Brand
Guidelines for using The Guide brand consistently across all media.
Tagline
Independent data. Candid editorial.
Use the tagline on social profiles, email footers, and any media where The Guide is represented.
Logo
“The” is set in charcoal (#1A1A1A). “Guide” is set in primary navy (#1e3a5f). Always maintain this colour split. On dark backgrounds, “The” becomes cream (#F8F4EE) and “Guide” stays primary navy or becomes cream.
Colours
Cream
#F8F4EE
cream
bg, default surface
Charcoal
#1A1A1A
charcoal
text, dark backgrounds
Primary Navy
#1e3a5f
primary
links, CTAs, "Guide" in wordmark
Accent Orange
#E8722A
accent
accent, highlights
Charcoal Light
#4A4540
charcoal-light
secondary text
Charcoal Muted
#7A756E
charcoal-muted
tertiary text, captions
Cream 200
#F0EBE3
cream-200
borders, dividers
Typography
Cormorant Garamond
Headings, wordmark, article body
Inter
UI text, labels, captions, nav
Cormorant Garamond is loaded from Google Fonts. Inter is loaded from Google Fonts. Fallbacks: Georgia (display), system sans-serif (body).
Editorial voice
The Guide writes like a trusted broadsheet education correspondent - factual, direct and willing to say what others won't.
Tone
Opinionated, specific and measured. Closer to a broadsheet schools correspondent than a marketing brochure. Think The Good Schools Guide, not a prospectus.
Point of view
We report what we found. If a school's facilities are dated or its fees are steep for what's on offer, we say so. Credibility comes from honesty, not diplomacy.
Style
British English throughout. Short sentences. Active voice. No filler, no superlatives unless earned. Hyphens only - never em-dashes or en-dashes.
Fees
Always quoted in US$ as the primary currency, with the local currency alongside. Parents compare across countries - a common denominator matters.
What we avoid
Breathless praise. Hedge words (‘arguably’, ‘perhaps’). Corporate jargon (‘holistic learning journey’). Anything that reads like it was written to please a school's marketing department.
Name usage
Full name: The International Schools Guide
Short name: The Guide
Domain: international-schools-guide.com
Use “The International Schools Guide” in formal contexts (LinkedIn, press, legal). Use “The Guide” in editorial, UI, and casual references.