Table of Contents
The primary style guide for marketing and Web use is the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook.
Abbreviations: Avoid unclear abbreviations. Do not use "i.e." or "e.g." - instead use "for example" or similar. Acceptable abbreviations include MB, KB, MHz, and so on.
Aboard: Use aboard, not onboard. Example: Welcome aboard the aircraft.
Acronyms: Spell out and explain all acronyms on first reference on a page. Example: Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules...
Address: Drop all references to "Building B."
Aircell: One word, now styled as shown.
Airspeed: One word. Example: Airspeed Rating: 600 kt TAS.
Commas: It is acceptable to use a serial comma in technical writing, contrary to AP style. Example: Aircell markets transceivers, antennas, and services.
In flight: Two words. Hyphenate when used as an adjective. Example: We will read the in-flight magazine while in flight.
Internationalize: Write and format for an international audience.
Jargon: Avoid jargon. Use common terms, not industry jargon, wherever possible. Use examples or otherwise make sure terminology is clear to average readers.
Links: Leave punctuation outside hyperlinks whenever possible. An exception is a hyperlink that is a full sentence.
Telephone numbers: Use dots as separators, such as +1.303.123.4567
Satcom: Use Satcom (not SATCOM or satcom).
Sexist language: Avoid sexist language and he, she, his, and her. Write in gender-neutral plural language, using they, their, and so on.
Special characters: For compatibility with the widest range of Web browsers, the existing standard has been to use hyphens, not dashes, and avoid special characters wherever possible. We need to revisit this in light of today's browsers.
Trademarks: When necessary to use trademark symbols (™, ®), only use them with the first mention of the product in normal text. Do not use the symbols in headlines, or with the same product more than once in the same document.
Webmaster: One word, cap the W.
Web site: Two words, cap the W. Web used as an adjective is also capped.
The following information is excerpted from the Aircell dealers' Web site.
The Aircell logo and signature tagline are the property of Aircell. The registration mark (®) must appear whenever either is used. These and our other registered trademarks are protected under law. While Aircell grants dealers limited license to use the logo and signature during the term of the dealer agreement, it does not transfer their title to them, nor may they alter their proportion or colors. When the logo is sized such that the "C" in Aircell is 1/4" or smaller, the signature must be omitted. The signature may be omitted in other cases as desired. Under no circumstance should the signature be used without the Aircell logo. The logo graphic and signature should be used as shown below and never typeset.
To help Aircell project a consistent public image, the logo colors on this page are the only versions acceptable for usage. The black version of the logo is reserved for internal communications or instances where a spot color is not available. When match colors are available, Aircell Blue (PMS 300) is to be used. If process colors are to be utilized, then a mixture of 100 Cyan and 43 Magenta is required. The signature remains black.
It is always important to ensure sufficient contrast between the Aircell corporate logo and the background it is printed on. Reverse logos and signature, such as shown below, should always appear as white when placed on anything dark. Underlying paper stock and/or other printed colors should not be allowed to be seen through the logo. Please use your creative judgment in this instance. If the application is questionable, do not reverse it.
To ensure that our corporate logo maintains a dynamic presence wherever it appears, it is important that it is allowed to stand on its own, free from type or graphics that might otherwise compete for dominance. To achieve this, it is important to maintain a boundary around the logo that is equal in both height and width to the letter "e" used in the Aircell logo (as shown below).
To ensure the most consistent, highest quality use of our logo, unauthorized colors should never be applied to the Aircell Logo. Further, there are a number of graphic techniques (though widely used) that should be avoided. These include screening the logo in any percentage, skewing it any angle other the horizontal, adding drop shadows, changing the position of the logo in relation to the signature, enclosing the logo within a shape, and keylining the logo.
At Aircell, our goal is to fully meet dealer needs while always maintaining our own corporate identity. These guideline provide a direction and, if followed, a consistency which will reinforce the impact of our communications with the public.
The marketing department of Aircell is responsible for approving requests that go beyond these guidelines. If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail the Webmaster.
In 2005, Aircell introduced some new fonts and a revised color scheme in printed publications, such as brochures.
Use the following colors on the Aircell Web sites. See all Web colors.
In late 2005, the Aircell Web site underwent a makeover to change the color scheme to mirror the latest Axxess publications and branding. Another makeover was done in 2007.
The Aircell Web site currently uses a color palette comprised mostly of yellow and gold, along with black.
Blacks and some grays are used as text and accent colors.
a:link is C58312. Used for standard links.
a:visited is CC6600. Used for visited links.
a:hover is C58312. Used for hover links.
The Web site's primary font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif
In some cases where space is at a premium, such as table text or fine print, the Verdana font is omitted from the font-family specified. For complete details, see the cascading style sheet (CSS).
The AircellDealers Web site currently maintains a color palette that represents the company's familiar blue corporate branding.
Matching Aircell's general corporate branding, blue is the predominant color.
Matching Aircell's older product sheets, etc., golds and yellows are used for accent colors.
Matching Aircell older product sheets, etc., silvers (gray for Web) can be used for limited accent colors.
For the most part, we adopted standard link colors for user familiarity.
The Web site's primary font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif
In some cases where space is at a premium, such as table text or fine print, the Verdana font is omitted from the font-family specified. For complete details, see the cascading style sheet in use.
Use the following file-naming conventions.
Lowercase a-->z and 0-->9 and the underscore (_) or hyphen (-) if wanted. No blank spaces, no uppercase, no punctuation. Use descriptive filenames, but keep as short as possible.
Current graphics and PDFs will generally be moved to the new site "as is," so these file types already encompass a variety of naming conventions. Because of this, we can continue to be more flexible with these files names. When practical, use the same naming conventions as for Web pages: Lowercase a-->z and 0-->9 and the underscore or hyphen if wanted. No blank spaces, no punctuation. Use descriptive filenames, but keep as short as possible.
If clarity or sorting is improved, however, you may use title caps or internal caps (for example, Aircell_logo.gif). Since PDF files are intended for customer use, always use descriptive names, including caps where needed for ease of understanding.
Lowercase a-->z and 0-->9 and the underscore or hyphen if wanted. No blank spaces, no uppercase, no punctuation. Use descriptive filenames, but keep less than 31 characters for Mac compatibility.
Preface Web page file names, except all index.hmtl files, with the abbreviation that identifies its site section.
Use the following sizes for thumbnail graphics:
Always make the Web site as accessible to all users as possible.
Last updated 07/25/07