Typography

Our typography

The way we set type conveys our messages in a strong and consistent way. It reflects our unique personality, without compromising legibility.

Our brand typefaces

We have two display brand typefaces which can be used together, to help create clear emphasis and hierarchies within our text. In addition we also use Open Sans for body text.

Value Serif

Value Sans

Open Sans

Value Serif

Value Serif is one of our primary typefaces used across all applications. It conveys our voice in a simple and bold way. We use three weights (Regular, Semibold and Bold) for headlines, titles, subheadings and pull quotes.

Value Sans

Open Sans is our secondary typeface used for body copy only. We use four weights (Light, Regular, Semibold, and Bold) in long form text due to it’s high legibility and space economy.

Open Sans

Open Sans is our secondary typeface used for body copy only. We use four weights (Light, Regular, Semibold, and Bold) in long form text due to it’s high legibility and space economy.

Using italics

We use italics to highlight and emphasise information, such as book titles within body text. We also use italics sparingly within headlines and display copy to create emphasis (for example, dates within a title).

Value Sans and Serif Italic

Open Sans Italic

Best practice

We have clear typographic rules which make it easy to create consistently on-brand layouts and typesetting.

Tracking and leading

To ensure our typography is consistent and legible, we follow the tracking (the space between letters and words) and leading (the space between lines of text) examples shown. We avoid using tracking and leading to condense or expand text, and use generous leading.

Tracking

Leading

Alignment

Generally, text is appears left, or centre aligned. However, in order to create engaging layouts and designs, headings and display text on posters, or the front page of items can be creatively aligned.

Left aligned

Centre aligned

Type size

To aid accessibility adhere to our minimum type sizes. These sizes are a guides, it may be necessary to use smaller sizes for items such as footnotes, or legal texts.

Digital 16px

Print 10pt

Creating emphasis

Creative typography can convey our personality and reinforce important concepts or ideas within our communications. We combine Value Sans and Serif in display typography to create emphasis, visual distinction and to highlight important words, phrases or concepts.

Creating hierarchy

We combine our typefaces and use different font weights to create a clear hierarchy of information and aid readability. Follow the typographic compositions below for best practice.

Substitute fonts

When our brand fonts are not available or cannot be used due to system or licensing limitations such as emails, Microsoft Office files or editable files shared with third parties, we use our substitute fonts of Arial and Georgia.