ON-SCREEN TEXT (OST)
The default typeface that should be used for on-screen text (OST) is Metric Light uppercase.
Below, we will describe technical principles and parameters of how we use our typeface. For a more general overview of our typeface and how it complements our visual style, see Typography.
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On the other hand, asset-specific principles are described in individual asset chapters, namely in Benefit image and Video asset types.
This chapter is divided into two section - OST principles for images and OST principles for video.
OST GUIDELINES FOR IMAGES
​TYPEFACE
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Font: Metric light uppercase
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Font tracking: 0
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Font leading: auto
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Font kerning: metrics
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Paragraph: center text
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No full stop at the end of the copy
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The disclaimer does end with a full stop
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Make sure to follow punctuation rules at the end of this chapter
LEGIBILITY
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Colour is white (RGB 255, 255, 255)
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The copy should be placed in a part of the image that is not busy, i.e. it should be easily readable
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The copy is usually placed in the bottom half of the image
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Avoid drop shadows
COPY - FONT SIZE
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Font size is the width of the image divided by 30, in px
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For example, a 6000px wide image should have a copy with the size of 200px
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The copy shouldn't be longer than 2 lines
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DISCLAIMER - FONT SIZE
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Font size is the width of the image divided by 80, in px
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The disclaimer shouldn't be longer than 2 lines
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Disclaimer is located at the bottom action safe frame (90%)
CROP CONSIDERATIONS
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Place your copy(ies) within a 1:1 crop area, i.e. a copy cannot exceed the bound of a square crop
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Quick tip: If you want to change the displayed size of your type in Photoshop from pt to px and vice-versa, you can do so by going to Edit > Preferences > Units & Rulers > Rulers.
Notice how the copy exceeds the 1:1 crop area - avoid this by splitting the copy into a new line sooner
OST GUIDELINES FOR VIDEO
The following section describes general OST principles that are applicable for all text in video.
The sections that follow afterwards deal with specifics of individual OST types. Make sure to read both of them to have a full understanding of how we apply OST to our videos.
If you wish to learn how to "construct" individual OST types in terms of wording (i.e. what the actual text should be) or need additional details, refer to individual Video asset chapters.
These are general OST rules that are valid in all instances:​
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Font
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Typeface: Metric, mostly Light or Medium
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Colour: white (RGB 255, 255, 255)​
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Safe frames
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All OST should be located within title safe frame area
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Size of the safe area is 80%
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Size
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All values are defined for a full HD (1920x1080) video
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For other resolutions, scale accordingly
Legibility
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Alternatively, you can locally decrease exposure of the background and add a slight blur:
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Create an adjustment layer
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Apply Exposure (with negative values) and Lens blur (with lower values)
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Mask out the layer to cover only the area below and around the text
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Feather the mask edges
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INTRO
​Structure
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Consists of a subhead (first line(s), smaller font) and a headline (second line(s), bigger font)
Subhead
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Font type: Metric medium uppercase
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Font size: 36px
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Font tracking: 25
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Font leading: auto
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Font kerning: metrics
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Paragraph: center text
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Max no. of lines: 2
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Max no. of characters: ~100
Headline
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Font type: Metric light sentence case
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Font size: 96px
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Font tracking: 0
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Font leading: auto
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Font kerning: metrics
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Paragraph: center text
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Max no. of lines: 2
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Max no. of characters: 64
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can be two sentences as well - in that case, respect punctuation rules below
​OST position
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Distance between the subhead and the headline: 60px
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The position of the entire opening block (subhead + headline) on the screen: centered vertically and horizontally
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OST animation
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The copy is visible from the very first frame and fades out over 23 frames
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Do not animate the copy in any other way​
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General rules
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Respect the general rules outlined above
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Background
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Background for intro can be in-focus or blurred (out-of-focus)
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Blur should look cinematic and authentic, not cheap or generic (i.e. use a Lens blur or similar, not Fast or Gaussian blur)
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A natural depth-of-field effect can be used instead of a blur
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CHAPTER TITLE
Use cases
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Is used to denote a new chapter or block of a video
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Can also be used to highlight an important message or to introduce a closing statement
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Font specifics
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Font type: Metric light title case
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Font size: 96px
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Font tracking: 0
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Font leading: auto
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Font kerning: metrics
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Paragraph: center text
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Max no. of lines: 2
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Max no. of characters: 64
OST position
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The block is centered both vertically and horizontally
OST animation
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The copy starts fully opaque and fades out over 23 frames
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Do not animate the copy in any other way​​
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General rules
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Respect the general rules outlined above
COPY​
Font specifics
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Font type: Metric light sentence case
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Font size: 75px
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Font tracking: 0
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Font leading: 90px
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Font kerning: metrics
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Paragraph: left-aligned
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Max no. of lines: 2
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Max no. of characters: ~84
Benefit name
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For product videos, benefit name can be placed above the copy
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Benefit name specs:​
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Font type: Metric medium uppercase
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Font size: 36px
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Font tracking: 25
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Font leading: auto
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Font kerning: metrics
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Paragraph: left-aligned
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Gap between copy and benefit name: 36px
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OST position
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Left-aligned
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Aligned to the bottom title safe frame. This is true irrespective of whether the copy is one, two or three lines.
OST animation
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The copy fades in over 20 frames and fades out over 20 frames
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Do not animate the copy in any other way​​
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General rules
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Respect the general rules outlined above
DISCLAIMER
​Font specifics
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Font type: Metric light sentence case
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Font size: 20px
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Font tracking: 25
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Font leading: 24px
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Font kerning: metrics
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Paragraph: left-aligned
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Disclaimer & copy
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Disclaimer is connected through an asterisk (*) to the main text (copy or headline)
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There is no space between * and the main text or disclaimer
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Disclaimer always ends with a full stop
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OST position
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Centered horizontally
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Aligned to the bottom action safe area
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If the disclaimer is two lines, it is always the first line that is aligned to the action safe area
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OST animation
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The OST fades in over 20 frames and fades out over 20 frames
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Do not animate the OST in any other way​​
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General rules
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Respect the general rules outlined above
COMPARISONS & POP-UPS
​Font specifics​
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Font type: Metric medium uppercase
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Font size: 36px
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Font tracking: 25
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Font leading: auto
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Font kerning: metrics
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Paragraph: center text
OST animation
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The OST fades in over 20 frames and fades out over 20 frames
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Do not animate the OST in any other way​​
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General rules
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Respect the general rules outlined above
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Learn more about comparisons for both images and video here
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PUNCTUATION
Period
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.
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First sentence(s) always end(s) with a full stop
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The last sentence is without a full stop
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Disclaimer always ends with a full stop
Slash
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/
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There is no space before or after the /
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E.g.: "connect via Wifi/Bluetooth"
Asterisk
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*
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There is no space before or after the asterisk
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Main text* *with a disclaimer
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Dash (hyphen)
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We use the "minus" symbol for a dash (hyphen)
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If it is used in a word (built-in), we call it a hyphen and these is no space before or after the -
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If it is used to connect two parts of a sentence (Superior washing - in less than 1 hour), we call it a dash and there is a space before and after the -
Vertical bar (pipe)
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|
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There is a space before and after the |
LOGO
​​Use cases
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Throughout the entire video, our logo is visible on screen
OST position and size
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The logo is 200px wide
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It is placed in the upper left corner and aligned to the corner of the action safe area
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Do not lock up logo with copy or On-screen graphics and keep clear space around it
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OST animation
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The logo is visible from the very first frame of the video
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It fades out over 15 frames towards the end of the video
OUTRO
Use cases
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Each video ends with AEG logo and brand promise ("CHALLENGE THE EXPECTED")
Sonic Logo
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We have a per-animated sonic logo with sound
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It is placed at the end of a video after music has stopped playing
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It can be downloaded here
​Background
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Our logo and brand promise appear over regular, unblurred footage​