REALTORS® COMMERCIAL ALLIANCE (RCA)
BRAND LOGO GRAPHIC STANDARDS AND STYLE GUIDELINES
December 2002
The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® owns numerous marks, including the parent brand, or REALTOR® logo. In order to leverage the parent brand to its fullest, the REALTOR® logo has been incorporated into the variety of brands existing, such as the REALTOR Benefits® Program, REALTORS® Commercial Alliance, REALTOR.COM®, and so forth. Positioning the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® as the indispensable organization to be a member of, as a real estate agent, while gaining full acceptance and utilization of NAR’s publications and services is the goal of this continuing branding effort.
The purpose of this Graphic Standards and Style Guidelines is to preserve current corporate graphic standards and style guidelines and to give direction regarding utilization of parent and brand logos. These guidelines are therefore not separate, but adjunctive to the current corporate guidelines. The preservation requirements of trademarks as expressed in the corporate guidelines remain in place.
Limitations: Use of the RCA Brand Logo is reserved only for the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and its Commercial Overlay Boards (COB) and Commercial Structures (CS). Individual members may not use the brand logo on their business cards and stationery. The only exception is if they are provided by the COB or CS as official identification for its volunteer and staff leadership.


USAGE:
The brand logos will be utilized in all NAR materials that contain reference to, in copy/content, the NAR publication or service represented by the brand logo, in this case, the REALTORS® Commercial Alliance (RCA). The brand logo may appear at the top of the communication piece, either side, or on the page where content applies appropriately. It may not appear in the bottom signature bar or on the back cover with or near the parent logo. The intent is to be definitive about NAR products and special entities, not redundant.
The NAR parent brand (REALTOR® LOGO or NAR SIGNATURE LOGO) will still appear in the signature bar at the bottom of the communication material. The same bar information, variance and conformity rules apply as in the Corporate Graphic Standards and Style Guidelines. The Corporate Graphic Standards and Style Guidelines can be viewed online at REALTOR.org.
NAR's brand logos are content descriptive and should generally not be used on letterhead, envelopes and other office supplies; however they may be utilized on advertising specialties to promote the NAR brand. The NAR SIGNATURE LOGO as described in the Corporate Graphic Standards and Style Guidelines should still be leveraged and utilized.
Exceptions:
In instances where the brand logo is required to stand alone as it represents an entire NAR entity, or it becomes imperative to develop these office supplies and other materials with just the utilization of the NAR brand logo, then the words NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® must appear on the item. Corporate Graphic Standards and Style Guidelines apply, and the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® will appear underneath or near the brand logo.
If space does not allow for the words NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® underneath or near the brand logo (e.g., online usage) then the words NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® must appear in the content of every page.
RCA BRAND LOGO USAGE BY COMMERCIAL OVERLAY BOARDS
Any COB may utilize the REALTORS® Commercial Alliance brand logo in place of the Commercial "R" REALTOR® logo, whether or not "REALTORS® Commercial Alliance" is used in its name. The following detail the three (3) usage options available to COBs (please note that some of the examples are fictitious):
COB OPTION #1:
The COB name appears in text in conjunction with the REALTORS® Commercial Alliance brand logo
The name of the COB appears in text below and to the right of the RCA brand logo.
DETAIL: The text treatment of a COB name should be placed at the lower right of the RCA brand logo, aligned base-to-base with the bottom of the Block R. The COB name will appear italicized in Helvetica Black Oblique font. The preferred font color for the Commercial Board name is black. Isolation: The Commercial Board name and the REALTORS® Commercial Alliance brand logo must have clearance of at least one-half the width of the RCA brand logo between, above or below them.

 COB OPTION #2:
For COBs that have adopted, with NAR approval, a name which incorporates both the phrase "REALTORS® Commercial Alliance" and a geographic descriptor related to the association jurisdiction, the geographic location may appear solely in text below the logo.
NOTE: This option may not be used when there is no distinct geographic jurisdiction to which it refers (e.g. "TriState" rather than "Delaware, New Jersey & Pennsylvania"), or when it will be confusingly similar to the name of another Commercial Overlay Board.
DETAIL: The text treatment of the Commercial Board’s geographic location should be placed at the lower right of the RCA brand logo, aligned base-to-base with the bottom of the Block R. The Commercial Board location will appear italicized in Helvetica Black Oblique font. The preferred font color for the Commercial Board name is black. Isolation: The Commercial Board location and the REALTORS® Commercial Alliance brand logo must have clearance of at least one-half the width of the RCA brand logo between, above or below them.
Example:
 COB OPTION #3:
The COB logo appears in conjunction with the REALTORS® Commercial Alliance logo. (This option is available only to those COBs that do not incorporate “REALTORS® Commercial Alliance” in their official name.)
If a COB, that does not have "REALTORS® Commercial Alliance" in its name, wishes to use its own logo or any other graphic or typography in conjunction with the RCA brand logo, and its graphic standards allow, the COB graphic representation may appear either to the right or left of the RCA brand logo. The examples below picture the COB logo placed to the right of the RCA brand logo. NOTE: If the COB standards do not allow for the logos to be used in conjunction with the RCA logo, utilize Option #1.
DETAIL: If the COB uses the REALTORS® Commercial Alliance brand logo, the RCA brand logo and its own graphic representation must have clearance of at least one-half the width of the REALTORS® Commercial Alliance brand logo between, above or below them.
Examples:


RCA BRAND LOGO USAGE BY COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES
Any Commercial Structure (CS) may utilize the REALTORS® Commercial Alliance brand logo in place of the Commercial "R" REALTOR® logo, whether or not "REALTORS® Commercial Alliance" is used in its name. The following detail the two (2) options available to Commercial Structures.
In general, the name of the Commercial Structure and its parent association must always appear together in print: the "REALTORS® Commercial Alliance of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®" or the "REALTORS® Commercial Society of the REALTORS® Association of the Palm Beaches" or the "Commercial Investment Committee of the Scottsdale Association of REALTORS®." The only exception to this rule occurs in conjunction with the RCA brand logo (see CS Option #1 and Example 1a).
CS OPTION #1:
When the CS name appears in text in conjunction with the RCA brand logo
If "REALTORS® Commercial Alliance" is already part of the official name of the CS, it need not be repeated when it appears in conjunction with the RCA brand logo. Only the name of the parent association need appear in text below and to the right of the RCA brand logo (example 1a).
However, if "REALTORS® Commercial Alliance" is not part of the official name of the organization, the name of the parent association must appear with that of its Commercial Structure in text below and to the right of the RCA brand logo (example 1b).
DETAIL: The text treatment of a Commercial Structure name should be placed at the lower right of the RCA brand logo, aligned base-to-base with the bottom of the Block R. The Commercial Structure name will appear italicized in Helvetica Black Oblique font. The preferred font color for the Commercial Board name is black. Isolation: The Commercial Structure name and the REALTORS® Commercial Alliance brand logo must have clearance of at least one-half the width of the RCA brand logo between, above or below them.
Examples:
1a

1b
 CS OPTION #2:
The CS logo appears in conjunction with the REALTORS® Commercial Alliance logo. (This option is available only to those CSs that do not incorporate "REALTORS® Commercial Alliance" in their official name.)
If a CS wishes to use its own logo or any other graphic or typography in conjunction with the RCA brand logo, and its graphic standards allow, the CS graphic representation may appear either to the right or left of the RCA brand logo. The example below pictures the CS logo placed to the right of the RCA brand logo. NOTE: If the CS standards do not allow for the logos to be used in conjunction with other logos, utilize CS Option #1.
DETAIL: Isolation: The RCA brand logo and the Commercial Structure graphic representation must have clearance of at least one-half the width of the REALTORS® Commercial Alliance brand logo between, above or below them.
Examples: See COB Option #3 above.
RCA BRAND LOGO AND COB & CS LOGO PLACEMENT
Print Advertisements: The RCA brand logo with the Commercial Overlay Board name in text, or the combined logos should be placed near the bottom of the advertisement in a balanced position for a signature.
Flyers: [Same as for advertisements above]
Collateral Materials: The RCA brand logo with the Commercial Board name in text, or the combined logos should be placed either on the front or back outside covers, near the bottom again, following the Commercial Board’s own graphic standards.
Other Materials: [Please allow NAR Marketing Communications to approve]
Signage and Banners: Signage is considered in two separate areas of use; architectural and promotional. Usage must follow the same standards and rules as for all other communication forms with regard to size relationships and areas of isolation as described here.
Limitations: Use of the RCA Brand Logo is reserved only for NAR, Commercial Overlay Boards (COB) and Commercial Structures (CS). Individual members may not use the brand logo on their business cards and stationery. The only exception is if they are provided by the COB or CS as official identification for its volunteer and staff leadership.
OTHER REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
COLOR
The same color rules apply to the NAR brand logos as do with the REALTOR® LOGO and NAR SIGNATURE LOGO.
The positive areas of the brand logo must appear in PMS 186 Red, Black or White, or PMS 186 Red and PMS 871 Gold. [See one color exception option below.] When the REALTOR® LOGO is displayed in PMS 186 Red on a white or neutral color background, the letter “R” inside the rectangle may be shown as PMS 871 Gold. With the brand logos the oval may also appear in PMS 871 Gold and the rest of type and positive areas in the PMS 186 Red.
Option: Only* the oval may appear in an approved, alternate brand color related to the brand's specific materials, online or offline. These alternate colors are to be approved through NAR’s Marketing Communications prior to utilization. When this alternate color choice is utilized for the logo, the remaining type and positive areas must appear in black.
*In cases, especially online, where a character appears before the term REALTOR® in a URL for example [eREALTOR.com], this character may appear in this optional color as well.
SIZE
The NAR brand logos must always be utilized where REALTOR® and the registration mark are legible—both off and online. The minimum reproduction size for the brand logos is 1.18" width and .60" height. Corporate Graphic Standards and Style Guidelines for the REALTOR® LOGO that is housed inside the NAR brand logo still adhere.
TYPESTYLE
The brand descriptive type appears in Helvetica Black (or Helvetica Black Oblique if italicized) The typography for the REALTOR® LOGO must remain in its current typestyle as described in NAR’s Corporate Graphic Standards and Style Guidelines.
In the case of an outside entity or operating company in partnership with NAR utilizing these logos, any attached motto or tagline must have prior approval by NAR Marketing Communications.
NAR MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
Kim DiGangi, Manager; 312-329-8387, kdigangi@realtors.org
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