Section 6: Branding Design Element Specifications
Contents
Introduction
Design Element Treatments
Banner or masthead
Vertical placement example
Horizontal placement example
Teamed with Agency sub-brand example
Teamed with user-friendly name of
program example
Teamed with outside program example
Color Palette
Web Templates
Banner AHRQ sites
Public Web sites
Electronic newsletters
Exhibits
General AHRQ exhibit
Exhibit tailored to a program
Special Uses for AHRQ Logo
Back of publication
Artwork File Formats
Additional Information
Introduction
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has created a branded
identity so that our messages and materials are easily recognized by external
audiences. This section was developed to give you an overview of how to apply
AHRQ's design element to your products and materials to keep the integrity and
clarity of the branded identity.
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Design Element Treatments
The AHRQ design element must be included on all AHRQ products and
communication materials produced in-house or by a contractor for AHRQ
publication. It should be used on all printed and electronic products, and it should
only be used in the ways shown in this guide. The branded identity is a combination
of design elements in this order:
- Department of Health and Human Services (Department level)
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (Agency level)
- Advancing Excellence in Health Care (AHRQ's tagline)
- www.ahrq.gov (Agency Web address)
- Optional: other logo or program identification
Banner or masthead
![Two examples of the AHRQ banner, one in color and the other in black and white. On the color banner, features such as the Department-level HHS logo, the Agency-level AHRQ logo, the Agency Web address, and AHRQ's tagline are pointed out.](pcgfig6-1.gif)
Vertical placement example
![Two examples of the HHS and AHRQ logos in vertical placement, one in color and the other in black and white. In both examples, the HHS logo is placed above AHRQ's, and the Agency's tagline and Web address are centered below.](pcgfig6-2.gif)
Horizontal placement example
![Two examples of the HHS and AHRQ logos in horizontal placement, one in color (detailed from the front cover of a sample AHRQ publication) and the other in black and white. In both examples, the HHS logo is placed to the left of AHRQ's logo and Agency information.](pcgfig6-3.gif)
Teamed with Agency sub-brand example
![This example shows the HHS and AHRQ logos teamed with a sub-brand logo. The HHS logo is placed to the left of AHRQ's logo and the logo for the Centers for Education and Research on Therapeutics (CERTs) is to the right.](pcgfig6-4.gif)
Teamed with user-friendly name of program example
![This example shows the HHS and AHRQ logos teamed with a program name. In the first example, detailed from the front cover of a sample AHRQ Health Information Technology (Health IT) publication, the HHS logo is placed to the left of AHRQ's logo, and the words 'Health IT' are in a red box to the right. In the second example, the HHS logo is placed to the left of AHRQ's logo, and the words 'Patient Safety' are in a blue box to the right. In both examples, the Agency's tagline and Web address below the AHRQ logo match the color of the text box.](pcgfig6-5.gif)
Teamed with outside program example
![This example shows the HHS and AHRQ logos teamed with an outside program, detailed from 'The Decontamination of Children' DVD. The HHS logo is placed to the left of AHRQ's logo and the logo for the Children's Hospital Boston is to the right. The one-point line between the HHS and AHRQ logos, and the two-point line between the AHRQ and Children's Hospital Boston logo are pointed out.](pcgfig6-6.gif)
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Color Palette
Full color:
Two color:
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Web Templates
The most current banner, footer, and subordinate page header graphics, as well as
implementation source codes, are available at http://webdev.ahrq.gov. For access to
the site, contact:
Biff Levee
AHRQ Web Site Manager,
Office of Communications and Knowledge Transfer
E-mail: biff.levee@ahrq.hhs.gov
Phone: (301) 427-1897
Banner for AHRQ sites
![The AHRQ Web site banner and footer.](pcgfig6-9.gif)
Public Web sites*
*Example of a third-level domain of the AHRQ Web site with an authorized design element. Go to
Section 2: Web Product and Web Site Development Guidelines.
Electronic newsletters
![The banner of the AHRQ E-newsletter.](pcgfig6-11.gif)
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Exhibits
General AHRQ exhibit
![The HHS and AHRQ logos are shown placed at the top of the cover of a sample brochure.](pcgfig6-12.gif)
Exhibit tailored to a program
![This example shows the front cover and two pages of a sample AHRQ Health Information Technology (Health IT) publication; the branding design element at the top of the front cover is pointed out. The branding design element features HHS logo to the left of AHRQ's logo, and the words 'Health IT' in a red box to the right.](pcgfig6-13.gif)
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Special Uses For AHRQ Logo
In some cases, the AHRQ logo is used by itself. Check with the Office of
Communications and Knowledge Transfer publishing staff for special uses.
Call (301) 427-1893. Also, go to Section 1 for more specifics on logo use.
Back of publication
![Detail from the back page of a sample publication, showing the AHRQ logo, publication number, and publication date.](pcgfig6-14.gif)
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Artwork File Formats
The AHRQ design element is available in several formats upon request. The
following table will help you determine which format you need.
Product |
File Type |
Desktop publishing | EPS or TIF |
Word document | TIF |
PowerPoint™ | JPEG |
Web | JPEG or GIF |
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Additional Information
To discuss specific issues or to get additional guidance on branding design element
specifications, contact:
Sandy Cummings
Deputy Director of Operations/Publishing
Office of Communications and Knowledge Transfer
E-mail: sandy.cummings@ahrq.hhs.gov
Phone: (301) 427-1893
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Return to Guidelines Contents
AHRQ Publication No. 08(-09)-M049
Current as of April 2009
Internet Citation:
AHRQ Publishing and Communications Guidelines. AHRQ Publication No. 08(-09)-M049.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/news/pubcomguide/