LET’S ALL BECOME VISUALLY BRAND COMPLIANT BY 30 JUNE 2021
Whilst great progress has been made over the past few years with adoption of the correct use of the Rotary logo by clubs and districts, there is still quite a bit of confusion about what constitutes ‘compliant’ use of RI's official logo – the Masterbrand Signature.
uring the 2019-20 Rotary year, the RI Board of Directors requested that all districts comply with Rotary’s visual brand standards by 30 June 2020. This is a goal that ALL CLUBS should be aiming for as well!
The first two steps involve a club's digital signatures and footprints....
- Online Presence – websites, Facebook Pages, Instagram accounts, etc. – every official club account online should display the correct logo.
- Documents – letterheads, templates, artwork files – these can all be readily updated with the correct logo and with minimal hassle
Once this is achieved, a club can move on to other promotional materials and merchandise such as signage (banners, flags, pennants, etc.), clothing (shirts, polos, t-shirts, hats, etc.) and sundries (trophies, plaques, pens, stationary, mugs, pins, etc.) – all of which would need to contain the updated club name and logo. As these are printed and physical objects, the cost associated with updating all at once may be prohibitive, so clubs should prioritize according to visibility – objects which are seen by the most persons and the most frequently should come first.
The RI Voice and Visual Identity Guidelines gives clear specifications for the correct design of the logo to be used by Clubs and Districts. The logo should be ‘personalized’ with the club or district name number and all club logos should include the word “club”. The correct type font (Frutiger) and layout/alignment of the Club/District details are detailed in the Guide. However, by using the template in The Brand Centre to create all logos your club uses you will automatically comply with the RI standards.
Often seen in publicity materials or social media posts from clubs is the RI Masterbrand Signature – that is, the word ‘Rotary’ alongside the Rotary Wheel. This logo should not be used by clubs as it represents an event, announcement, initiative, etc. that has been organized by and under the administration of Rotary International. An example of when the Masterbrand Signature is correct used is the annual Rotary Convention – an official event of Rotary International. Your club's fundraiser, fellowship event or service project is not a Rotary International project or activity and, therefore, should not use the Masterbrand Signature.
Below are some of the most common questions/issues regarding use of the logo.
If you are unsure of how best to adapt and adopt new logo guidelines and best practices, please contact the District PI Team.
Remember...It’s easier/cheaper to ask first than to correct later!
