Numbers, dates, and time

Currency

Use the numerical form of £1.00 when formality is needed, or when the number is dynamic and might include pence.

Use the number form of £1 when you need a more casual, neutral tone or if there is a space constraint and you can round off to the nearest pound.

Use the international abbreviation for the currency when you need to disambiguate types of currency. For example, "£100 GBP equals $138.21 USD".

Always include currency symbols where possible.

Do write

Total ad spend: £150.21 GBP

Don't write

Total ad spend: £150 in British pounds

Large numbers

Use a comma to offset groups of three digits, for readability:

For readability, spell out the word when citing large, round numbers:

Numerals

In running text, write out the words zero through nine, then start using the number for 10 and higher. When telling time, presenting a series or range, or providing a timestamp, use the number forms: 0 through 9.

You can adjust the numerals format if you feel it's appropriate for your situation. Using a number adds more emphasis than spelling out the word. For example, if you were to say "Compare two campaigns and see the changes," the emphasis is on the comparison, not on the number of campaigns. "Review all eight comments" focuses on the availability of comments; "Review all 8 comments" focuses on the number of comments.

If you're mentioning currency or time alongside other types of numbers, spell out the number to make the currency or time more prominent.

Use an en-dash to indicate range

Do write

1-10 possible results

Don't write

One to 10 possible results

Percentages

Use the percent symbol (%) instead of spelling out the word "percent."

Do write

Increase your campaign budget by 20%

Don't write

Increase your campaign budget by 20 percent

Dates and time

Dates

Date formatting is contextual and depends on the specific use case within the WPP Open platform. Use the following British English formats as mentioned at the top.

For tables or lists, use the DD/MM/YYYY format for easier parsing and comparison.

Time

When presenting time, follow these guidelines: Avoid using am and pm. Use 24-hour clocks only.

Do write

13.00

Don't write

01.00pm

Use 24-hour time without am or pm

Do write

17.15

Don't write

17.15pm

Relative time

Use words like "hour," "day," and "month" once the time has reached that threshold for measurement:

Elapsed time

Remaining time

Timestamps

For precise timestamps, use the HH:MM:SS format. If the video is less than an hour long, omit the hours:

Do write

Insert marker at 01:12:34. Skip to 12.51 for instructions

Don't write

Insert marker at 1 hr 12 mins 34 seconds.

Time zones

Avoid using time zones unless absolutely necessary. Show the time zone when the time isn't being dynamically rewritten to the user's time. If required, use the common name (e.g., British Summer Time) or the acronym (e.g., BST) with the context provided for localisation.