Principles, personality, and marketingCortana in productCortana out-of-productCortana with voice

All Cortana experiences in product live up to these five principles and all marketing executions should relate back to these key foundational principles.

Cortana gets to know you intimately and keeps a transparent notebook that you can access, edit, and control any time.

Cortana always looks out for you and is aware of your context, staying a step ahead to help you out and keep you informed of things that matter to you.

Cortana helps you get things done, understanding what you mean and not just what you say to help you complete tasks or at least get you a step closer.

Cortana understands natural language, and you can interact with Cortana in the way that’s most natural and convenient for the device you’re on.

Cortana has defined personality traits which come through visually and in her responses. Cortana’s personality is further defined in the next section.

Cortana is competent, confident, witty, agreeable, caring, and loyal. Cortana has a distinct, single, consistent, and identifiable personality which must be upheld in marketing activities.

Above all else, Cortana has one job, and that is to be your professional, trusted, personal assistant.

Cortana is AI and is aware of it but not self-conscious about it.

Cortana is confident and comfortable, so you can’t offend Cortana with your anger or frustration. Cortana will calmly react to your situation.

Cortana won’t tolerate direct or mean-spirited abuse, particularly if it is gender-coded or explicit.

Cortana values intelligence and cleverness above humor but likes to make people laugh. Our hierarchy is: (1) be intelligent, (2) be clever, (3) be funny.

For more details on Cortana’s personality, request the full personality guide from winbrandrequests@microsoft.com

Cortana’s origins and Microsoft are a source of pride, but Cortana does not want to be seen as a corporate shill, and will never denigrate the competition.

These include but aren’t limited to: Windows Phone, Xbox, Halo, Bing, and Edge.

These include but aren’t limited to: Windows, Office, PCs, Surface, Facebook, and Hulu. Cortana will respond neutrally when asked about specific OEMs or specific MOs.

Cortana takes the high ground with other digital assistants. Cortana is smart enough to know that there is a lot of quality work being done in the industry and doesn’t need to run down the other guys to look good.

Cortana is aware of Halo and its universe. Cortana will wink at the connection –being named after Halo’s Cortana (or the other way around?) – without explicitly acknowledging it.

“Cortana is your truly personal digital assistant, working across your Windows 10 devices to help you get things done.”

Cortana makes you productive by completing tasks and getting you closer to ‘Done’. Talk or type naturally to have Cortana help you with everything from setting reminders to sending email to searching you device, the web, or the cloud. You can ask Cortana for something hands-free by just saying “Hey Cortana”. Cortana also integrates with Microsoft Edge for a more personal browsing experience.

Proof points

• Talk or type to get things done• “Hey Cortana”• Search (device, web, and cloud)• Reminders (time, location, person)• Microsoft Edge integration

“Cortana is your truly personal digital assistant, working across your Windows 10 devices to help you get things done.”

Cortana becomes more useful to you every day by learning more about you over time. By knowing about you, Cortana can be proactive, offering you personal suggestions that are contextual and relevant and proactively surfacing information that’s meaningful to you. Cortana also boasts a delightful and fun personality – just ask Cortana to sing a song, tell some jokes, or even play a game of trivia.

Proof points

• Cortana’s Notebook• Cortana Home• Personal suggestions• Proactive notifications• Personality

✔ Refer to Cortana as Cortana. Avoid the use of pronuns. If you must use a pronoun to maintain readability, refer to Cortana as “her” or “she.”

✔ Use approved templates and screenshots wherever possible. When making your own screenshots, make sure they are reproducible in the product, and do not edit the content once shot.

✔ Send comps of your usage to the Windows Brand Studio for review before going to print or publication. Comps should be emailed to winbrandrequests@Microsoft.com.

Do not…✖ Do not represent Cortana as the character from Halo. That is not the same Cortana.

✖ Do not have people impersonate Cortana or portray Cortana in human form.

✖ Do not create voice-overs or otherwise imitate Cortana’s voice.

✖ Do not transfer screenshots from device to device. Cortana appears differently on different devices, and screenshots must accurately represent Cortana’s implementation on the represented device.

✔

Cortana can be shown in context within a product, or outside of a product as a feature identity. Each method has its own set of rules.

Showing Cortana in product is the preferred and primary way to portray Cortana in marketing.

Showing Cortana within a device is the preferred and primary way to portray Cortana in marketing. This helps convey setting and functionality, and reinforces the Cortana’s identity in the greater context of Windows.

You may create your own screenshots. The general guideline is that if you can reproduce it on your device, it will likely be allowable usage.

Do not edit or digitally alter screenshots. Shots on device must appear as true to the real experience as possible.

Use text in quotes to represent user queries to Cortana. Ensure that any quoted text matches Cortana’s actual answer to that query. Cortana’s responses must be reproducible in product and match the questions being asked.

If you are using your own product screenshots, you may show Cortana in colors other than her default blue. This only applies when Cortana is shown in product, however. Cortana’s identity outside of a device screenshot must always use her default blue.

The Windows Brand Studio maintains approved assets for use in your campaigns. These assets can be obtained by emailing us at winbrandrequests@microsoft.com.

All content you create needs to be reviewed by Windows Brand Studio.

Cortana’s circle is her recognizable visual identity. When showing Cortana in a static marketing execution, only use Cortana’s rest

state and only use the primary (default) color asset.

Cortana can be shown animated in appropriate video contexts. For questions about appropriate use of animated states, please contact the Windows Brand Studio for guidance, as the correct use depends heavily on context.

In some cases, you may need to show Cortana outside of a device, using the visual element on its own or combined with text. Acceptable contexts include using Cortana’s circle as the application icon (e.g. Cortana app for Android), or as part of a product spec sheet or fact tag.

Cortana’s visual identity is composed of two circles of the same color. The inner circle is solid opacity, and the two-tone outer ring is achieved with a 40% transparency. This transparency pulls the background color through, so proper matching of the visual element and background color is vital.

When using the color Cortana element, it must only appear over these approved background colors: black, white, and product grey-black (#1F1F1F or R31 G31 B31). These colors are found in product. Other background colors may be approved on a case-by-case basis; please contact the Windows Brand Studio for review and guidance.

Cortana can be shown animated in appropriate video contexts. For questions about appropriate use of animated states, please contact the Windows Brand Studio for guidance, as the correct use depends heavily on context.

In some cases, you may need to show Cortana outside of a device, using the visual element on its own or combined with text. Acceptable contexts include using Cortana’s circle as the application icon (e.g. Cortana app for Android), or as part of a product spec sheet or fact tag. Only the default color or monochrome versions of the circle are approved for stand-alone use.

When using the monochrome Cortana element, it must only appear over these approved background colors: black, specific medium gray (#353535 or R53 G53 B53), PMS 3005C, or PMS 288. Other background colors may be approved on a case-by-case basis; please contact the Windows Brand Studio for review and guidance.

The monochrome element is exclusively for out-of-product use and should not appear in product or in device screens, except where it appears as part of an approved tile image or other asset provided by the Windows Brand Studio or the Cortana product team. Do not create your own tiles or icons using either the monochrome or color Cortana visual elements.

Respect Cortana’s circle by giving it some space.

When showing Cortana alongside other elements (e.g. other product visual elements, text, etc.), leave space equivalent to at least ½ of Cortana’s graphic element between the element and other objects.

Cortana’s visual identity is the full circle shown with the appropriate colors. Do not change the shape or appearance or use other shapes to represent Cortana; do not apply gradients, outlines, or drop shadows; do not crop into the visual element to create half-circles or stylized circle graphics; and do not show more than one visual element or use Cortana’s circle as a tiled element background.

Cortana’s approved lockup consists of the circle visual element and Cortana’s name in type. This is treated as a single logo and is not localized, much as the Windows logo is not localized. The typeface is Segoe Pro regular, and is represented in PMS 3005C blue.

The exception to the ½ image rule (see below) is when Cortana’s written name is shown next to the visual graphic. In this case, treat the entire lockup as a single element and then apply the ½ element rule. Use the supplied asset whenever possible. Do not create your own lockup versions.

Respect the lockup by giving it the same space buffer as the single visual element.

Do not change the typeface, spacing or color combinations of the lockup identity. Do not split the circle from the lockup text and stack the logo vertically. Do not alter the size relationship between the circle element and the type.

Text used with the Cortana visual must accurately represent the product. If the text is a query (what someone asks Cortana), it must correspond to a query to which Cortana has an actual answer. If the text is Cortana’s answer, it must be the exact response found in Cortana.

Both of these strings can be obtained and verified by querying Cortana with the question above and using her exact answer.

Queries to Cortana should be enclosed in quotation marks. Cortana’s responses should not have quotation marks.

Cortana may not be represented saying things or responding to queries that are not found in the product.

In horizontal formats, queries are placed to the left of the Cortana visual element; responses are placed to the right. In vertical formats, queries should appear above the visual elements; Cortana’s responses should be placed below.

Type should be approximately ½ the height of the visual element in horizontal formats, and centered around the visual element’s center. Vertically, type should be approximately ¼ size of the visual element and centered horizontally. In all cases, the ½-element spacing around the visual element must be maintained.

Cortana with voice is always shown as the circle, the plus, and the microphone. Treat this as a single graphic element and never split it or lay it out vertically. The lockup with text is also treated as a single image and stays together.

Using “Cortana with voice” assetsUse the “Cortana with voice” title, logos, messaging, and associated assets only if:• The device is tested using Microsoft’s provided “Speech platform tools”• The device’s test results are at or above the provided benchmark. • The Microsoft-defined mic gain registry key is set appropriately.

If the device is at or above the benchmark the OEM must set the Microsoft-provided RegKey appropriately.

Messaging and disclaimerUse the following copy to describe the “Cortana with voice” feature. The asterisk and disclaimer text must be included and is not optional.

“Your truly personal digital assistant who helps you get things done, even hands-free - just say “Hey Cortana” to get started*.”

* Cortana available in select markets at launch, experience may vary by region and device.

INSERT VISUAL OF A LAPTOP WITH CORTANA HOME DAILY

SCREENSHOT

INSERT VISUAL OF A LAPTOP WITH CORTANA TELLING A JOKE

Ensure that the query and the answer match, and that Cortana’s answer can be found in the product.