MERLOT Branding Policy

MERLOT is committed to enabling and supporting its Partners and other interested parties to enhance
the strategic direction of the MERLOT community. This MERLOT Branding Policy has been created to
ensure that the use of the MERLOT Brand is consistent with this commitment. In this policy, “Brand”
includes all typefaces, colors and other physical and visible characteristics used in renditions of the
MERLOT logo, labels, mastheads, images, etc.

An important element of our support concerns the ways in which the MERLOT Brand is represented in
MERLOT-endorsed programs and activities presented both on the World Wide Web and in other media.
Accordingly, MERLOT places conditions on the use of its Brand so that viewers of websites or other
media containing MERLOT-labeled information or services can immediately identify the information as
being endorsed by MERLOT.

This Policy describes:
1. MERLOT Brand usage
2. Processes for handling inappropriate or unauthorized use of the MERLOT Brand
3. Location of Branding material

1. MERLOT Brand Usage: The MERLOT Brand may only be used by MERLOT, its Partners, affiliates,
or other MERLOT-approved organizations and/or entities. MERLOT Partners in good standing are
authorized to use the MERLOT Brand as described in MERLOT’s partner application/renewal forms.
Others wishing to use the MERLOT Brand should email a request to webmaster@merlot.org.
Requestors must be authorized agents of the entity that will be responsible for use of the MERLOT
Brand. Requests must contain the requestor’s name, title, phone number, email address, institutional
affiliation, institution address, purpose of the request, the proposed location (URL) where the MERLOT
Brand will be displayed, and the duration of Brand use. MERLOT will notify the requestor within 10 days
of MERLOT’s decision to approve or reject the request.

Requests will be approved or denied by the MERLOT Executive or Managing Director. If the request is denied, MERLOT will explain the reason; requestors may challenge the denial in writing within 30 days of receipt of the decision.

2. Inappropriate Use: The MERLOT Brand can never be re-colored, modified, or otherwise altered.
Inappropriate or unauthorized use of the MERLOT Brand will be regarded as a breach of this Policy.
Anyone wishing to report such a breach should email the MERLOT Webmaster at
webmaster@merlot.org describing the nature of the inappropriate/unauthorized use, including the URL
or other media sources where the MERLOT Brand is displayed. The MERLOT Executive or Managing
Director will review reported breaches and undertake a course of action to correct any inappropriate
use.

3. The official MERLOT Branding materials can be found at http://taste.merlot.org/graphics/branding/branding_standards.html. This page is complete with instructions, information and standards for use of our logos and colors, including how to resize an image properly so the MERLOT appearance is not distorted. The page includes everything needed to create Word (and PowerPoint) documents correctly.   

MERLOT will strictly enforce all terms of this Policy so that MERLOT-labeled information or services will
always be identifiable as being endorsed by MERLOT.

Details of available Brand renditions or any communications with regard to this MERLOT Brand policy
should be sent to the MERLOT Webmaster at webmaster@merlot.org.