House style
House style is a guide for writing and design that enables Alzheimer's Society to present a consistent style in terms of look and feel and in clarity of presentation. Alzheimer's Society house style covers four main areas:
Writing - the rules that govern language, including clarity, spelling, punctuation, conventions. The house style guide provides guidelines for clear writing, as well as specific advice on particular conventions. There is a reference list at the end for more detailed guidance on use of English.
Tone of voice - how we communicate with people with dementia and those who care for them. This includes use of inclusive and non-discriminatory language.
Visual identity - the fonts, colours, graphics, layouts and images that represent the Society. These are covered in detail in Bringing our brand to life: Alzheimer's Society brand guidelines, and so we simply summarise them here.
Mandatories - the legal requirements with which all charities and limited companies must comply in relation to their written documents, and other administrative details.
Why is house style important?
Alzheimer's Society aims to present a consistent and unified front at all times. We must always keep in mind our core principles and values, and remember that people with dementia and their carers will always be at the centre of everything we do.
First impressions - when people first read or see something that comes from the Society, they should receive the same message about who we are and what we do. Having a single, clear identity helps raise awareness.
One Society - by using a consistent house style, we ensure that all Society materials - national and local - sit well together and are recognised as coming from the same organisation. Any reputation we gain for good service or high-quality information reflects well on the whole Society.
Quality - a consistent, considered house style presents an image of a well-run organisation in which members, donors and the public can have confidence.
Law and good practice - the law requires the Society, as a registered charity and limited company, to put certain details such as its name, address and charity number on all official documents. For example, raffle tickets must have the charity number printed on them to meet legal requirements. Some activities such as fundraising may be illegal without such details. Other information, such as the Alzheimer's Society Dementia Helpline number and website address, are not legally required, but we want as many people as possible to know about them.
For further information view the house style guide.
