Land Rover UK TOV Guidelines
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LAND ROVER <strong>UK</strong> COPY GUIDELINES<br />
1<br />
<strong>UK</strong> COPY<br />
GUIDELINES<br />
REQUESTED COMMUNICATIONS<br />
05/03/2020
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CONTENTS<br />
What’s the purpose of this document? 4<br />
What’s the difference between requested<br />
and unrequested communications? 5<br />
Who’s our audience and what’s our personality? 7<br />
Our tone of voice 11<br />
Putting it into practice 14<br />
Quick checklist 44<br />
Style guide 45<br />
Any questions? 52
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INTRODUCTION
Jaguar <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Rover</strong> Limited. Registered address: Abbey Road, Whitley, Coventry, CV3 4LF, <strong>UK</strong>. Registered in England No. 1672070<br />
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WHAT’S THE PURPOSE<br />
OF THIS DOCUMENT?<br />
Letters. Brochures. Emails. Web pages. Terms and conditions.<br />
These are the things that our customers come into contact with all the time.<br />
And if those things aren’t consistent, well written, fail to build trust or<br />
don’t support what we stand for, they could undermine our brand.<br />
So we’ve created these practical writing guidelines to help make sure<br />
that everything we write helps strengthen our relationship with our<br />
customers. At this time, we’ll be focusing on how to create a consistent<br />
voice for requested communications only. We’ll get on to why that is<br />
and how to do it shortly.<br />
WHO ARE THESE<br />
GUIDELINES FOR?<br />
Primarily the marketing team at Jaguar <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Rover</strong>, and copywriters,<br />
account managers and planners at Spark44, who work on digital<br />
and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) communications.<br />
Dear <br />
The new Range <strong>Rover</strong> Velar is our most refined, capable and advanced medium SUV to date. And although<br />
you weren’t able to meet it at our preview event, we thought you’d appreciate a closer look.<br />
Poised, confident and packed with advanced technology, Velar offers a new dimension in glamour, modernity<br />
and elegance. It’s beautifully depicted in the enclosed book, which includes compelling insights into this<br />
remarkable new Range <strong>Rover</strong>. It’s yours, with the compliments of <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Rover</strong>.<br />
As you’ll see, Velar certainly rewards close inspection. <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Rover</strong>’s chief design officer Gerry McGovern<br />
chose renowned photographer Gary Bryan to bring out the beautiful detailing and attention to detail<br />
throughout Velar, the fourth member of the <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Rover</strong> family. Gary’s abstract, super high definition shots<br />
were the centrepiece of a Design Museum exhibition at the launch event, and are reproduced in all their<br />
glory in your complimentary Velar book.<br />
Meanwhile, thank you once again for your interest in Velar.<br />
Yours sincerely,<br />
Scott Dicken<br />
Marketing Director<br />
JAGUAR LAND ROVER<br />
Official EU Test Figures. For comparison purposes only. Real world figures may differ. Official Fuel<br />
Consumption Figures for the Range <strong>Rover</strong> Velar range in mpg (I/100km): Urban 22.2-45.6 (12.7-6.2);<br />
Extra Urban 37.7-57.7 (7.5-4.9); Combined 30.1-52.5 (9.4-5.4). CO2 Emissions 214-142 g/km.<br />
<strong>Land</strong> <strong>Rover</strong><br />
Abbey Road, Whitley, Coventry, CV3 4LF, <strong>UK</strong><br />
landrover.com
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WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE<br />
BETWEEN REQUESTED AND<br />
UNREQUESTED COMMUNICATIONS?<br />
An unrequested communication covers things like press ads,<br />
radio spots, online banners and TV commercials. It’s all about<br />
grabbing attention. It’s the cold call.<br />
A requested communication applies to things like emails, letters,<br />
direct mail and websites. It’s all about keeping customers engaged.<br />
It’s the follow-up call.<br />
WHY USE A DIFFERENT TONE<br />
OF VOICE FOR REQUESTED AND<br />
UNREQUESTED COMMUNICATIONS?<br />
While it’s important that our identity remains consistent across<br />
multiple platforms, our tone of voice needs to vary.<br />
Think of it like real life: You don’t speak to your boss the same way<br />
you speak to a friend. And you don’t speak to a friend the same<br />
way you speak to your mum. You adjust your tone according to who<br />
you’re talking to, and what you’re talking about. But your personality<br />
remains the same.<br />
The same principle applies to unrequested and requested<br />
communications, and the different methods of communication<br />
within each.<br />
Here we’ll give you some pointers on how to best get your message<br />
across to your audience in requested communications.
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BUT FIRST…
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WHO’S OUR AUDIENCE?<br />
To strike the right note with our audience, you need to know<br />
who they are. So we’ve described our target audience for you<br />
on the next page.<br />
WHAT’S OUR PERSONALITY?<br />
Our tone of voice conveys our brand essence and personality.<br />
So first of all, let us define what we stand for and what our<br />
personality is, for the brand overall and our three vehicle<br />
families (Range <strong>Rover</strong>, Discovery and Defender).<br />
DO YOUR RESEARCH<br />
To read more about our audience, personality and other<br />
background information, please contact a member of your<br />
Spark44 <strong>UK</strong> Strategic Planning team, and they’ll provide you<br />
with the right documents.
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OUR AUDIENCE<br />
People who have both style and substance.<br />
Those who are educated and intelligent with<br />
inner strength and the desire to make more<br />
of their world.<br />
BRAND PLATFORM<br />
We are the brand that enables and inspires<br />
you to make more of your world.
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EVERY FAMILY CONTRIBUTES TO THE PLATFORM<br />
MAKE MORE OF YOUR WORLD<br />
RANGE ROVER<br />
DISCOVERY<br />
DEFENDER<br />
VENTURES<br />
ADVENTURES<br />
EXPLORATIONS<br />
Business or leisure ventures<br />
to make more of your world,<br />
mentally and physically.<br />
Adventures – big and small –<br />
to physically make more of<br />
your world.<br />
Great explorations, off the beaten<br />
track, to make more of your world<br />
by pushing yourself to the limit.
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OUR BRAND CHARACTER<br />
Our brand character is the voice and personality of our brand.<br />
It defines the way we should express the brand at all times.<br />
All communications, experiences, encounters and touchpoints<br />
should be executed through the lense of this character.<br />
<strong>Land</strong> <strong>Rover</strong> is an Unruffled Hero.<br />
APPLYING OUR BRAND CHARACTER<br />
TO REQUESTED COMMUNICATIONS<br />
The personality traits on the right apply to the brand as a whole and<br />
all our communications need to be true to <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Rover</strong>. But some<br />
elements of our personality are more suited to certain channels and<br />
types of communications.<br />
As our most informative and targeted point of communication with our<br />
customers, our standard tone of voice for requested communications<br />
should mostly reflect the approachable nature of the Unruffled Hero.<br />
But of course, when appropriate we can dial up any of the others.<br />
WHAT HE/SHE<br />
IS:<br />
Determined<br />
Genuine<br />
Courageous<br />
Understated<br />
Confident<br />
Worldly<br />
Poised<br />
Composed<br />
Charming<br />
Passionate<br />
Driven<br />
Approachable<br />
Hands-on<br />
Hardworking<br />
Grounded<br />
WHAT HE/SHE<br />
ISN’T:<br />
Ruthless<br />
Insincere<br />
Forceful<br />
Passive<br />
Arrogant<br />
Aloof<br />
Reticent<br />
Cold<br />
Cheesy<br />
Obsessive<br />
Selfish<br />
Overfamiliar<br />
Controlling<br />
Single-minded<br />
Everyday
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TONE OF VOICE
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SO WHAT’S OUR TONE OF VOICE?<br />
Our brand character of the Unruffled Hero informs how we speak,<br />
which in a nutshell is…
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SIMPLY HUMAN<br />
If you remember anything, remember this.<br />
It sums up our tone of voice in two words.<br />
SAY IT SIMPLY<br />
Let’s face it, life can be complicated enough.<br />
So to make our customers’ lives a little simpler,<br />
we avoid unnecessary fuss and faff and keep things straightforward.<br />
SOUND LIKE A HUMAN<br />
People trust people. Not faceless corporations. So the more it sounds like<br />
a real person behind our words, the easier it is to connect with our customers.
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PUTTING IT<br />
INTO PRACTICE<br />
Some tips to help make your writing simple and human.
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RESPECT YOUR READERS’ TIME<br />
Our customers are real people, with busy lives.<br />
By making our writing concise and easy to follow,<br />
we’re making their lives easier.
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RESPECT YOUR READERS’ TIME<br />
KEEP IT SHORT<br />
SAY YOUR MAIN POINT FIRST<br />
While it’s great to include a sentence of scene-setting, your piece<br />
is more likely to be read if you make your main point early on.<br />
So decide what’s the one thing you want your reader to take away from<br />
your piece of writing, and say that up front. In the first line if you can.<br />
DON’T USE THREE WORDS<br />
WHERE ONE WILL DO<br />
As well as cutting information, you can take out excess<br />
words too. Read back over your writing and see if you<br />
can say things more concisely.<br />
ONLY TELL YOUR READER WHAT<br />
THEY REALLY NEED TO KNOW<br />
Once you’ve got your main point down, think about what other<br />
details you need to give them. Do they need to know all the ins<br />
and outs? Or do they just need to know what to do next?<br />
Look over the brief (or your writing if you’ve already started)<br />
and see what information you can cut out.
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RESPECT YOUR READERS’ TIME<br />
MAKE IT EASY TO GLANCE THROUGH<br />
USE HELPFUL HEADLINES<br />
AND SUBHEADS<br />
Headlines and subheads are a great way to help your reader navigate<br />
their way through your writing. But make them helpful. Headings<br />
like ‘Your Evoque’ don’t tell the reader much. Helpful headings tell<br />
the reader what’s coming, for example ‘What you need to do next’.<br />
Sometimes headlines and subheads alone can effectively communicate<br />
your message. If your audience can get the gist of your message<br />
without needing to read more then don’t write body copy just for<br />
the sake of it.<br />
Sometimes just a headline, image and call to action will do the job.<br />
USE BULLET POINTS<br />
Let’s face it, most customers will probably skim your copy, rather<br />
than read every sentence word for word. Bullet points work well<br />
because they make it easy for readers to consume your content<br />
quickly. They’re also a fantastic way to highlight key features<br />
and benefits.<br />
But as with any visual design technique, too much of a good<br />
thing can do more harm than good. So be careful not to overuse<br />
bulleted lists, or they’ll lose their effectiveness and make your<br />
communication feel more like a PowerPoint presentation.<br />
ARE WORDS THE WAY TO GO?<br />
Blocks of text can look daunting. And they’re not always the best<br />
way to get across your ideas. So it’s worth considering whether<br />
you could use something different, like an image, video, diagram<br />
or infographic.
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RESPECT YOUR READERS’ TIME<br />
ESPECIALLY ONLINE<br />
WHY DO WE READ<br />
DIFFERENTLY ONLINE?<br />
People don’t read copy the same online as they do in traditional<br />
media like letters and brochures. We very rarely read copy on<br />
websites and in electronic direct mail (eDMs) word for word,<br />
instead we scan the page. But why?<br />
One argument is that it’s more difficult to read lots of text on<br />
a screen. Especially on a smaller mobile screen. It strains the eyes<br />
and therefore makes it far less pleasant than reading something<br />
on paper. Another simple reason for people scanning copy online<br />
is that they’re looking for something specific. Think about your own<br />
internet use. You’re usually looking for answers and you skim until<br />
you find it.
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RESPECT YOUR READERS’ TIME<br />
ESPECIALLY ONLINE<br />
HOW DO WE READ ONLINE?<br />
The way people read on a desktop and on a mobile is different.<br />
EYE TRACKING ON<br />
DESKTOP SCREENS<br />
Desktop eye-tracking studies show that most people scan web<br />
pages and eDMs in the shape of an F. We read the headline<br />
and the introduction sentence. Then we start moving down the<br />
page looking for keywords. And we almost always stop at the<br />
first answer we find.
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RESPECT YOUR READERS’ TIME<br />
ESPECIALLY ONLINE<br />
EYE TRACKING ON<br />
MOBILE SCREENS<br />
Whereas mobile eye-tracking studies show that the gaze is somewhat<br />
distributed. Viewers look primarily at the centre of the screen.
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RESPECT YOUR READERS’ TIME<br />
ESPECIALLY ONLINE<br />
HOW TO WRITE FOR SCANNERS<br />
To make your copy extra easy to scan on desktop and mobile,<br />
keep it short and make it easy to glance through using the<br />
techniques mentioned previously, together with the following:<br />
HOW TO WRITE SCANNABLE COPY<br />
FOR DESKTOP READERS<br />
1. We read in an F pattern.<br />
So try and position and emphasise the most important<br />
copy on the left-hand side and the top of the page.<br />
2. We read the headline and the introduction sentence first.<br />
So make sure they’re compelling.<br />
3. We start moving down the page looking for key information.<br />
So try to include one idea per paragraph.<br />
4. We almost always stop at the first answer we find.<br />
So put your most important copy right at the top.<br />
HOW TO WRITE SCANNABLE COPY<br />
FOR MOBILE READERS<br />
1. We focus on the centre of the screen.<br />
So use a single column layout.<br />
2. Scrolling comes naturally, poor readability doesn’t.<br />
So make your copy as tight as possible, then increase<br />
the font size by at least 20%.<br />
3. Hyperlinks are more difficult to click on.<br />
So use buttons instead.<br />
4. Email subject lines get cut off if they’re too long.<br />
So keep your subject lines under 50 characters, and use the<br />
preheader text to elaborate (we’ll talk about this more in<br />
the next section).
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RESPECT YOUR READERS’ TIME<br />
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO<br />
SUBJECT LINES AND PREHEADERS<br />
WHAT ARE SUBJECT LINES<br />
AND PREHEADERS?<br />
A subject line is the single line of text recipients see when your email<br />
lands in their inbox. A preheader is the summary text that follows the<br />
subject line.<br />
WHY ARE THEY SO IMPORTANT?<br />
As your first touch point with your recipients, the subject line and<br />
preheader usually determine whether your email is opened or<br />
ignored. Therefore, it’s essential we try and get it right. To help<br />
you do so, we’ve outlined some best practices on the next page.
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RESPECT YOUR READERS’ TIME<br />
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO<br />
SUBJECT LINES AND PREHEADERS<br />
KEEP IT SHORT<br />
Given that most smartphones typically show fewer subject line and<br />
preheader characters – and more and more emails are opened on<br />
mobile devices – brevity is critical. However, there’s really no such<br />
thing as a one-size-fits-all word count, since the ideal length of your<br />
subject line and preheader depends on a variety of factors, like<br />
what devices, browsers and email platforms your emails are read on.<br />
So, as a general rule of thumb we recommend you try and keep<br />
subject lines to 50 characters or less and preheaders to 75 characters<br />
or less. Or even better, find out the top email clients and devices for<br />
your audience, and optimise accordingly.<br />
BE CLEAR<br />
Make it very clear what your email contains and leave no doubt<br />
what readers will find inside when they open it.<br />
DON’T REPEAT THE SUBJECT<br />
LINE IN THE PREHEADER<br />
Don’t waste valuable space and time by repeating or rehashing your<br />
subject line in the preheader. Your preheader should complement<br />
the subject line and build on it by adding some new information.<br />
DON’T WRITE A PREHEADER THAT<br />
CLASHES WITH THE SUBJECT LINE<br />
At the same time, you do need some consistency here. If the email<br />
preheader goes off in a completely different direction to your subject<br />
line, people will be confused or even suspicious, and far less likely to<br />
open the email.<br />
More on subject lines and preheaders coming up.
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CONNECT WITH YOUR READERS<br />
WRITE LIKE YOU SPEAK<br />
It’s hard for people to connect with a robotic, awkward or salesy voice.<br />
People instinctively trust those who speak like they do.<br />
So to build lasting relationships with our customers,<br />
it’s vital we master a warm and authentic conversational tone.<br />
BUT NOT EXACTLY<br />
LIKE YOU SPEAK<br />
That being said, don’t get overfamiliar or chatty.<br />
As a premium British brand it’s not our style. Keep it sophisticated.<br />
When we say “write like you speak”, it’s largely advice about not putting<br />
on a ‘telephone voice’ when you write. Because unless you’re writing<br />
scholarly essays – which we are not – the way we’ve been taught to write<br />
in school is way too formal and outdated.<br />
Here are some tips for making your writing more conversational…
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CONNECT WITH YOUR READERS<br />
DON’T USE STUFFY WORDS<br />
AND PHRASES<br />
You wouldn’t say in a meeting, “Schedules shall be agreed upon<br />
prior to commencement of the project”. You’d say: “We’ll agree<br />
the schedules before we start the project”.<br />
Choose everyday alternatives, like these:<br />
• Help instead of assist<br />
• Start instead of commence<br />
• Follow instead of ensue<br />
• Ask instead of enquire<br />
• Before instead of prior to<br />
• Go instead of proceed
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CONNECT WITH YOUR READERS<br />
AVOID STOCK PHRASES<br />
“From a new set of alloy wheels to a precision timepiece…”<br />
Mercedes-Benz<br />
“From estate cars that are ideal for both business and family,<br />
to hatchbacks…” Volkswagen<br />
“From petrol and diesel, to plug-in hybrid electric…” <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Rover</strong><br />
“…customise your BMW to suit your needs and lifestyle.” BMW<br />
“…a range of hybrid vehicles to suit your lifestyle.” Toyota<br />
“…find the perfect <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Rover</strong> vehicle to fit you and your lifestyle.”<br />
<strong>Land</strong> <strong>Rover</strong><br />
Sound familiar? It’s not that there’s anything wrong with these<br />
phrases and formulas per se. But they’ve become overused in our<br />
industry. And leaning on stock phrases and formulas too much can<br />
make our copy sound like it’s been written by a well-versed robot.<br />
Making us sound insincere and therefore our customers are less<br />
likely to trust us.<br />
So let’s try to avoid using expressions that feel tired and clichéd,<br />
and instead consider alternatives which feel more fresh and<br />
interesting. For instance, instead of using the ‘from this to that’<br />
method as a straightforward way of alluding to a range of features,<br />
you could say something like, “The Range <strong>Rover</strong> Sport comes with<br />
an extensive list of standard specifications, such as this and that.”<br />
Or you could choose to focus on the human benefits instead and write<br />
something like, “Whether you’re looking for city thrills or everyday<br />
adventures, Discovery is every vehicle you’ll ever need.”<br />
But of course, writing something that feels original will take more<br />
time than just slamming down some overworked formulas – even for<br />
copywriters with decades of experience. So make sure your team<br />
keep this in mind.
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CONNECT WITH YOUR READERS<br />
AVOID CLICHÉS.<br />
OR USE THEM CLEVERLY.<br />
Similar to the previous point, but this time we’re not just talking about<br />
automotive and advertising clichés. We’re talking about clichés from<br />
society as a whole. Like “you only live once”, “rise and shine” and<br />
“nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Avoid them. Unless you use them<br />
cleverly enough to make them original again.<br />
AVOID JARGON<br />
The automotive world uses a lot of jargon and acronyms. Like<br />
residual value. And total cost of ownership. AWD. And PHEV.<br />
Avoid it if you can. But sometimes you might have to keep some<br />
jargon in. In that case, just make sure you explain the meaning the<br />
first time you mention it. Or hyperlink to a definition elsewhere<br />
rather than including it. If you’re not sure how to explain some jargon,<br />
imagine you’re talking to someone who’s intelligent but isn’t in the<br />
automotive world. Like a friend or family member. Then write down<br />
the way you’d explain it to them.<br />
When it comes to acronyms, write it in full the first time you use<br />
it, followed by the acronym in a bracket. Then use the acronym<br />
only from there. For example, ‘All-Wheel Drive (AWD)’ first.<br />
Then just ‘AWD’.<br />
However, if it’s an acronym that most people know, such as FAQ<br />
or USB, then there’s no need to write it out in full.
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CONNECT WITH YOUR READERS<br />
USE CONTRACTIONS<br />
Use contractions where they sound right. Like ‘don’t’ instead of<br />
‘do not’ or ‘we’ll’ instead of ‘we will’. They make your writing sound<br />
less formal.<br />
BEWARE OF HYPERBOLE<br />
We never blow our own trumpet, so don’t overstate your point<br />
or dress it up too much with strings of fancy adjectives or superlatives.<br />
In an industry where any other car manufacturer can say their vehicles<br />
are “the best”, “groundbreaking”, “most efficient” or “revolutionary”,<br />
these superlatives don’t mean anything by themselves. So if you<br />
write such a claim, back it up with proof, like numbers, awards,<br />
statistics or reviews, like this:<br />
“With a towing capability of up to 2,500kg, Discovery Sport can<br />
handle the most demanding of tasks.”<br />
“Close to perfection. The best car in its class.” Top Gear<br />
Your copy will sound more genuine and persuasive if it’s specific,<br />
credible, and has an air of authority. The most difficult part in<br />
backing up superlatives with proof, is to do it without it sounding<br />
boring or convoluted.
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CONNECT WITH YOUR READERS<br />
IT’S OK TO START SENTENCES<br />
WITH ‘AND’, ‘BUT’ OR ‘SO’.<br />
Forget what your English teacher taught you. The Economist.<br />
The Financial Times. The Bible. All three of these start sentences<br />
with ‘and’, ‘but’ and ‘so’. It’s a technique all the great writers use,<br />
so feel free to do the same. Just don’t overdo it, else your writing<br />
might become choppy and sound too casual.<br />
“[That you can’t start a sentence with a conjunction] is a faintly<br />
lingering superstition. The Oxford English Dictionary gives<br />
examples ranging from the 10–19th c; the Bible is full of them”.<br />
Fowler’s Modern English Usage<br />
“Its distinctive silhouette and beautifully sculpted surfaces all<br />
combine to create a vehicle with a dramatic stance. And Discovery<br />
Sport’s desirability doesn’t diminish once you step inside either,<br />
with beautifully crafted finishes and optimum premium leathers<br />
that ensure you can take on every adventure in comfort and style.”<br />
“Typically, you may not have come to associate the words ‘practical’,<br />
‘capable’ and ‘versatile’ with the words ‘sleek’ and ‘refined’. But the<br />
Discovery Sport is far from typical.”<br />
“Discovery Sport combines seven-seat practicality, go-anywhere<br />
performance and premium style. So whether you’re taking a family<br />
trip to the seaside, or ferrying the kids around after school, you can<br />
transport yourself, your tribe, and all your gear in style.”
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CONNECT WITH YOUR READERS<br />
MAKE THE BENEFITS CLEAR<br />
“The 2019 model has a 220-horsepower V8 engine, anti-lock brakes,<br />
traction control, automatic safety restraint system and both front<br />
and side-impact airbags.”<br />
Features matter. But a list like the one above will mean next<br />
to nothing to the man and woman in the street, unless you’re<br />
a total petrolhead.<br />
What people really care about is how these features can bring value<br />
to their lives. So always try and link features to a human benefit<br />
like this:<br />
“We offer a wide range of pet pack accessories for Discovery Sport,<br />
designed to keep your pets comfy and safe, while protecting your<br />
vehicle. Because the best adventures involve the whole family – and<br />
that includes your pet.”<br />
“For in-car infotainment, choose between Touch or Touch Pro.<br />
These intuitive touch-screen systems are the command centre<br />
for a wealth of features allowing you to easily find your next meeting,<br />
keep an eye on the weather, control the cabin climate, and effortlessly<br />
keep in touch with your contacts. Not forgetting managing the<br />
entertainment along the way.”<br />
“Technology to keep you connected. Capability to help you escape.”<br />
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. And you might find<br />
that the benefits of some features are already extremely obvious<br />
and don’t need spelling out. But more often than not, the following<br />
is true:<br />
Features tell, benefits sell.
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CONNECT WITH YOUR READERS<br />
IT’S OKAY TO MIX THIRD<br />
AND FIRST PERSON<br />
Try to use first person pronouns (we, us, our) as much as possible.<br />
First person sounds more natural and friendly than referring to<br />
ourselves in the third person (<strong>Land</strong> <strong>Rover</strong>).<br />
But sometimes it will feel more natural to use a mix of both.<br />
Forget what you were taught in school, this is acceptable. Just try<br />
to introduce the brand by name first, but after the first mention<br />
switch to personal pronouns. And stick to them. Like this, “<strong>Land</strong> <strong>Rover</strong><br />
has been an iconic badge of national pride for 70 years. But where did<br />
it all begin? Read our article which explores how the achievements<br />
and innovations of Defender, Range <strong>Rover</strong> Evoque and Range <strong>Rover</strong><br />
Velar in particular have taken us Above and Beyond.”
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CONNECT WITH YOUR READERS<br />
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SEO<br />
WHAT IS SEO AND WHY IS IT<br />
IMPORTANT?<br />
If we want to be found by our customers online, we need to<br />
master the search engines. And that means using Search Engine<br />
Optimisation (SEO). SEO is the umbrella term for all the methods<br />
we can use to try and improve our site’s ranking in search engine<br />
results, in order to try and increase the quality and quantity of<br />
visitors to our website.<br />
There are many things that help determine search results.<br />
These include keywords, link structure, site speed, time on site,<br />
header tags, title tags, meta descriptions and anchor text, to name<br />
a few. SEO is a huge topic, one that deserves its own guide, and the<br />
world of SEO is complex and ever-changing. So we won’t cover<br />
everything there is to know here. But we will try and give you a small<br />
bit of knowledge that can make a big difference. And if you’d like<br />
to learn about SEO in greater detail, please contact a member of your<br />
Spark44 DX Account Management team, and they’ll provide you with<br />
the right documents.
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CONNECT WITH YOUR READERS<br />
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SEO<br />
HOW NOT TO USE KEYWORDS<br />
Keywords are very important. They are how you tell the search<br />
engines what your page is about. At one time, copywriters would<br />
use the same keywords over and over in an attempt to rank higher<br />
in searches. This is called keyword stuffing. But Google and other<br />
search engines wised up to it and began penalising websites that<br />
did it. Why? Well search engines are in the business of connecting<br />
an audience with content that’ll satisfy their search intentions.<br />
So they use algorithms that do their very best to favour high-quality,<br />
informative content. When content isn’t written for a human<br />
audience, but instead is structured to game an algorithm, the<br />
result is usually a spammy, artificial read. Consequently, keyword<br />
stuffing is considered an unethical technique that goes against<br />
SEO best practices.<br />
HOW TO USE KEYWORDS<br />
The main thing to remember when it comes to writing SEO copy,<br />
is that the aim is to try and sound both relevant to search engines<br />
and yet natural to the audience. It can be difficult to strike the<br />
balance. But with practice comes perfection.<br />
Stuffing your pages with key words will only make your copy read<br />
badly and harm your ranking. What you want is for your content<br />
to include key words, and similar phrases to your keywords,<br />
but to sound natural, not forced. Think humans first, search<br />
algorithms second.
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“The aim is to try and sound both relevant to<br />
search engines and yet natural to the audience.”
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CONNECT WITH YOUR READERS<br />
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO<br />
SUBJECT LINES AND PREHEADERS<br />
SOME BEST PRACTICES TO FOLLOW<br />
We’ve already touched on subject lines and preheaders in relation<br />
to respecting your readers’ time. But of course, it’s equally important<br />
to try and establish a connection with recipients in subject lines and<br />
preheaders, in order to boost open rates.<br />
GET PERSONAL<br />
Incorporating personalisation techniques into subject lines and<br />
preheaders is a great way to increase open rates, by showing our<br />
customers we understand them. And by personalisation we don’t<br />
mean simply including the recipient’s name – those days are long<br />
gone. Now we can leverage so much data (such as a subscriber’s<br />
geographical location, past buying behavior, preferences and so on),<br />
and use it in more dynamic ways than ever before.
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CONNECT WITH YOUR READERS<br />
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO<br />
SUBJECT LINES AND PREHEADERS<br />
AVOID SPAM TRIGGER WORDS<br />
Using certain words, phrases, symbols and so on, that are considered<br />
to be spam triggers can result in two things:<br />
1. Your email lands in your readers’ inbox but sounds very salesy<br />
or spammy and therefore risks not being opened.<br />
2. Your email is automatically flagged as spam and therefore your<br />
customers may not see it at all.<br />
That’s why we have to be very mindful of spam triggers. There are<br />
obvious trigger words, like ‘FREE!’. And there are not-so-obvious<br />
triggers, like ‘luxury’ and ‘limited’. So we’ve put together a list of<br />
trigger words that you may find surprising, and have been likely<br />
to use, unknowingly.<br />
But remember, this is just a small sample, and spam triggers can<br />
change often, so we recommend you check out the latest spam<br />
trigger lists available online.<br />
Another thing to remember, is that the criteria spam filters use<br />
to assign your email a spam score is sophisticated and well-rounded.<br />
Basically, spam filters look for certain ‘spammy criteria’ in your<br />
messages, each criteria gets a different score, and your message’s<br />
total score determines whether or not you’re blocked. So rather than<br />
avoiding spam triggers altogether – which can be difficult at times<br />
or result in you sounding unnatural – we simply recommend not<br />
using them often or in combination with other spam triggers.<br />
View list
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CONNECT WITH YOUR READERS<br />
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO<br />
SUBJECT LINES AND PREHEADERS<br />
COMMON EMAIL SPAM TRIGGER WORDS AND PHRASES TO AVOID<br />
All new<br />
Amazing<br />
Apply now<br />
Chance<br />
Collect<br />
Compare<br />
Congratulations<br />
Extra<br />
Free<br />
Fantastic<br />
For just £<br />
For only £<br />
Free installation<br />
Free membership<br />
Freedom<br />
Great<br />
Insurance<br />
Limited<br />
Limited time<br />
Limited time offer<br />
Limited time only<br />
Luxury<br />
Luxury car<br />
Now<br />
Offer<br />
Only<br />
Opportunity<br />
Order<br />
Order now<br />
Performance<br />
Price<br />
Quote<br />
Save money<br />
Save up to<br />
See for yourself
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CONNECT WITH YOUR READERS<br />
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO<br />
SUBJECT LINES AND PREHEADERS<br />
ALWAYS WRITE A PREHEADER<br />
The worst mistake you can make with preheaders is not bothering<br />
to craft a preheader at all. If your email doesn’t have a specially<br />
composed preheader any of the following may appear:<br />
– Default phrases like “View this email in your browser”.<br />
– The first few words from your email.<br />
– An image’s alt-text.<br />
– Code.<br />
– Placeholder gibberish text like “Lorem ipsum dolor sit<br />
amet consectetuer”.<br />
Talk about blowing a great opportunity to connect with our customers<br />
and help increase open rates.<br />
*PLEASE NOTE<br />
The same as with SEO, how to write the perfect subject line and<br />
preheader is a vast topic and a moving target, so this really is just<br />
a brief overview.<br />
If you’d like to find out more and stay up to date with the latest best<br />
practices, you can find masses of information online.
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CONNECT WITH YOUR READERS<br />
ESPECIALLY IN TRANSACTIONAL EMAILS<br />
WHAT ARE<br />
TRANSACTIONAL EMAILS?<br />
A transactional email is any email that’s sent when a customer<br />
completes an action. This includes order confirmations, shipping<br />
notices, password resets and so on.<br />
WHY ARE TRANSACTIONAL<br />
EMAILS SO IMPORTANT?<br />
HOW NOT TO WRITE<br />
TRANSACTIONAL EMAILS<br />
Despite the high open and engagement rates, transactional emails<br />
tend to be quite functional, stating the basic facts and leaving it at that.<br />
This does the job of reassuring the customer and respecting their time,<br />
but it misses out on the opportunities that transactional emails offer.<br />
View example<br />
Never, ever underestimate the power of a transactional email. The open<br />
rates and engagement rates for transactional emails far exceed any<br />
other type of marketing emails. Why? Because recipients know that<br />
the email contains valuable information.
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CONNECT WITH YOUR READERS<br />
ESPECIALLY IN TRANSACTIONAL EMAILS<br />
HOW TO WRITE<br />
TRANSACTIONAL EMAILS<br />
PUT THE NECESSARY INFORMATION FIRST<br />
Then communicate other messages that aim to increase sales<br />
and/or improve the customer experience by adding value.<br />
BUILD TRUST<br />
Yes, it’s important that transactional emails communicate pertinent<br />
details quickly and clearly. But that doesn’t mean you have to<br />
speak like a robot. Remember, people trust people, not faceless<br />
corporations. So for instance, instead of saying, “Confirmation<br />
of order”, you could say, “Thank you for your order”. Letting our<br />
customers know we appreciate their custom is just one way to<br />
sound approachable, helping to better our image.<br />
TAP INTO THE EXCITEMENT<br />
By default, transactional emails have to include some of the more<br />
formal stuff. But ultimately, they’re still an extension of our brand,<br />
and so our personality should still come across. Remember, we are<br />
a brand that “enables and inspires you to make more of your world”<br />
and purchasing one of our vehicles is an exhilarating moment for<br />
our customers. So try to inject a bit of adventure into your writing<br />
and include high impact visuals, to harness the excitement<br />
surrounding our brand.<br />
View example
LAND ROVER <strong>UK</strong> COPY GUIDELINES<br />
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HOW NOT TO WRITE<br />
TRANSACTIONAL EMAILS:<br />
AN EXAMPLE<br />
HOW TO WRITE<br />
TRANSACTIONAL EMAILS:<br />
AN EXAMPLE
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42<br />
CONNECT WITH<br />
YOUR READERS<br />
KNOW WHO YOU’RE TALKING TO<br />
Before you write, ask yourself some questions about your audience.<br />
For example, are they:<br />
– Getting this for the first time or is it the third in a chain?<br />
– Someone new to <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Rover</strong> or someone who’s known<br />
us for years?<br />
– Happy or angry with you?<br />
How you answer these questions will change how much you push<br />
or rein in the conversational tone.
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DOES IT FEEL LIKE<br />
LAND ROVER?
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A FINAL CHECK<br />
Here’s a checklist you can use to make sure your writing sounds like us.<br />
You can also use it as a guide if you’re checking someone else’s writing.<br />
RESPECT YOUR READERS’ TIME<br />
Is the main point obvious, rather than being diluted<br />
by lots of other points?<br />
Is it as succinct as it can be?<br />
Have you used enough subheads?<br />
Would bullet points help?<br />
Are words the way to go? Or would something like<br />
a video or diagram work better?<br />
If you’re writing for online readers, have you made<br />
your copy extra easy to scan?<br />
If you’re writing an eDM is your subject line and<br />
preheader clear and concise?<br />
CONNECT WITH YOUR READERS<br />
Does it sound normal rather than formal, when you read it out loud?<br />
Does it sound fresh rather than clichéd?<br />
If there’s jargon, is the meaning clear?<br />
Are there contractions, like ‘we’re’ and ‘it’s?’<br />
Do any of your sentences begin with ‘and’ or ‘but’ or ‘so’?<br />
Have you steered clear of hyperbole?<br />
Have you made the benefits clear?<br />
Have you written in the first person, for the most part?<br />
Will it create trust within the reader?<br />
If you’re writing SEO copy, does it sound both relevant to search<br />
engines and yet natural to the readers?<br />
If you’re writing an eDM do your subject line and preheader use<br />
personalisation where possible and avoid spam triggers?<br />
If you’re writing a transactional email does it add value, warmth and<br />
excitement to the necessary information?
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STYLE<br />
GUIDE
LAND ROVER <strong>UK</strong> COPY GUIDELINES<br />
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STYLE GUIDE<br />
Here’s a guide to our commonly used words, phrases and preferred conventions.<br />
LAND ROVER<br />
AND JAGUAR LAND ROVER<br />
When speaking to our customers, we always say ‘<strong>Land</strong> <strong>Rover</strong>’ and<br />
‘Jaguar <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Rover</strong>’. We never use the abbreviations ‘LR’ or ‘JLR’ in<br />
external facing copy.<br />
VEHICLES<br />
We refer to ‘vehicles’, not ‘cars’.<br />
TIMES<br />
BRITISH ENGLISH<br />
VS AMERICAN ENGLISH<br />
We’re a British brand, so we use British English.<br />
DATES<br />
Our date format looks like this: 5th March 2018.<br />
For a range of dates, we use ‘from the 2nd to the 5th March 2018’.<br />
Except for tables and lists when 2-5 March 2018 is acceptable.<br />
Days should never be abbreviated, except for tables and lists,<br />
when it’s fine to use Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun.<br />
For time we use the 24-hour clock, not am and pm.
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STYLE GUIDE<br />
NUMBERS<br />
We write numbers from one to ten as words, and from 11 upwards as<br />
figures. Same goes for first, second, third all the way up to tenth. But if<br />
you’re writing for example 9 to 11, don’t mix it up, go with figures.<br />
There are some exceptions to this rule. If the number comes with<br />
a unit of measurement, use figures. If you start a sentence with<br />
a number, don’t use figures.<br />
Put a comma in numbers over 1,000. And remember that every three<br />
zeros gets a comma.<br />
We don’t write out million or billion. Instead we’d write ‘1m’ or ‘2bn.’<br />
PHONE NUMBERS<br />
Please don’t put brackets around area codes. So it’s 01243 448861,<br />
not (01243) 448861.<br />
For London numbers, it’s 020 7123 4567, as 020 is the area code.<br />
Notice that London numbers have two spaces, where non London<br />
numbers only have one.<br />
Mobile numbers usually have a space after the first five digits,<br />
so 07977 123456.<br />
If you’re writing an international phone number, drop the zero,<br />
so the number becomes +44 20 7123 4567.<br />
EXCLAMATION MARKS<br />
We generally avoid them.
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STYLE GUIDE<br />
WEB AND EMAIL ADDRESSES<br />
We never use http:// or www at the start of web addresses<br />
(so our address becomes landrover.co.uk).<br />
If you use a web or email address at the end of a sentence<br />
or paragraph, always put a full stop at the end.<br />
AMPERSANDS<br />
We don’t use them unless they’re part of a name. For example,<br />
<strong>Land</strong> <strong>Rover</strong> Fleet & Business is a name and therefore can include<br />
an ampersand. But when we talk about ‘fleet and business’ as an<br />
industry, we don’t use an ampersand.<br />
HEADINGS AND SUBHEADS<br />
AND HOW TO PUNCTUATE THEM<br />
We don’t use full stops at the end of headings and subheads,<br />
unless it contains punctuation. And of course, if you pose a<br />
question in the heading or subhead then use a question mark.<br />
Examples of correct punctuation:<br />
NEVER STOP DISCOVERING<br />
TECHNOLOGY TO KEEP YOU CONNECTED.<br />
CAPABILITY TO HELP YOU ESCAPE.<br />
WHICH DISCOVERY SPORT IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
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CALL-TO-ACTION (CTA) BUTTONS<br />
FOR OUR WEBSITE<br />
When writing copy for call-to-action buttons for our site, please refer to the following<br />
list of options. This will help to ensure our voice remains consistent, and our CTAs are<br />
as compelling as they can be.<br />
Please note, in email there is a little more freedom to experiment with different CTA<br />
buttons, as these are stand alone communications. However, they must still be clear,<br />
concise, and on brand.<br />
DISCOVER CTAS<br />
1. EXPLORE THE FAMILY<br />
2. EXPLORE DURABILITY<br />
3. EXPLORE CAPABILITY<br />
4. EXPLORE DESIGN<br />
5. EXPLORE PACKS<br />
6. EXPLORE PACK OPTIONS<br />
7. EXPLORE OPTIONS<br />
8. EXPLORE ACCESSORIES<br />
9. ADVANCED SEARCH<br />
10. SELECT A REGION<br />
11. SELECT A MARKET<br />
12. SELECT A LANGUAGE<br />
13. EXPLORE FLEET AND BUSINESS<br />
14. EXPLORE THE RANGE<br />
15. EXPLORE OUR VEHICLES<br />
16. EXPLORE THIS VEHICLE<br />
17. EXPLORE SVO<br />
18. EXPLORE [FEATURE PAGE TITLE]<br />
19. EXPLORE THIS MODEL<br />
20. EXPLORE BRANDED GOODS<br />
21. EXPLORE APPROVED USED<br />
22. EXPLORE IN-CAR TECHNOLOGY<br />
23. EXPLORE GUIDES AND MANUAL<br />
24. EXPLORE ONLINE STORE<br />
25. CHOOSE YOUR MODEL<br />
26. WATCH THE FILM/[ICON]<br />
27. FIND OUT MORE<br />
28. SEE MORE STORIES<br />
29. VIEW OPTIONS AND ACCESSORIES<br />
30. VIEW GALLERY<br />
31. VIEW 360° EXTERIOR/ INTERIOR<br />
32. CLICK TO INTERACT/TAP TO<br />
INTERACT<br />
33. VIEW OFFER(S)<br />
34. CHANGE RESPONSE<br />
35. CONTINUE<br />
36. GET STARTED<br />
37. OPEN/CLOSE ALL<br />
38. OVERVIEW<br />
39. REGISTER<br />
40. SEARCH<br />
41. VERIFY YOUR EMAIL<br />
42. START AGAIN<br />
43. SUBMIT
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CALL-TO-ACTION (CTA) BUTTONS<br />
FOR OUR WEBSITE<br />
DETAIL CTAS<br />
DRIVE CTAS<br />
1. SELECT A/AN [ENGINE]<br />
2. SELECT YOUR MARKET<br />
3. RETURN TO [LAND ROVER INCONTROL]<br />
4. READ MORE<br />
5. SEARCH INVENTORY<br />
6. VIEW [EXTERNAL SITE NAME]<br />
7. VIEW TERMS AND CONDITIONS<br />
8. VIEW SPECIFICATIONS<br />
9. VIEW [THE REPORT]<br />
10. VIEW MORE/FULL SPECIFICATIONS<br />
11. COMPARE OUR VEHICLES<br />
12. DOWNLOAD A BROCHURE<br />
13. DOWNLOAD [THE REPORT]<br />
14. DOWNLOAD FOR IOS/ANDROID<br />
15. UPDATE YOUR NAVIGATION<br />
16. ADD A VEHICLE<br />
17. COMPANY CAR TAX<br />
18. CALCULATOR<br />
19. COMPETITOR COMPARISON<br />
20. DIRECTIONS<br />
21. LOGIN/SIGN IN<br />
1. I WANT ONE<br />
2. BOOK AN EXPERIENCE DRIVE<br />
3. BUILD YOUR OWN<br />
4. FIND ACCESSORIES<br />
5. FIND A/AN [SPECIALIST]<br />
6. FIND A RETAILER<br />
7. GET A FINANCE QUOTE<br />
8. KEEP ME INFORMED<br />
9. BOOK A SERVICE<br />
10. BOOK AN EXPERIENCE<br />
11. BOOK AN ADVENTURE<br />
12. BOOK A TEST DRIVE<br />
13. CONTACT A/AN [SPECIALIST]<br />
14. CONTACT US<br />
15. ACCESSORIES<br />
16. ADD TO COMPARE<br />
17. BACK TO LOGIN<br />
18. CALCULATE<br />
19. CHOOSE<br />
20. CONTINUE MY BUILD<br />
21. EMAIL<br />
22. FIND A RETAILER<br />
23. FINISH MY BUILD<br />
24. INCONTROL<br />
25. LOGIN<br />
26. NEXT STEP<br />
27. NO, STAY<br />
28. ORDER NOW<br />
29. PERSONALISED BROCHURE/PDF<br />
30. REGISTER NOW<br />
31. SAVE MY BUILD<br />
32. SELECT<br />
33. SEND TO A RETAILER<br />
34. SHARE<br />
35. SHOP<br />
36. SHOW MORE<br />
37. START NEW BUILD<br />
38. SUBMIT<br />
39. VIEW CURRENT BUILD<br />
40. YES, GOODBYE<br />
41. FIND LAND ROVER IN YOUR COUNTRY<br />
42. PERSONALISE
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ONE MORE THING<br />
Now that you’ve read through all the guidelines, here’s the most important<br />
one of all. In the words of George Orwell:<br />
“Break any of these rules sooner<br />
than do anything outright barbarous.”<br />
That means if there’s a good reason to break one of our rules, you should<br />
go ahead and do it. But it needs to be a really good reason.
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GOT A QUESTION THAT<br />
ISN’T COVERED HERE?<br />
If you work for Jaguar <strong>Land</strong> <strong>Rover</strong>, please contact a member of your<br />
Spark44 <strong>UK</strong> Account Management team.<br />
If you’re working for Spark44, please contact a <strong>UK</strong> Creative Director.