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Bran
d Sta
ndard
s Corporate BrandIdentity Guidelines
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Introd
uction
What’s in a Brand?What exactly is a brand? For many people, the word “brand” means just a logo. In truth, it is much more than that. A cohesive brand builds trust among its customers, and delivers a promise of what will be experienced through use of its products or services. It is a living, breathing component of the company embraced by everyone. The brand’s logo, colors, taglines, and other consistent visual elements are simply what allow customers to identify with the company.
As a “branded house”, we are committed to supporting and building our corporate brand, Afton Chemical, to communicate the quality and value of the solutions we bring to the market.
Purpose of GuidelinesIn the global marketplace, branding is crucial to attracting and retaining new customers and businesses. Our overall objective with this guide is to continue to promote Afton as our primary brand, while increasing awareness and understanding of our brand values and core differentiators. Under certain circumstances, the use of selective product branding that promote leading market positions will be allowed. New product launch packages are encouraged, as long as they are consistent with our corporate brand.
Part of building a strong global brand is creating a consistent visual identity. These guidelines will provide you with the resources you need to follow our required usage for our brand. It also provides suggestions for other visual elements and tone of voice that can be used throughout our company materials.
Intended UsersAll employees, representatives, vendors, and outside associates who wish to use our company name should be familiar with what is contained within this guide. When creating communications in any form that uses our brand, these guidelines should be applied to all internal or external materials. With your help, we can:
• presentourselvesandoureffortsinaclear,consistentmanner;• Continuetobuildtrustamongourcustomers;• Strengthenourpositionwithinourindustrymarket;• andcreateaglobalvisualidentitythatsetsusapartfromourcompetitors.
The goal is more than visual consistency; it is a cohesive, global effort that goes beyond placing our logo on a page.
Contact InformationEach region has a marketing representative available to help answer questions, provide files, and approve of new marketing materials. Please use the following contact information for your region: North America & Latin America - Lauren Ereio – [email protected] or call 804-788-6081 Europe – Corné DeHaan – [email protected] or call 44-1344-35-6574 Asia Pacific – Erica Lee – [email protected] or call 65-6739-6308
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The Afton Chemical BrandThe Afton Chemical logo serves as the primary identifier for our company and is an integral piece in all of our communications. With its straightforward and open design, the logo conveys a modern, professional appearance, which is complimented by the wide, thin letters of the Myriad font. Our positive attitude and passion for our industry are symbolized using the bold blue and green colors.
The Afton icon, or “bug”, represents our presence in the global market. The green triangle is a visualization of the letter “A”, with the overarching blue indicative of the world. The bug offers great flexibility in design, providing us with an instantly recognizable symbol among our customers and competitors. It can be used with the Afton lettering or separately in a secondary design variation.
All of our logo elements have been carefully placed together, and should never be changed or distorted (see more on this under Improper Logo Usage on page 5). The exception to this rule is usage of the logo without the tagline.
Recommended Size & SpacingMaintaining legibility of the logo at small sizes is crucial for maintaining our brand equity. The minimum size suggested here is intended for standard-sized print materials, such as letterhead, magazine adverts, or brochures. For use in electronic applications (i.e. powerpoint presentations), the minimum size is 125px wide. Please contact your marketing communications representative for any questions.
Minimum Allowed Print Size
Minimum Clear Space RequirementsShown here is the minimum required clear space that must be given to the logo at all times. This keeps the logo from being crowded by other elements on the page. The same format for clear space should apply to the logo when used without the tagline as well.
Afton icon, or “bug” Logotype
tagline
Afto
n Chem
ical L
ogo
X
½ x
½ x½ x
½ x
– 1” –
.4”
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File Format OptionsFor your convenience, the logo and tagline are available in several different file formats*, as well as color, split, black, and reverse. Please contact your marketing communication representative for access to these files.
* .jpg format is not available for all versions because it requires a white background, thus the white letters would not be visible. Please use the .png format in its place.
Preferred & Acceptable BackgroundsHigh priority should be given at all times to the type or color background the logo is placed on. This will help ensure legibility whenever the logo is displayed. Following are the preferred and acceptable secondary methods for placing the logo.
Neutral or Light Solid BackgroundsWhenever possible, the full-color version of our logo is preferred on a white background. An acceptable alternative is a light, neutral color, as long as its not a tint of our primary blue or green colors.
\Solid Dark BackgroundsWith bold or dark colors, such as the examples to the right, the reverse version of our logo is preferred. If the background color doesn’t clash with the blue/green of the logo’s bug, then an acceptable method would be to use our split version.
Image BackgroundsPlacing the logo on an image is discouraged, commonly due to lack of legibility for the logotype. If you must place the logo overtop of an image, use the reverse version and try to choose an image that has a clear, solid color space. See Improper Logo Usage on the next page for unacceptable image backgrounds.
Afto
n Chem
ical L
ogo
2-Color / CMYK/RGBAvailable File Formats:.EPS.AI.PDF
.JPG
.PNG
SplitAvailable File Formats:.EPS.AI
.PNG
BlackAvailable File Formats:.EPS.AI.PDF
.JPG
.PNG
Reverse Available File Formats:.EPS.AI
.PNG
Acceptable
Acceptable
Acceptable
Preferred
Preferred
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Improper Logo UsageThere are many common errors that can be avoided by referring to this page. If you stick to using the approved file formats, then you should be able to avoid most of the issues. Please use caution when sizing the logo to avoid the skewing issues listed below.
Don’t use the mark to replace any letters in the logotype. Don’t add other graphic elements,
such a box, around the logo.
Don’t skew, distort, or condense the logo in any way.
Don’t separate the mark from the logotype.Don’t change any of the typefaces.
Afton
Don’t change the size of the tagline.
Don’t change the colors of the logo. Don’t place the logo on a background that has either insufficient contrast or is too busy.
Logo
Usa
ge
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Color
& T
ypogr
aphy Afton Brand Colors
The Afton brand is made up of two vibrant colors: Afton Blue and Afton Green. These colors reflect our passionate and vibrant corporate personality. Color can have tremendous impact on the emotional connection people associate with a brand, so we have chosen colors which reflect our inspired and enthusiastic values.
Primary FontMyriad ProAfton’s primary font is Myriad Pro Condensed. Myriad Pro is a classic system typeface with modern accents and clean lines that lend it a friendly, yet professional and progressive tone. All professionally produced marketing materials should employ this font. The preferred size for body copy is 11pt, with flexibility allowed for headline sizes.
Myriad Pro Condensed
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ1234567890@$%!&*(-)+?
Acceptable Secondary FontArialFor internal communications, on-screen presentations, and online-facing content, we use Arial or Arial Narrow, due to its similarity for clean lines and modern look.
Arial Narrow Regular
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ1234567890@$%!&*(-)+?
Afton BluePMS 286CMYK: 100, 66, 0, 2RGB: 0, 93, 170HEX: # 005daa
Afton GreenPMS 362CMYK: 70, 0, 100, 9RGB: 72, 169, 66HEX: #48a942
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Correspondence materials, such as letterhead, envelopes and business cards allow for Afton to be consistent with our brand messaging, even when in-person dialogue isn’t possible. No other logos, graphic marks, photographs or other symbols are allowed on our stationary package. All correspondence materials should use the logo without the tagline.
LetterheadThe logo presented on our letterhead will always be our parent brand, positioned prominently in the upper left-hand corner. All individual contact information is placed in the lower right-hand corner. Additional space has been incorporated into the design to allow for extra address lines or phone numbers. You may add, combine, or delete the information as long as the position of the specific key elements do not move.
EnvelopesRegular #10 envelopes are the second part of our correspondence materials. The logo and address may be used for any size or label though, so long as they are placed as a unit, 1/4” down and 1/4” to the right of the top left corner of the envelope.
Business CardsDouble-sided business cards are the third part of our correspondence materials. The back side will reflect our Passion for Solutions™ logo. The front side has our parent brand logo positioned halfway down the left side, with both individual and corporate contact information displayed. You may add, combine, or delete the information as long as the position of the specific key elements do not move.St
ation
ary P
ackag
e Stationery for Afton Chemical
Templates for the Afton Chemical Stationery have been created in Quark Xpress ver 4.11 forMac. All links and necessary fonts are included on the disk for printing. Your printer will needto insert the address and phone numbers you specify when you place your printing order.Additional space had been incorporated in the design to allow for extra address lines orphone numbers. Add, combine or delete the information you need as long as the position ofspecific key elements do not move.
Do not alter the size or position of the logo.
Address information should notrun longer than 5.5" from theright edge of the paper to avoidbeing underneath the logo.
"Afton Chemical"should not changeposition even ifregional informationis added to the line.
If more addressinformation isneeded, a secondline may be added.
5.5"
Do not alter the size or position of the logo.
If more addressinformation isneeded, add extralines. Do not alterthe location of theaddress
The logo and address may be used for any size envelope or label as needed by positioning thelogo and address, as a unit, 1/4" down, and 1/4" to the right, of the top left corner of new piece.
The letterhead and envelopes should print in three colors:PMS 286 (blue), PMS 362 (green) and black.
1/4"
1/4"
First, Last NameCompany PositionO | 123 456 7890M | 123 456 7890E | [email protected]
Afton Chemical Corporation500 Spring StreetRichmond, Virginia 23219 USAT | 804 788 5800 F | 804 788 5184 www.aftonchemical.com
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PowerPoint PresentationsWhen assembling a PowerPoint presentation, simplicity is key to conveying your information quickly and clearly. We have designed a template that incorporates our branding, with hierarchy for content, specific colors, and font sizes.
Web PresenceWe have carried our standards into our website, reinforcing our global image and brand. This allows us to deliver information to a targeted audience more quickly and accurately than ever before.
Our online presence is closely monitored by our marketing team, and cannot be changed, modified, or any part used without expressed prior consent.
Elect
ronic A
pplica
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Part A: Guidelines For Proper Trademark Usage And Protection1.Introduction Our trademarks are among the most valuable assets of
the Company. Our trademarks symbolize our corporate reputation and goodwill. Our customers know from experience that when a product bears one of our trademarks, the product measures up to our high standards of quality and reliability. The customer also knows that the product is backed by the integrity of our Company. Our trademarks symbolize the Company’s identity and should be treated with the same care and protection we provide to any key asset.
These guidelines have been prepared for the information and use of our professional, technical and management personnel. Explanations have been kept as short as possible. Only the most important topics are included. While many of the following guidelines apply to foreign as well as domestic trademark usage, these guidelines cover only U.S. trademarks.
All legal matters on trademarks, both domestic and foreign, and questions concerning trademark usage are handled by and should be referred to the Patent and Trademark Group in the Law Department.
Questions concerning the display of specific trademarks should be referred to either the Law Department or Marketing Communications Department.
All commercially printed materials and promotional materials should be reviewed and approved by the Law and Marketing Communications Departments prior to distribution outside the Company.
2.GeneralTrademarkInformationDefinition of a Trademark A trademark is a word, phrase, design or symbol, or a
combination thereof, that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others.
Definition of a Service Mark A service mark is the same as a trademark, except that it
identifies and distinguishes the source of a service rather than a product.
How a Trademark Differs from a Trade Name Strictly speaking, a trademark and a trade name are not
the same thing. A trade name is the name used to identify a business enterprise (e.g., a corporate name) or the subdivisions of a business enterprise.
In our Company, our trademark AFTON CHEMICAL is also part of our corporate or trade name, Afton Chemical Corporation.
It is not always possible to clearly delineate between use of the word AFTON CHEMICAL as a trademark (where these guidelines apply) and as a trade name (where the guidelines do not apply). Nevertheless, the following illustrations may prove helpful.
A good of rule of thumb is that trademark usage exists where the word is being used as a proper adjective, rather than a proper noun, to emphasize that a product comes from the Company and not from a competitive source. For example, if the words “brand of” are inserted after the trademark, and the sentence still makes sense, it is likely that the word is being used as a trademark. If the sentence does not make sense, it is likely that trade name usage is involved.
Obtaining Trademark Clearance Before we adopt a new trademark for use with a product
or line of products, infringement clearance should be obtained from the Law Department. This will reduce the risk that our trademark will be in conflict with existing legal rights of other parties. Also, the search will provide a useful indication of the eligibility of the proposed mark for federal trademark registration.
Simply inform the Law Department of the proposed mark, the product or products with which it is to be used and the country or countries in which the product or products would be sold and delivered.
An investigation of the U.S. infringement situation usually can be completed within several weeks. Foreign investigations, unless expedited, may take two or three months depending on the number of countries involved.Tr
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The matter of trademark selection and clearance should be initiated at an early stage, preferable six months to a year before commercialization. This will provide adequate time to check out a number of different proposed trademarks in order to find a suitable mark on which infringement clearance may be obtained. And it will leave the time needed for preparation of labels, advertising copy and promotional materials bearing the cleared trademark.
Preserving our Trademarks If properly used, a trademark can last forever.
However, improper usage of a trademark can result in its destruction. It is thus vitally important that our trademarks be used properly at all times. Proper trademark usage begins with us. What we do largely determines whether we will preserve our trademarks or whether they will perish through improper usage or neglect. By following the simple guidelines below, we can preserve our trademarks.
3.GeneralGuidelinesForProperTrademarkUsage&Protection
The Mark Should Stand Out from the Surrounding Text Trademarks should always be printed in a manner
distinctive from that of the surrounding text. So-called “word marks” such as AFTON CHEMICAL® or HiTEC® should be printed so that they stand out from the text. One way to do this is to print them entirely in capital letters or bold (Note that HiTEC® should always be spelled with a lower case ‘i’). If an even greater degree of distinctiveness is desired, the mark may be:
1. printed in larger capital letters than the rest of the text; or
2. capitalized and underscored; or 3. printed in a style of block letters different from
the rest of the text; or 4. capitalized and enclosed in quotation marks; or 5. capitalized and printed in a color different from
the rest of the text.
Use a Descriptive Name After the Mark A trademark should not be used by itself to describe a
product or service. It is best to follow the trademark each time with a descriptive or generic name of the product or service. A trademark is a proper adjective. It modifies a noun. It is not itself a noun.
CORRECT: Use HiTEC® 3000 Octane Booster to reduce valve seat recession.
INCORRECT: Use HiTEC® 3000 to reduce valve seat recession.
Use the Mark in a Consistent Manner Never change, alter or distort a trademark. Use it in its
proper form consistently. Here are some examples of what not to do.
•Don’tmakeatrademarkplural. •Don’tuseitinthepossessive. •Don’talteritsappearanceortypography. •Don’tdissectatrademark.
Use a Trademark Notice Symbol in Advertising and on Labeling Use the proper trademark notice symbol, “TM”, “SM”
or “®” with the trademark.
Any time you claim rights in a mark, you may use the “TM” (trademark) or “SM” (service mark) symbol to notify the public of your claim, regardless of whether a trademark or service mark application has been filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The “TM” symbol should be used when the mark is being used on products (goods) or to describe products. The “SM” symbol should be used when the mark is used in connection with services.
You may use the “®” symbol only if the mark has been registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The “®” symbol may only be used with the mark when the mark is used with the specific goods or services identified in the federal trademark registration. (See Appendix B for further information.)
If you suspect that the goods or services for which a given mark is registered do not include all of the goods or services which the Company desires or that are currently being used in connection with that mark, please notify the Law Department. Additional federal registrations may be obtained to expand the goods and services of trademarks and service marks.
One of the above symbols should appear with the first reference to the mark. It is not necessary to use the notice symbol to mark every occurrence of a trademark in an Tr
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advertisement or promotional materials. The symbol should directly follow the mark. It is customary to place the symbol to the right of the mark in superscript.
If you have questions about which trademark notice symbol should be used with a mark or which goods or services a mark identifies, please contact the Law Department.
Identify the Owner of the Trademark When using trademarks, it is desirable to identify
somewhere in the document the company that owns the trademark. For example, in a document referring to GREENBURN® 4077 Heating Oil Additive, indicate trademark ownership by stating at it at the end of document: GREENBURN® is a registered trademark of Afton Chemical Corporation.
How to Obtain and Maintain Trademarks Trademarks must be used on the goods and their
packaging, such as on labels, tags and containers. Use trademarks on products as shipped.
To obtain and maintain a U.S. trademark registration:
1. The trademark must be applied either directly to the product or to the outside of the product’s shipping container; and
2. The product having the trademark applied in this manner must be sold or transported across state lines (or be shipped from the U.S. to a foreign country).
How to Obtain and Maintain Service Marks Service marks must be used on advertising materials
identifying the services.
To obtain and maintain a U.S. service mark registration: 1. The service mark is used or displayed in the sale
or advertising of services; and 2. The services are rendered across state lines or
rendered in more than one state.
It is important to follow this procedure continuously. The law presumes a trademark owner intends to abandon a trademark if it stops using the trademark in this manner for a two year period.
Be Alert to Incorrect or Unauthorized Usage of Our Trademarks by Others It is important to be alert to activities by ourselves and
outside parties bearing on our trademarks. Two main areas of concern are:
1. Incorrect usage, such as failure to capitalize at least the first letter of our trademark, failure to follow our trademark by a descriptive name of the product or failure to use our trademark in its proper form.
2. Trademark infringement, such as direct copying of our trademarks or the use by others of words or symbols that resemble our trademarks.
Report any instance of incorrect usage or suspected infringement to the Law Department.
SummaryOur trademarks have served us well. By following these guidelines, we can help to preserve our trademark rights and to ensure that our trademarks will continue to serve us for decades to come.
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