses should be upbeat, optimistic and positive, and you should avoid being vague or blunt. Social media posts can be more playful, while other communications require a slightly more formal tone. There should, however, never be a huge difference in the tone -we want to sound like the same brand across all platforms.
• A few things to remember when writing content: 1. We have over80 years of experience in education 2. We are international 3. We are inclusive 4. We have a 97% recommendation rate 5. We help our students achieve outstanding academic results
• Never abbreviate Kaplan International Languages to KlLor Kl Languages on any customer or agent-facing materials, communications or platforms. If you need to shorten, simply Kaplan is fine.
• Kaplan International Languages is… Warm and helpful Professional Knowledgeable . and reliable Inspiring Honest
• Kaplan International Languages is not… Informal Serious or boring A rrogan t Dreamlike or vague Blunt
• This applies to everything we produce, but there will be slight variations depending on the medium and the recipient. Social media posts will be more playful, while partner communications require a slightly more formal tone than promo emails sent to students. However, there should never be a huge difference in the tone -we want to sound like the same brand across all platforms.
• We can be more fun and slightly more informal when writing content for juniors. But remember that the primary audience is parents, so the content should never feel childish. Also, juniors can be as old as 16-18 -at this age, they certainly won’t appreciate being spoken to like children.
• Our tone of voice should remain the same for Study 30+. Be wary of the language you use for this audience. We want to make them feel like they are getting an exclusive, specially designed program, but we don’t want to make them feel old. Although the product is called Study 30+, we do accept students in their late 20s.
• As much as we want to promote our courses and schools, be careful of saying things that we can’t explicitly prove. Accreditors compare what’s on our website and in our fact files to what they find in school inspections -and if it doesn’t match up, we’ll be in trouble.
• Avoid writing things like ‘We’ll equip you with the best test­taking strategies’ -instead write something like ‘We’ll equip you with a variety oftest-taking strategies’.
• Everything we write should be succinct and to-the-point. Be specific and avoid “nothing” sentences that don’t add value.
• How to keep content succinct and easy to digest: No long sentences. Read the content aloud -if you are struggling for breath, your sentence is too long. Try to keep to one point per sentence. No long lists with loads of commas. Use bullet points or only mention the top three things. No long paragraphs. Paragraphs should be minimum two sentences and maximum five. Use headings and subheadings to direct your reader. These should be informative, engaging and relevant. Your content should flow down the page in this order:*1. Essential to know 2. Important to know 3. Useful to know 4. Good to know 5. Nice to know
• If your content is too long, focus on what is ‘Essential/Important to know’ and cut anything that is ‘Good/Nice to know’. *This may change for web content. Try to keep to this rule as much as possible, but don’t delete anything that’s essential for SEO.
• Allourcontent should be written in American English (even when we are talking about the UK or ANZ). If you are using Microsoft Word or PowerPoint, make sure you set your proofing language to English (United States) before you start, and double check it hasn’t switched back to UK English when you’re finished.
• Note: Alpadia use UK English. If you are writing for an Alpadia platform, use UK English. If you are writing about Alpadia on a Kaplan platform (e.g. Kaplan website, brochure, email from Kaplan staff), change the spelling and grammar to US English to align with our house style.
• Always use the active voice and avoid the passive voice. The active voice is much more straightforward and makes us sound like a reliable, can-do kind of company-which is exactly how we want to sound.
• Restrict your use of exclamation marks -use them SPARINGLY. They are only necessary if something is absolutely, spectacularly, mind-blowingly exciting. Use words to convey excitement, not exclamation marks.
• Even one out-of-place exclamation mark can make your writing sound childish, needy and unprofessional. The only time they might be needed is when you’re talking about Summer Camps -and even then, use with caution.

Brand Values

• Integrity is one of the five brand values and must be upheld in photography through authentic depictions. Choose positive images that look natural-with real people in credible situations, and expressions appropriate to the setting and activity. Use images that are warm, modern, and energetic.

Visual Style

• DO NOT colour pick or sample directly from this PDF. Mix the colours yourself in the software you’re using.
• There is a specific amount of clear space that must be left around the edges of the logo at all times.
• Recommended clear space: 1.25 “K”
• Throughout the system we use “K” as a key measuring tool. The “K” we use to measure is equal to the Kin the Kaplan logotype in the size you intend.
• This measurement is further divided into quarters (0.25 “K”). The recommended clear space around the logo is determined by the cap height of the “K” + 0.25 “K”.
• The logo has a minimum size for use in both digital and print applications so that it is always legible and clear.
• When re-sizingthe logo it must always be done proportionately. You can achieve this by holding down shift when enlarging.
• Never enlarge a logo which is not a vector file (.ai or .eps) as it will instantly lose quality. You can however reduce the size of non vector files with no loss of quality (.jpg or .png).
• Always adhere to the minimum size requirements on this page.
• If you require a logo larger than the one you have, contact the design team with your specifications eg: 10cm wide, A4, 500 pixels wide etc.
• Our brandmark consists of the Kaplan logotype and the Learning Curve graphic device.
• These elements have been designed to appear in a fixed relationship that must never be altered.
• Always use approved artwork for the Kaplan brandmark or any of the Kaplan business unit brandmarks.
• Do not replace the Kaplan logotype with another font
• Do not change the approved colors
• Do not use the logotype without the curve graphic
• Do not use the curve graphic alone as a graphic element
• Do not alter the character spacing (kerning)
• Do not reposition the curve graphic
• Do not place the brand mark on colors other than white
• Do not place the reverse brand mark on colors other than white
• Do not contain the logotype in a shape, or extend the curve graphic to enclose the logotype
• Do not redesign or use an alternate curve graphic
• Do not place the brand mark on any part of a gradient that is not 100% Kaplan Purple
• Do not place the brand mark on a gradient or shape unless the entire clear space is Kaplan Purple
• Do not add graphic elements, text or messaging that encroach into the clear space relationship between the logotype and the curve
• The anchor panel must only use the Kaplan Purple, no other colors permitted.
• The primary position for the anchor panel is the lower right in both print and digital applications.
• Anchor panels may only be produced in two versions: In Kaplan Purple or white, with reverse-color logos.
• Do not change the color of the anchor panel
• Do not use more than the specified number of rounded corners or alter their shape
• Do not use other color combinations
• Do not use a rectangle or reposition the logo inside the anchor panel
• Do not reduce the scale of the logo inside the anchor panel
• Do not use as a key line
• When using a gradient background, ensure that the brandmark is set against Kaplan Purple, and observing the required clear space.
• The brandmark may be set against a Kaplan Purple shape, again observing the required clear space.
• The Kaplan ‘K’, with its distinctive notch, has evolved into a valuable brand element that can be leveraged as a unifying device across all the business units’ marketing materials.
• The ‘K’ adds a level of personalization, directly reflecting our brand strategy.
• Creative use of the ‘K’ will bring a level of flexibility to our brand expression while simultaneously providing a consistent symbol for the company.
• The ‘K’ element is broken down into two components: the stem and the arrow.
• When selecting any of these approved color combinations, always keep purple in the stem section only.
• In print documents, the Stem section of the K should extend to the top and left bleed margin to 3mm (unless stated otherwise).
• Always take care to avoid having the ‘K’ symbol over a person’s face. The spacing around the ‘K’ should at least be the same size as the ‘K’ itself to avoid crowding.
• Choose the color of the ‘K’ arrow based on elements within the design you are creating.
• If a photo is being used, complement/match a section of the photo with the color in the ‘K’ arrow.
• Always make sure that the ‘K’ contrasts clearly over the background, it must not blend in.
• In cases where producing the two-color “K” on premiums or merchandise is cost-prohibitive, a single-color “K” may be used instead.
• A single-color “K” may use any color in the Kaplan color palette. It may only be used in premiums, location markers and icons.
• Changing the angle, colors, or using as a keyline or a transparency may seem to be creative uses of this element, but they begin to dilute the simplicity and power it can have in helping to build personalization and consistency.
• The primary position of the ‘K’ is always in the top left corner of left side of a document.
• The left side and top of the ‘K’ must always bleed off the edge of the document.
• Do not use the “K” on an angle
• Do not use color combinations not in the color palette
• Do not use in a color, except for icons, location markers, and premiums
• Do not use either the “K” stem or arrow in solid white
• Do not use the “K” as a key line
• Do not use the transparent “K” over multicolored, high-contrast backgrounds with large details or patterns in focus that make the “K” difficult to read
• Do not mix solid with a key line
• Do not use the transparent “K"over solid colors or very subtle gradient backgrounds, as the “K” won’t look transparent but will shift in color toward the background
• Don’t let the logo float away from edges

Iconography

• A single-color “K” may use any color in the Kaplan color palette. It may only be used in premiums, location markers and icons.
• Do not use in a color, except for icons, location markers, and premiums

Layout And Composition

• There is a specific amount of clear space that must be left around the edges of the logo at all times.
• Recommended clear space: 1.25 “K”
• Throughout the system we use “K” as a key measuring tool. The “K” we use to measure is equal to the Kin the Kaplan logotype in the size you intend.
• This measurement is further divided into quarters (0.25 “K”). The recommended clear space around the logo is determined by the cap height of the “K” + 0.25 “K”.
• The logo has a minimum size for use in both digital and print applications so that it is always legible and clear.
• When re-sizingthe logo it must always be done proportionately. You can achieve this by holding down shift when enlarging.
• Never enlarge a logo which is not a vector file (.ai or .eps) as it will instantly lose quality. You can however reduce the size of non vector files with no loss of quality (.jpg or .png).
• Always adhere to the minimum size requirements on this page.
• If you require a logo larger than the one you have, contact the design team with your specifications eg: 10cm wide, A4, 500 pixels wide etc.
• Our brandmark consists of the Kaplan logotype and the Learning Curve graphic device.
• These elements have been designed to appear in a fixed relationship that must never be altered.
• Changing the configurations of the brandmark in any way will create confusion and diminish our legal ownership ofour brand assets.
• Always use approved artwork for the Kaplan brandmark or any of the Kaplan business unit brandmarks.
• Do not replace the Kaplan logotype
• Do not change the approved colors
• Do not use the logotype without the curve graphic
• Do not use the curve graphic alone as a graphic element
• Do not alter the character spacing (kerning)
• Do not reposition the curve graphic
• Do not place the brand mark on colors other than white
• Do not place the reverse brand mark on colors other than white
• Do not contain the logotype in a shape, or extend the curve graphic to enclose the logotype
• Do not redesign or use an alternate curve graphic
• Do not place the brand mark on any part of a gradient that is not 100% Kaplan Purple
• Do not place the brand mark on a gradient or shape unless the entire clear space is Kaplan Purple
• Do not add graphic elements, text or messaging that encroach into the clear space relationship between the logotype and the curve
• Anchor panels may only be produced in two versions: In Kaplan Purple or white, with reverse-color logos.
• Do not change the color of the anchor panel
• Do not use more than the specified number of rounded corners or alter their shape
• Do not use other color combinations
• Do not use a rectangle or reposition the logo inside the anchor panel
• Do not reduce the scale of the logo inside the anchor panel
• Do not use as a key line
• When using a gradient background, ensure that the brandmark is set against Kaplan Purple, and observing the required clear space.
• The brandmark may be set against a Kaplan Purple shape, again observing the required clear space.
• In print documents, the Stem section of the K should extend to the top and left bleed margin to 3mm (unless stated otherwise).
• The spacing around the ‘K’ should at least be the same size as the ‘K’ itself to avoid crowding.
• The primary position of the ‘K’ is always in the top left corner of left side of a document.
• The left side and top of the ‘K’ must always bleed off the edge of the document.
• Do not use the “K” on an angle
• Do not use color combinations not in the color palette
• Do not use in a color, except for icons, location markers, and premiums
• Do not use either the “K” stem or arrow in solid white
• Do not use the “K” as a key line
• Do not use the transparent “K” over multicolored, high-contrast backgrounds with large details or patterns in focus that make the “K” difficult to read
• Do not mix solid with a key line
• Do not use the transparent “K"over solid colors or very subtle gradient backgrounds, as the “K” won’t look transparent but will shift in color toward the background
• Don’t let the logo float away from edges

Brand Architecture

• Kaplan has three sub sectors that are held under the main Kaplan brand moniker.
• Each sub sector has their own text addition to the main Kaplan logo. 1. This is the main Kaplan brand logo. 2. ‘Kaplan International’ is the second tier of the Kaplan sub sectors. This means the text for ‘International’ is larger, having more hierarchy over the THIRD tier sectors. 3. ‘Kaplan International Languages’ and ‘Kaplan International Pathways’ share the third tier of the Kaplan sub sectors so the text for ‘International Languages’ and ‘International Pathways’ is smaller than Kaplan ‘International’.
• Kaplan logos can be downloaded from our Brandfolder site: https://brandfolder.com/s/q5p27z3pg0g0-ehej4v
• 1. First tier KAPLAN) 2. Second tier INTERNATIONAL 3. Third tier INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGES INTERNATIONAL PATHWAYS
• Alpadia has two business lines that are held under the main Alpadia brand moniker.
• Each sub sector has their own text addition to the main Alpadia logo. 1. This is the main Alpadia brand logo. It is our commercial logo and should be use for any Adult schools materials, as all materials related to courses. It includes a byline by Kaplan International in Meta Pro Book font. 2. ‘Alpadia Summer Camps’ and ‘Alpadia University Pathway’ share the second tier of the Alpadia sub sectors. Please use the ‘Alpadia Summer Camps’ logo for all materials on Summer Camps site and all documents addressed directly to the Summer Camps customer. It includes a byline by Kaplan International in Meta Pro Book font.
• Please use the ‘Alpadia University Pathway’ logo for all documents addressed directly to the University Pathway student. It includes a byline by Kaplan International in Meta Pro Book font. 3. The preferred version is the standard (horizontal) logo, but the stacked version may be used in cases where this fits better with a particular layout or design or the minimum size is not obtained.
• Alpadia logos can be downloaded from our Brandfolder site: https://brandfolder.com/kaplan­international-languages/alpadia-brand

Motion Graphics

• Brand elements in post include a folding element animation with a strapline and the Kaplan International Languages logo.
• The Unfolding element must correspond to the product and the strapline must also follow suit with the product or location.
• The logo must be dead centre and be at size 14when using the high res PNG.

Accessibility Guidelines

• Text on an image should be clearly visible and legible. Text on an image should not overly cover people’s face. Images need to work for responsive design, imagine the image used on a very large screen compared to mobile.
• Be simple where possible and not too complex, for example, text should not be placed on a crowded background.
• At least one person should make contact with the user, avoid using the backs of people, and instances where you can’t see people’s faces.
• Images need to work for responsive design, imagine the image used on a very large screen compared to mobile.

Digital Guidelines

• Primary Font: Open Sans
• Original source: fan ts.goog/e. com/specimen/
• Open+Sans Applied languages: English, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Turkish.
• Market Specific Typfaces Arabic: Noto Kufi Arabic Chinese: Simplified: MicrosoftYahei Traditional: Microsoft Jhenghei Japanese: Meiryo Korean: Malgun Gothic Thai: Prompt
• For a full extensive guide regarding web fonts please visit: https://xd.adobe.com/view/5ff317eb-cb17-45e7-7866-d204f2b42f45-29c2/
• Kaplan Purple color code: R: 36, G:15, B:110 / #240F6E
• Use it for any Lil elements such as text titles, background, buttons and icons.
• Blue Green HEX #00A4D9 Converted RGBA 0, 164, 217, 1.0
• Deep Blue Green HEX #007DB3 Converted RGBA 0, 125, 179, 1.0
• Aqua HEX #00E4FF Converted RGBA 0, 125, 179, 1.0
• Darker Blue Green HEX #OA5EBS Converted RGBA 10, 94, 133, 1.0
• Use these colours to visually highlight Lil elements such as buttons and text hyperlinks.
• For a full extensive guide regarding web colors please visit: https://xd.adobe.com/view/5ff317eb­cb17-45e7-7866-d204f2b42f45-29c2/
• DO NOT colour pick or sample directly from this PDF. Mix the colours yourself in the software you’re using.
• All images should follow the master brand guidelines of Kl Languages.
• All images on our web applications should inspire our customers but also add value to further develop our brand. What to consider when choosing images for digital platforms: Brand imagery should support the message in a relevant and engaging way. Be positive, inspiring and eye-catching. Be natural, avoid using images that are too artificial or distorted. Be bright, joyful and dynamic, avoid using images that look too static, staged or cliche. Be simple where possible and not too complex, for example, text should not be placed on a crowded background. At least one person should make contact with the user, avoid using the backs of people, and instances where you can’t see people’s faces. Text on an image should be clearly visible and legible. Text on an image should not overly cover people’s face. Images need to work for responsive design, imagine the image used on a very large screen compared to mobile.
• For a full extensive guide regarding web images please visit: https://xd.adobe.com/view/5ff317eb­cb17-45e7-7866-d204f2b42f45-29c2/
• Image dimensions Hero Image: 710x350 / 710x450 Image block: For promos or destinations: 3 narrow image blocks: 234x350 3 square image blocks: 234x234 2-sided image blocks: 355x355 1 image block: 355x355
• Content inside image blocks should not exceed 150 characters with spaces.
• B2C marketing email headers should only display logo on the left and nothing else.
• B2B email headers should display Facebook and LinkedIn icons.
• Only use black header for Black Friday.
• Action icons should be the same as the ones currently on the website and appear underneath the Kaplan logo, not above. The social icons should be white and in the footer to keep the header as clean as possible.

Print Guidelines

• DO NOT colour pick or sample directly from this PDF. Mix the colours yourself in the software you’re using.
• The logo has a minimum size for use in both digital and print applications so that it is always legible and clear.
• Always adhere to the minimum size requirements on this page.
• If you require a logo larger than the one you have, contact the design team with your specifications eg: 10cm wide, A4, 500 pixels wide etc.
• Standard logo in Kaplan Purple: Primary use
• Kaplan Purple is the primary color option and must be adhered to unless the document is black and white.
• Recommended clear space: 1.25 “K”
• Throughout the system we use “K” as a key measuring tool. The “K” we use to measure is equal to the Kin the Kaplan logotype in the size you intend.
• This measurement is further divided into quarters (0.25 “K”). The recommended clear space around the logo is determined by the cap height of the “K” + 0.25 “K”.
• When re-sizingthe logo it must always be done proportionately. You can achieve this by holding down shift when enlarging.
• Never enlarge a logo which is not a vector file (.ai or .eps) as it will instantly lose quality. You can however reduce the size of non vector files with no loss of quality (.jpg or .png).
• Anchor panels may only be produced in two versions: In Kaplan Purple or white, with reverse-color logos. The purpose of this is to always maintain an acceptable amount of Kaplan Purple in all our communications.
• Do not change the color of the anchor panel
• Do not use more than the specified number of rounded corners or alter their shape
• Do not use other color combinations
• Do not use a rectangle or reposition the logo inside the anchor panel
• Do not reduce the scale of the logo inside the anchor panel
• Do not use as a key line anchor panel
• When using a gradient background, ensure that the brandmark is set against Kaplan Purple, and observing the required clear space.
• The brandmark may be set against a Kaplan Purple shape, again observing the required clear space.
• In print documents, the Stem section of the K should extend to the top and left bleed margin to 3mm (unless stated otherwise).
• The spacing around the ‘K’ should at least be the same size as the ‘K’ itself to avoid crowding.
• The primary position of the ‘K’ is always in the top left corner of left side of a document.
• The left side and top of the ‘K’ must always bleed off the edge of the document.
• Do not use the “K” on an angle
• Do not use color combinations not in the color palette
• Do not use in a color, except for icons, location markers, and premiums
• Do not use either the “K” stem or arrow in solid white
• Do not use the “K” as a key line
• Do not use the transparent “K” over multicolored, high-contrast backgrounds with large details or patterns in focus that make the “K” difficult to read
• Do not mix solid with a key line
• Do not use the transparent “K"over solid colors or very subtle gradient backgrounds, as the “K” won’t look transparent but will shift in color toward the background
• Don’t let the logo float away from edges
• The right floating anchor logo was used effectively here because it suited the large physical format the best.
• The logo needed to be seen from far away and above the heads of people at a fair.
• We also wanted to keep the photographic background as the main overarching strength of the campaign. Enabling the logo to float over it instead of blocking out an entire corner was the most effective solution.
• Standard and stacked anchored logos have six position options.
• Each logo has one or two curved corners denoting where it can be placed on a document.
• In the “bleed” version, the anchor panel extends past the material’s edge. This is intentional. It is to allow an application to be physically trimmed to the edge of the anchor panel at the printer’s, so that the anchor panel reaches the edge of the page exactly.
• You will need to include a printer’s “bleed” area at the edge of the page (usually 0.25”).

Naming Conventions

• All accounts across social media include ‘Kaplan International Languages’ in their name so that they are identifiable and can be easily searched online.
• Never abbreviate Kaplan International Languages to KlLor Kl Languages on any customer or agent-facing materials, communications or platforms. If you need to shorten, simply Kaplan is fine.

Content Marketing

• As part of our global content marketing strategy, we’ve aligned the following content categories across all content production and publication: B2C 1. FUN WITH LANGUAGES 2. LEARNING LANGUAGES 3. WORKING INTERNATIONALLY 4. AROUNDTHEWORLD 5. STUDYING WITH KAPLAN 6. PEOPLE OF KAPLAN B2B 7. HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR KAPLAN SALES 8. HOW TO SELL KAPLAN 9. HOW TO WORK WITH KAPLAN 10. HOW TO EXCEL AS A KAPLAN TOP SELLER
• Do: Web sized Jpegs
• Don’t: Use png, tiff, any other image format
• Do: Use our standard image sizing for articles 1410x785px (Header) and 1410x390 (Article body)
• Don’t: Use any other format
• Do: Use images from Brandfolder
• Don’t: Use images from shutterstockorother image providers
• Don’t: Use unlicensed images from google/ instagram/facebook
• Do: Use images from our students only if you’ve saved the consent form in https://trello.com/b/QjAd6Kqm/consent-forms-video-photography
• Do: Use a maximum of 3 pictures per blog article
• Do: Use YouTube embed codes for videos
• Don’t: Embed any javaScript code
• Don’t: Embed external APls (instagram, facebook, twitter)
• Do: use the options that the WYSIWYG provides
• Don’t: Create your own styling in the source of the article.
• Note: Any external code affects PageSpeed metrics (LCP, CLS) and can will prevent you from being able to use the publish action on the blog
• Do: Research keywords relevant in your market and language within the 6 content categories
• Don’t: Copy/translate articles from other markets
• Don’t: Write about specific or seasonal events that won’t be relevant after it happened. (This is more suited for social media channels, but not the blog)
• Don’t: Copy content from another website
• Do: Update your main website’s product pages with key selling points, things to do in destinations
• Don’t: Write about something that already exists on our main website (they will compete in SEO with our page)
• Don’t: Have more than 1 article pertopic
• Don’t: have more than 1 article per keyword idea
• Don’t: Have any published articles that do not have more than 1,000 impressions a month on SERP
• Don’t: Have any article about an erroneous fact about our products or destination
• Don’t: Have any article about any fact that change soften (dates, ratings, stats…)
• Do: make sure your articles have SEO value before you link them to a promotional email
• Don’t: Add a promotion or campaign content to the blog article
• Don’t: Create a specific blog article for a specific campaign or promotion
• Do: Use the main CTA block to drive users to the website or/and our main KPls.
• Don’t: Put more than 2 links in the article
• Don’t: Link to our own articles/website from the body of the article
• Don’t: Create your own CTA with your own image
• Do: Use a testimonial from our students only if you’ve saved the consent form in https://trello.com/b/QjAd6Kqm/consent-forms-video­photogra phy
• Don’t: create a testimonial only blog article (really low SEO value+ competes with GooglyeMy Business)
• Do: Have an image and a short interesting and relevant bio for all your authors on the blog (even previous Kaplan staff)
• Do: Create general authors for blog partnerships and students. E.g. “guest writer” or"kaplan student”
• Don’t: Use a generic author like “kaplaninternational” for normal blog articles

Web Guidelines

• Primary Font: Open Sans
• Original source: fan ts.goog/e. com/specimen/
• Open+Sans Applied languages: English, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Turkish.
• Market Specific Typfaces Arabic: Noto Kufi Arabic Chinese: Simplified: MicrosoftYahei Traditional: Microsoft Jhenghei Japanese: Meiryo Korean: Malgun Gothic Thai: Prompt
• For a full extensive guide regarding web fonts please visit: https://xd.adobe.com/view/5ff317eb-cb17-45e7-7866-d204f2b42f45-29c2/
• Kaplan Purple color code: R: 36, G:15, B:110 / #240F6E
• Use it for any Lil elements such as text titles, background, buttons and icons.
• Blue Green, Deep Blue Green, Aqua Blue, Darker Blue Green
• Use these colours to visually highlight Lil elements such as buttons and text hyperlinks.
• For a full extensive guide regarding web colors please visit: https://xd.adobe.com/view/5ff317eb­cb17-45e7-7866-d204f2b42f45-29c2/
• DO NOT colour pick or sample directly from this PDF. Mix the colours yourself in the software you’re using.
• All images should follow the master brand guidelines of Kl Languages.
• All images on our web applications should inspire our customers but also add value to further develop our brand. What to consider when choosing images for digital platforms: Brand imagery should support the message in a relevant and engaging way. Be positive, inspiring and eye-catching. Be natural, avoid using images that are too artificial or distorted. Be bright, joyful and dynamic, avoid using images that look too static, staged or cliche. Be simple where possible and not too complex, for example, text should not be placed on a crowded background. At least one person should make contact with the user, avoid using the backs of people, and instances where you can’t see people’s faces. Text on an image should be clearly visible and legible. Text on an image should not overly cover people’s face. Images need to work for responsive design, imagine the image used on a very large screen compared to mobile.
• For a full extensive guide regarding web images please visit: https://xd.adobe.com/view/5ff317eb­cb17-45e7-7866-d204f2b42f45-29c2/

Video Guidelines

• If you don’t get users’ attention within the first five seconds or less of your video, there’s a good chance you’ll lose them all together.
• In order to really grab them, it’s good to start your video with a strong “why” -why users should care enough to watch your video, why they should watch all the way through, why they should care about your message and why they should take whatever action you’re encouraging them to take.
• This often takes the form of a hook, telling users why the video’s content matters to them. Emotions are often important here, and you need to find a way to explain why the video’s content is relevant to your target audience.
• When filming B-Roll please film students/subjects smiling or at least engaged, at all times. We wantto sell the fact that customers are enjoying their time at Kaplan -whether it be in a classroom or outside of school.
• Good, bright lighting (ideally natural light) that shows depth (i.e. separation from the back wall).
• Height of camera needs to be eye­level of your subject. The ‘rule of third’ needs to be applied (right).
• Key light: the purpose of the key light is to highlight the form and dimension of the subject.
• When testing sound levels, get the subject to talk about things that they’re naturally going to talk about. With this, you’re able to adjust the volumes more easily, than asking them to count to ten or “say something.”
• Make sure all interviews are landscape framing, which as much shallow depth of field as possible.
• Check for things that are in the frame that are distracting. This takes away from the subject.
• Remove anything in the frame that you don’t want.
• If you don’t have any lighting, try to use as much natural light in the quietest space possible.
• Transmitter setting is generally at -30db (depending on the subject’s voice level).
• Receiver setting is generally at Odb (depending on the subject’s voice level).
• Your shutter speed should always be double yourframerate fornatural motion blur. 25fps with 1/50 of a shutter is correct The shutter is open long enough for the selected framerate.
• 60fps with 1/30 of a shutter is incorrect. The shutter is open for too long and not enough frames are being taken.
• Base framerates 24, 25, 30 FPS. These frame rates will always have the highest quality when recording in both bitrate and resolution. This will be best for when the subject is not moving or if you are filming for the result to be the most natural. This is good for filming someone talking as an example.
• Creative framerates 48 -60 FPS. These are creative framerates, where you will be able to slow motion down for a more dramatic look and make motion appear smoother. This is great for people laughing, walking and talking, when no audio is being recorded.
• 90-120FPS. This takes the creativity to another level, when you are recording something that is really active, and you can suddenly slow down the motion to great effect.
• It is important to select your filming mode based on your location. Selecting PAL (25, 50, 100) will work in places like the UKand Australia. NTSC (24, 30, 60, 120) will work in places like the US and Canada. This is due to the refresh rate of lights and screens. PAL has a refresh rate of 5ohz, NTSC has a refresh rate of 6ohz. If you choose the wrong setting you will get ‘strobing’ which is where the refresh rate of screens and lights doesn’t match your camera’s framerate, and it can affect your footage.
• If you can’t evenly divide the number of frames you filmed at by the project framerate, you won’t get an even number. This will result in your footage having the occasional frame missing and it will look unnatural.
• For higherframerates to accommodate lowerframerates, the shutter speed will need to be high, so when played back at normal speed, you will get less natural motion blur. There will be a loss in quality, as the bitrate cameras record at will be divided against more frames. For example, there will be less bits per frame in 50fps than 25fps when recording at 100mbps.
• There is a crop factor, cameras crop in at different rates when shooting at a higher frame rate.
• ISO determines how sensitive your camera’s sensor is to light. This higher you have it, more will be exposed in your frame. We would recommend you keeping this as low as possible, some cameras deal with high ISO better than others. If your ISO is too high you will start to see visual noise, which can really ruin your shot, this is why external lighting is so important.
• Aperture is the F count on your camera’s lens. This determines how much light is let in through the lens, the lower the count the wider the aperture. This is also the main factor when creating ‘depth of field’ as more light creates a shallow depth of field. Less light creates a deeper depth of field and the background regains focus. Selecting the right aperture is key, using a wide aperture may hinderyou in keeping things in focus whereas a tighter aperture will reduce the cinematic edge to your shots.
• Use a tripod (if you don’t have a tripod, ask someone to hold the camera, make sure it’s steady!) If using a smartphone, do not zoom in but get closer to the subject.
• Use as much natural light or if filming in a room without windows, make sure it’s as bright as possible.
• Use landscape framing.
• Remember, smile when you’re on camera! Speak clearly and slowly. Not too fast and not too slow! Think of being a tv presenter or news presenter.
• Careful planning is essential to ensure that you’re on the right track.
• First, decide what goal you want to accomplish with yourvideo: do you want to drive immediate sales, or establish general brand awareness and familiarity?
• This is important, because you can only choose one goal to optimize for, in each video. Once you do this, you can decide on a message and a strategy.
• Kaplan International Languages logo should be centered, and only used at the end and/orthe beginning of a video.
• For general text we use Meta Pro Black.
• For lower thirds, we use Meta Pro Normal or Light.
• We have an account with Artlist, where we source all of our music, including 40 downloads per day. https://artlist.io
• Adobe Audition is used when editing audio from interviews with talking heads.
• Video needs to be from the product awareness, engagement, campaign or advertisement category (see next page). Video is going to be promoted. Video needs to fit in a global content series style. English subtitles are provided (suitability to potentially be promoted in all markets). Video is on brand or has been edited by our video team.
• When setting up your project make sure your resolution and frame rate are selected correctly. Projects should either be set up in 1080p or4k.
• The majority of video should be produced in a 16:9 aspect ratio, but certain projects require a specialist aspect ratio. This includes 1:1 for lnstagram feed posts, these appear as a perfect square. There is also 9:16 for lnstagram stories which will fill the whole screen of a mobile phone. Think carefully about which format and ratio best fits your project and you will achieve the best results.
• The framerate should be a base frame rate of either 24, 25 or 30FPS. This will be determined by what your footage was shot in. If your project frame rate doesn’t match your footage, then it is likely that they will have frames missing and your video will look unnatural.
• When editing, use pace and rhythm to keep your audience engaged. It is a game for the editor to keep the audience engaged, use this with subtle effects like a speed ramp, jump cuts or a cross dissolve to keep the flow of the video moving. You can really wake up the audience with a shift in the frame rate or a clever transition.
• When colouring your footage really try to even the exposure. Make sure the shadows and highlights don’t peak and give the shot some life! Premiere has some good pre-sets for colour to get started with.
• Brand elements in post include a folding element animation with a strapline and the Kaplan International Languages logo.
• The Unfolding element must correspond to the product and the strapline must also follow suit with the product or location.
• The logo must be dead centre and be at size 14when using the high res PNG.
• You should always make sure that your audio is mixed well so that there is nothing too quiet or too loud for those watching. You should raise or lower voice levels so that they should be around -9 DB.
• When exporting you first need to choose your format. H.264 is a standard MP4 and it is generally what we will use. Other formats include Quicktime, Waveform Audio, GIF and many more. Presets also exist in this, some are built for particular formats like YouTube and Vimeo. Be wary of the compression rate to quality as the more the file is compressed the more quality you will lose. You can create your own presets if you wantto experiment with the rates of compression, which will be very beneficial for platforms like lnstagram and Facebook.

Crm Guidelines

• Image dimensions Hero Image: 710x350 / 710x450 Image block: For promos or destinations: 3 narrow image blocks: 234x350 3 square image blocks: 234x234 2-sided image blocks: 355x355 1 image block: 355x355
• Content inside image blocks should not exceed 150 characters with spaces.
• Headers do’s & dont’s B2C marketing email headers should only display logo on the left and nothing else. B2B email headers should display Facebook and LinkedIn icons. Only use black header for Black Friday. Do not use headers with icons for contact, brochure, quote, and call, or social media icons for Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn above the logo. Action icons should be the same as the ones currently on the website and appear underneath the Kaplan logo, not above. The social icons should be white and in the footer to keep the header as clean as possible.
• Pre-flight checklist This checklist is to ensure that your email is all good before you hit the send button. Timing Send date and time: Choose the date and time for your send and schedule it on your calendar. Ensure it doesn’t conflict with any other sends. The details Subject line: Check for typos and personalisations. Pre-header text: Have you updated it? Check for typos. Footer: Have you updated if necessary? Check your footer includes the correct social channels, Rated ‘EXCELLENT’ on Trustpilot image, show view in browser option, the physical address, Privacy Policy and Unsubscribe links. If the email features a promotion, include all promotional T&C’s after the view in browser link. Sender address: Always include the physical address of your business. Permission reminder: Have you updated as needed? Unsubscribe link: You must always include this. Social icons: Are they linked to the correct social networks? Emojis: Use emojis to shorten subject lines or convey emotion. Double check if the use of emoji fits the tone of the email and if it’s appropriate your audience. The content Body copy: Check for typos and readability. Images: Are they properly linked? Have you added ALTtext? Background images: Have you added a fallback color? Headlines: Are they properly linked? Keep short and simple, check length on mobile. CTA buttons: Are they properly linked? Personalization: Do you have a fallback in place? Keep 2-3 words max and action focused. Dynamic content: Who should see it? Lists Suppressions: Do you need to suppress any list? Exclusions: Do you need to exclude any portion of your list? Data: Does your subscriber list have all of the fields you need? Testing In box preview: Have you sent yourself a test email? Full inbox test: Have you tested all email clients? A/B testing: Are you A/B testing this campaign? If so, for clear testing results make sure you’re testing one element at a time and that the variations are very different. Other Notify team: Notify appropriate teams like support or sales. Send them the link to the campaign, let them know who the audience is and tell them when it will send. Send Schedule your campaign to send immediately or in the future. After the send Analytics: See how your campaign performed.