January 2015 v 1.0

BRAND GUIDELINES

THE IMPORTANT STUFF

WHAT IS A BRAND?

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The Urban Adventures brand is an authentic reflection of who we are and what we value.A brand isn’t just a logo, it’s expressed through every point of interaction a person has with us, from an online banner they see on a website to talking to someone on the phone. It is reflected in every single interaction a customer has with us, both directly and indirectly.

Social media Word of mouth Global of ces O

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WHAT DOES OUR BRAND MEAN?

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The Urban Adventures brand is a promise to our travellers, leaders, staff, partners, and our global community. It’s a promise that reflects our unflagging dedication to sustain who we are and what we value. But how do we tell a customer that? We translate and summarise it in our tagline Best. Day. Ever.

What do we mean by that?As a brand we are focused and passionate about one thing: to use a traveller’s precious day to discover and experience the absolute best of a city. We do this for every person, every time.

In dealing with customers, staff, partners, social media followers, and anyone who touches our business, our first thought is always: ‘how can we make this the Best. Day. Ever. for this person?’ That's our culture and that's our promise.

To operate fun, unique and responsible tours that show travellers it only takes a day to feel like a local.

Our promise

Best. Day. Ever.

“

WHAT DO WE VALUE?

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At the heart of everything we do are our brand valuesThe following brand values are how we demonstrate our culture – they embody everything we do. Urban Adventures people are PERFKT.

PassionP We are passionate that our city is the best in world.

EnthusiasmE After visiting with you, passengers will love your city too.

ResponsibleR Your city positively benefits from having a passenger visit.

FunF Always!

KnowledgeK No one knows your city like you do.

TogethernessT Being part of a larger network strengthens us and makes us the best.

CONSISTENCY BUILDS TRUST

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A consistent and clear brand identity is crucial to our success.To ensure this happens (and our brand identity remains a reflection of who we are), we’ve created these brand guidelines.

At the global level, we execute the UA brand in our marketing, as well as when we work with our brand partners, staff, and distributors, and when communicating directly with our passengers.

As Urban Adventure Partners, it’s your role to live and breathe that same brand experience on the ground – for both the destination and the tours. That way, our passengers know when they take a tour in Venice (and absolutely love it), they’re assured they’re going to get the same awesome experience on their next tour in Hanoi.

So remember, even if you’re bored of the way the logo looks, the colour palette, or font style, it’s important to stay consistent no matter how small you think the change may be. If you’re not sure, just ask the Global Marketing Team.

It's referring to yourself as 'Urban Adventures'

It's ensuring customers know they're travelling with Urban Adventures

It's how you look

It's how you communicate

HOW WE DESCRIBE OURSELVES

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Imagine your passenger was planning a dream trip to Paris.They want to make it perfect, so they might research online, buy a guidebook, check TripAdvisor, or ask friends who’ve been to jot down some notes.

Now imagine their best friend moved to Paris a year ago. How has their planning changed? Let’s be honest, they’re probably going to turn up and ask their friend, "what are we doing?!"

So what happens when they don’t have that friend in Paris? They talk to us! They still get to enjoy the best friend experience, just in the form of a local guide. We allow them to explore a destination and its areas in a way that only someone who lives there would know how to do.

Even at the end of an Urban Adventure, our talented guides will match their local knowledge with a passenger's interests and make suggestions so they can see the best the city has to offer (long after the tour has finished).

How to describe the experienceSo what do customers get when they travel with us? FLAVOR!

FunF Our tours are always fun. A customer is on holidays and we're going to make their trip awesome.

LocalL Our team possesses unsurpassed local knowledge, proving that #localsknowbest.

AccessibleA With small groups and big contacts, we'll get a customer access to all those places no one else can.

ValueV Our experiences always provide exceptional value, so find out what the customer wants out of their tour.

OriginalO Our tours provide experiences a customer can't get anywhere else.

RememberR The travel stories we share with our passengers are unique and memorable – ones they'll always remember.

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

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We set out to create a new style of travel experience. In 2009, as a joint venture between Intrepid Travel and WHL Group, we created a new style of day tours that got travellers off the beaten path to really connect with a destination on a local level. In each destination we operate in, our locals teams ensure this – whether it be a home-based cooking class in Delhi, a beer and history tour of Toronto, or even a cycling tour through Soweto.

Today we’re a truly global company with teams in over 100 cities around the world and are now fully owned by Intrepid Travel. Our tours take passengers all over the world and behind the scenes of a destination to reveal hidden discoveries – what better way to see a place than through the eyes of a local.

Looking aheadOur vision is to be the world’s leading day tour brand, and we are well on our way to achieving that. We want people who are passionate about being the best and delivering the Best. Day. Ever.

urbanadventures.com #localsknow

1/2

$

MILLIONincredible local tips shared

LOCALS EMPLOYED

200,000

324

6 continents & 103 destinations

ZERO

592

$7 MILLIONMEALS(we only go places we know are always great)

MORE THAN

PASSIONATE

TOTALLY

BAD

OVER

injected into local economies

UNIQUETOURS

FUN!

YEARS

of

FUN EXPERIENCES

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BRAND ARCHITECTURE

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You might recognise some of our family.Urban Adventures is a proud member of the Intrepid Group. The group consists of our sister brands (see opposite), including Intrepid Travel

Intrepid Travel and Urban Adventures have a strong association but separate identities. If you require the Intrepid Travel brand guidelines, contact the Intrepid Group Brand Manager at studio@intrepidtravel.com

Urban Adventures consists of the masterbrand Urban Adventures Limited (UAL) and Urban Adventures Partners (UAPs), the people who use our brand on the ground and run the trips.

Urban Adventures (UAL) Urban Adventures Partners (UAP)(on-ground operators/franchisees)(global masterbrand)

VISUAL IDENTITY

OUR LOGO

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There are three versions of our logo.1. Our primary logo is used when referring to Urban Adventures as a whole, i.e. our website. On our collateral, we use this logo with the tagline in the copy or call to action.

2. Our secondary logo, which has the tagline, is used for all third-party/affiliate use.

3. If referring to a specific destination, use the relevant destination/partner logo.

Note: the examples that follow in this document show the primary logo – the same rules apply to all.

1. Primary logo – general (UAL)

2. Secondary logo (tagline) Reverse/use on UA Red

Reverse/use on UA Red

Reverse/use on UA Red3. Destination logo (UAP)

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It's important to use our logo correctly.Here are some guidelines around how to do so to make sure everyone's happy!

Correct colour use Incorrect colour use

Our logo should only be shown in our UA Red brand colour. If it's not possible to use colour, use white or, as a last resort, black (i.e. newspaper print)

The logo should always appear with clearspace equal to the letter 'U'.

Don't alter the colour of the logo

Don't use the black logo where you can use colour

Clearspace

22mm (82px)

Minimum logo size

35mm (100px)

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Our secondary logo incorporates our tagline. This logo is used on third party collateral or for affiliates.

If using the logo over an image, make sure it's in a clear part of the image.

If the logo is not legible over an image and there is no suitable alternative, a slight drop shadow may be used as a last resort.

Logo use over an image Correct tagline use

Incorrect tagline use

Best. Day. Ever. Don't add a tagline yourself

Best. Day. Ever.

Don't add a tagline to UAP logos

Toronto's best day tours

Don't make your own tagline

Unique Day Tours in over 100 cities

Don't use old taglines

Where possible, the Urban Adventures logo should sit in the bottom right-hand corner on marketing material.

Alignment

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We know you'll look after the logo...But here's a couple of common mistakes that are sometimes made when using it.

B U E N O S A I R E S

Vote for us on trip advisor!

Don't use the old logo

Don't add a box to the logo

Don't add anything to the logo

Don't remove the Intrepid logo

Don't stretch the logo

This logo is being phased out, so make sure you're using your new UAP logo for anything new you create and start replacing the old one on existing things.

It's an important part of our logo and is how a lot of people recognise us.

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Here's how to use our logo on a partner's visual identity.Our preferred treatment for co-promo is to use our logo on a white background.

Remember: this is only for co-promo partners. For UAPs, we don't co-brand for the on-ground product

Preferred, landscape

Logo use on a dark or similar background colour

Preferred, portrait

UAPs must not use co-branding on the ground

Logo use on a light background

Fiona's Toronto Cycling Tours&

Logos should be equally sized and use a central horizontal axis (as above).

Logos should be equally sized and use a central horizontal axis (as above).

Do not alter our logo in any way

USING COLOUR

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Our hero brand colour is UA Red.Red helps us stand out from the crowd and reflects our personality and product. We should always use red in some form on our marketing material.

We use teal to highlight unique information and as a secondary colour.

Black is mostly used digitally and makes our bright, colourful images really pop.

PantoneCMYKRGBHEX

CMYKRGBHEX

PantoneCMYKRGBHEX

20020, 100, 70, 0204, 0, 51CC0033

UA Red

90%

75%

75%

25%

25%

50%

50%80%

0, 0, 0, 100253, 253, 253FFFFFF

320100, 0, 40, 00, 153, 153009999

Our brand colour Secondary colours

OUR FONTS

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Which font is which?Bebas Neue in a bold weight is used for all headings and page titles in print. On our UA website, we substitute it for Open Sans Condensed Bold for H1 page headings.

Open Sans should be used for all body copy, sub-headings, and captions.

Rockwell regular is our contrasting font used for artwork done by UAL studio for artwork-like infographics or where a lot of information might be displayed. UAP's should not use Rockwell.

We only italicise text for captions and grammatical reasons – if we want to emphasise a word in body copy, we use semibold.

To obtain the fonts, visit urbanadventures.com/uap_hub

Bebas Neue (bold) or for web: Open Sans Condensed Bold

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ1234567890

Rockwell regular

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz1234567890 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ1234567890

Bebas Neue

Open Sans

Rockwell

Open Sans (light, regular, semibold & bold)

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz1234567890 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ1234567890

IMAGERY WE USE

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Our imagery embraces our destinations, celebrates the locals and shows travellers having fun. The photos are spontaneous, not staged, and capture the joy of discovery.

All images used should support the headline. It doesn’t need to be a literal translation of the headline, but must have a single, clear subject that relates to the key benefits of travelling with us.

Where images are displayed small, using images with less detail is preferred.

General imagery we look for

• Bold, bright and colourful images

• Striking imagery

• Local icons/landmarks seen from a fresh perspective

• Authenticity/insight into local life (i.e. markets, beaches, skylines)

• Local food (and the people enjoying it)

• Images that evoke emotion (i.e. memorable moments, sunrises)

General imagery to avoid

• Black and white photography

• Muted tones/dark images

• Heavily photoshopped images

Think: would you frame this image and put it on your wall? If not, don't use it.

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Here's a selection of imagery we think captures us well.We love a good filter, but make sure it's helping not hindering, so the FLAVOR can shine through!

Crediting imagesDistributors selling our products (i.e. Flight Centre) don't need to credit us when using our images.

If the images are being used for content purposes, like a third party blog, make sure you request they credit the image(s) to Urban Adventures.

We love to acknowledge those getting involved with social media, so include the username of the person who snapped the pic if you're posting it somewhere.

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Here's what we want to avoid when using images.Because we want to keep our passengers safe and sensible, all images used must follow our Responsible Travel and Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) policies.

To the right are examples of key things to avoid. If you'd like more information, or you've seen something you're not sure about, get in touch with the Global Marketing Team.

Photoshop fixes done professionally are fine, just make sure the image remains realistic and isn't manipulated in a way that's misleading. We're the real deal!

DO NOT use images where passengers aren't wearing lifejackets on water.

DO NOT use images where animals are kept in captivity.

DO NOT use images where passengers aren't wearing helmets on bikes.

DO NOT use images where passengers are hanging out of moving transport.

DO NOT use images of unbranded guides giving tours.

DO NOT show disrespectful dress. (Asian countries should show modest dress and Middle Eastern countries conservative).

ICONOGRAPHY & INFOGRAPHICS

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Icons are a simple, effective way to draw users into content. Our icon style uses simple line drawings without too much detail. Avoid using overly illustrative icons, more than two colours, or solid icons.

Our infographic style is dynamic and will depend on the information being presented. At its heart, it should draw on elements from, and have a clear connection to, our UA identity. If using icons, these should follow our icon style.

urbanadventures.com #localsknow

1/2

$

MILLIONincredible local tips shared

LOCALS EMPLOYED

200,000

324

6 continents & 103 destinations

ZERO

592

$7 MILLIONMEALS(we only go places we know are always great)

MORE THAN

PASSIONATE

TOTALLY

BAD

OVER

injected into local economies

UNIQUETOURS

FUN!

YEARS

of

FUN EXPERIENCES

WRITING STYLE

OUR PERSONALITY

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You know that cool friend with their finger on the pulse? The one who gets there before the guidebooks? They’re always the first to hear about a new museum opening or an upcoming indie gig. They know the best back-alley bars and where the food trucks are parked. Smart yet playful, dedicated but laidback, they’re always excited to share their latest finds with you.

This is our personality, and it reflects our audience: intelligent travellers searching for that real local edge.

Above all, we’re always looking to deliver the Best. Day. Ever.

OUR TONE OF VOICE

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Our tone of voice sets the way we talk to our audience. Think smart, fun, and friendly, with just a hint of attitude. We’re informal and not afraid to be cheeky. Our messaging is more like a casual conversation than a stiff-sounding sales pitch. We talk to our readers and passengers like friends would, chatting about the city’s hottest local finds.

But we’re also serious travellers. We respect all cultures and traditions, and we don’t confuse our global audience with offensive language or native slang.

While we’re informal in our approach, the last thing we want to do is disrespect other cultures or communities.

Six simple rules for dating writing my Urban Adventure

Read on for our six simple rules to help define Urban Adventures’ style across all communications.

Using them consistently is the key to a coherent voice.

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Look for opportunitiesto let our brand personality shine through.

We wouldn't sayToronto’s food trucks serve a wide range of cuisine, including Greek, Canadian, Mexican, Nova Scotian, and Argentine.

We wouldn't sayShanghai’s Old Town is a riot of colour, from tranquil Lu Xun Park, and the winding nongtang district to the elegant splendour of the tree-lined Duolun Road.

We wouldn't sayOur photographic-minded clients will love our Snapshots of Barcelona tour, where we teach them to capture the passion and colour of Spain through the camera lens.

We would sayToronto’s food trucks are like a culinary punch to the face (in the best possible way). Craving hot Nova Scotia style lobster rolls with mayo and chives? We've got you covered. Beer-battered baha fish tacos with tangy pico de gallo? Right this way, hombre.

We would sayShanghai is all about the new (especially if it comes in neon or has touch-screen capability), but today we’re going old-school: munching, slurping, and tai chiing our way across the city’s often overlooked Old Town. Made in China never looked so good.

We would sayLook through a lens in Barcelona and what do you see? Colour and chaos at Las Ramblas? Cheeky nudists hanging out on Barceloneta? Tapas bar tasting plates and the twisted genius of Gaudi? The essence of the city is there: your mission is to capture it.

Be yourselfUse your everyday voice. There’s no need to overwork the language or be overly descriptive or dramatic.

Keep it personalKeep it conversational and familiar – write as if you’re talking to someone on a one-to-one basis. It keeps it more relatable.

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We wouldn't sayThe only city in the world to straddle two mighty continents (Europe and Asia), Istanbul is a spice-filled cultural melting pot: a maze of colourful bazaars, ancient churches, and towering mosques where people from all walks of life gather to celebrate a cosmopolitan culture.

We wouldn't sayTwitter

Bustling Bangkok is one of our favourite cities, and we can’t wait to explore it with you!

We wouldn't sayAbout page <Insert big unappetizing slab of text here>

We would sayWith one foot in Asia and the other in Europe, Istanbul is chaos, kebabs, and cosmopolis all rolled into one.

We would sayTwitter

In #Bangkok on Thurs? Join us for a casual Instagram meetup full of photo ops & a swag of free UA goodies!

We would sayAbout page

• Our origin story (yes like Wolverine)

• <Nice little text snippet>

• Our mission in life

• <Another tasty excerpt>

• Our promise to you guys

• <Final bite-sized chunk>

Keep it simpleIf you can say the same thing in fewer words, go for it (especially if it’s online).

Have a clear objectiveKeep it relevant, detailed, and appropriate for the channel and audience.

Use sub-headingsThey’re great for breaking up big chunks of text and keeping our readers engaged.

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Other important notes

• Don’t use 'www' before URLs, as it takes up room and isn't needed.

• Use the serial oxford comma in lists of three or more (ie. beer, wine, and cocktails).

• Use British English, not American spellings.

• Full stops (periods) aren't needed for a headline and shouldn't be used in bulleted lists, except if the content of your bulleted list forms a full sentence (then a full stop is used like in a regular sentence).

• If writing out a currency, use the three letters and not the symbol, e.g. Win USD 25,000.

• Cities, street names, landmarks and anglicised foreign words should be spelt with their respective accents or special characters (e.g. café, Bogotá, San Sebastián, Palacký Bridge).

• All pieces require a call to action.

• Blog posts should encourage readers to visit the city tours page via a fun, engaging teaser (no “click here” calls, please).

• Limit the use of exclamations. Our trips, our offers, and our writing are exciting enough without them.

• We’ve got nothing against ellipsis… but when a sentence is strong and engaging, it shouldn’t need them, so use sparingly.

Oh, and a couple more important things when it comes to writing.We always use sentence case, no sneaky capitals thrown in for effect or all lower case because we can’t be bothered. The exception is the word ‘OFF’, because it’s just so damn exciting when it follows a % sign.

Refer to copy style guide for spelling/grammar conventions.

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If you’re dealing with trip pages, read on for some gripping guidelines. If you're still unsure about something, refer to the copy style guide or, if that fails, get in touch with the Global Marketing Team.

Guidelines for trip pages

• Ensure copy reflects the trip style.

• Have fun with it: be cheeky, even a bit edgy, but never offensive.

• Emphasise how the tour will show off FLAVOR: Fun, Local, Accessible, Value, Original, Remember.

• Paint a broad picture — write about main highlights and show off our personality rather than focusing on the little details.

• Be upfront and honest — if a tour will be physically challenging or cause culture shock, don’t sell it as something it isn’t.

• Be creative, but go easy on the adjectives and don’t use words out of the thesaurus that average Joe has never heard.

• Mix it up — try to avoid using the same adjective within a tour

• Don’t use too many exclamation marks!!!

• Use 'we' and 'you' rather than faceless third-persons — put the reader in the scene and make them feel like part of us.

• Write in future tense and create a sense of excitement.

• Be bold and enthusiastic, and ensure copy reflects that a UA tour is the Best. Day. Ever.

Not sure if it's Fes or Fez? Refer to our copy style guide for spelling and grammar conventions

ONLINE DISPLAY

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ONLINE DISPLAY RULES

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When a user comes into contact with online display, chances are they didn’t come looking for it. Instead, they are there to see something else and it just happens to be there. Grabbing their attention with a combination of images and clear copy is key!

Design

• Prominent logo in bottom right hand corner

• Text floated over a clear part of the image

• Call to action on white teal with the white arrow style

• Simple, clear image that shows our 'FLAVOR'

• Must have a clear contrasting 1px stroke border

Copy

• Keep the text simple and concise

• Our value proposition and price point should appear within the first or second frame

• Each frame should be able to stand alone

• Where possible, have the offer/message on the last frame

• Must have prominent logo and strong CTA ie. ‘Book now

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FLASH BANNERS

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Unless you have been provided with specifications, use our universal specs.These are our standard settings for flash banners for when an affiliate hasn't specified settings.

Flash ads Audience

File type .SWF (Flash) + include .JPG or .GIF backup file

File size 40 kb or smaller

Actionscript 2 or 3

Border All banners need a border that is contrasting to the image/colour being used

Image size • Full banner: 468 x 60 px• Leaderboard: 728 x 90 px• Medium rectangle: 300 x 250 px• Skyscraper: 120 x 600 px• Wide skyscraper: 160 x 600 px

Animation and speed • Length must be 30 seconds or shorter

• Animations can be looped, but the animations must stop after 30 seconds

• Flash ads must be 20 fps or slower

Flash version Flash ads must be published for Flash Player version 6 - 10

clickTag code (Actionscript 2)

on (release) {

getURL (clickTAG,”_blank”);

}