AHRQ Publishing and Communications Guidelines

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Section 6: Branding Design Element Specifications

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.

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.

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.

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.

Teamed with user-friendly name of program example

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.

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Color Palette

Full color:

A blue box is PMS 300; a purple box is PMS 2613; a yellow box is PMS 123 used at 20 percent (a paler yellow box). Below is a magenta and yellow arc labeled CMYK.

Two color:

A blue box is PMS 300; a purple box is PMS 2613.

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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.

Public Web sites*

Screenshot of the homepage of a third-level domain AHRQ Web site.

*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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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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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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/