Language

Consistency is the key to launching all marketing efforts. Developing a consistent brand begins with the message.

First Midwest is unique, creating an atmosphere of empathy and care for our customers and communities. From athletic sponsorship to the personal interaction of our tellers, First Midwest believes in building a community of "we." We the Midwest.

Our message is one of unity and community—taking great care of existing relationships while fostering an environment that welcomes the next generation of banking customers.

To deliver this message, the First Midwest identity and tone of voice must reflect who we are: an established, trusted entity that embraces the future. Our tone is welcoming and personable. We are understanding, available and experts in financial solutions. The First Midwest voice is:

• Local. Speaking to the people of each region.
• Familiar, friendly and straightforward.
• Collaborative, educating and working with customers without patronizing them.

The ampersand symbol (&) should only be used in place of the word “and” when using formal names or in common abbreviations.

In printed and online copy, a full stop at the end of a sentence should be followed by one space.

As a general rule, spell the numbers one to nine in full, and use figures for 10 and above. Exception: Numbers beginning a sentence should always be spelled out and numbers one through nine spelled out unless other “greater” numbers are found in the same sentence. 

Each bullet point should form a complete sentence when read with the introductory sentence. Using more than seven points in one list should be avoided.

Use colons to introduce a bulleted list, a run-on quotation, a title and subtitle, or in the use of ratios. Use semicolons when a stronger break than a comma is required in a sentence which does not have a conjunction like “and.” Also use semicolons when connecting two sentences, the second of which is often shorter and closely related to the first.

For a simple series or list, do not include a comma before a conjunction such as “and.” Always use a comma following an introductory clause and before a conjunction that connects two sentences.

Use double quotation marks for direct speech or to set apart a word or phrase for emphasis. Use single quotation marks when quoting what someone else said within a direct quote. Punctuation marks will always appear inside quotation marks unless the marks are only used to highlight a word or phrase and not spoken words.

Em dashes are distinct from hyphens. They are longer and can be used in place of parentheses or a colon, or form a strong break in a sentence. Spaces are added before and after an em dash.