6a_-_Ghana_Branding_Plan.pdf

Branding Strategy and Marking Plan

Ghana Coastal Sustainable Landscapes Project

September 13, 2010

This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for

International Development. It was prepared by the US Forest Service.

Branding Strategy and Marking Plan

A. Branding Strategy

As required in ADS 320.3.2.2, the US Forest Service (USFS) describes below how we will incorporate and promote the message, “This assistance is from the American people.”

Program Name: Ghana Coastal Sustainable Landscapes Project

Incorporating the Message, “This assistance is from the American people.”

The USAID Ghana Coastal Sustainable Landscapes Project (CSLP) will use branding with the

USAID tagline “From the American People” and the USFS logo, on materials and communications. No branding will only be considered on a case-by-case basis as considered appropriate by the Agreement Officer Technical Representative (AOTR) and Contracting Officer

(CO).

Key Audiences

Subject to approval by USAID, the Ghana Coastal Sustainable Landscapes Project has the following target audiences with whom it will promote and publicize USAID sponsorship:

Primary Audiences

The primary audience for all messages, materials, and documents produced under this agreement are:

Policymakers and decision makers within ministries

Government-owned operators required for project success and sustainability

General public

Ministry of Environment

Ministry of Municipalities

Environmental NGOs

Ministry of Education

Secondary Audience

The secondary audiences for materials and documents produced by the Ghana CSLP include:

USAID stakeholders

Local training providers

Key Messages

In all materials and events the project will be co-branded as from USAID and prepared by the US

Forest Service as part of the Ghana CSLP. As such, all materials will acknowledge that they were produced with support “from the American people.” In cases where a local language predominates above English, the appropriate translation into the local language will be used in branding the program.

Program Main Message: USAID and USFS assist the Government of Ghana to design and implement a coastal landscape conservation project in the six coastal Districts of the Western

Region of Ghana.

Additional ideas to increase awareness that the American people support this program are:

Trainers will be trained to include in each presentation or training session a statement at the beginning of their meeting or training session that the technical assistance that they provide and the other program services are made possible as a result of

“USAID/USFS collaboration.”

Training materials, collateral materials, and certificates will be branded using appropriate guidance in the USAID Graphic Standards Manual.

Training sites will include signage as appropriate to convey that the training is done with support “from the American people.”

The Ghana CSLP will follow specific procedures for including the Branding Strategy requirements as stated in the mandatory internal reference Branding and Marking in USAID Direct Contracting in the Automated Directives System, Chapter 320.

Publicizing the Program and a Description of Tools to be Used

This section discusses how to publicize the program and also includes a description of the communications tools to be used. The following communication tools, or combinations of these tools, may be used by the Ghana CSLP:

Press releases Yes

Press conferences Yes

Media interviews Yes

Site visits Yes

Success stories Yes

Beneficiary testimonials Yes

Professional photography Yes

PSAs Yes

Videos Yes

Webcasts, e-invitations, blast e-mails, or other internet activities

Yes

Key milestones and opportunities anticipated to generate awareness that “This assistance is from the American people.”

The following key milestones are anticipated to generate awareness that the program is from the

American people. These milestones may be linked to specific points in time, such as at the beginning or end of a program, or to an opportunity to showcase reports or other materials.

These include, but are not limited to

Holding training events, Publishing project reports or findings that support successful implementation and promote awareness of USAID and US Forest Service support, Success stories, Promoting important information contained in final or interim reports, and

Communicating program impact/overall results.

Acknowledgements

USAID

The following acknowledgment will be included on external USAID/USFS Ghana CSLP publications and internal publications, such as quarterly reports, as appropriate:

This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International

Development and the US Forest Service. It was prepared by the US Forest Service for the USAID Ghana Coastal Sustainable Landscapes Project as part of the USAID/US

Forest Service PAPA.

Host-Country Governments All Ghana CSLP documents will follow USAID Branding Guidelines. If during the course of this program other major sponsors are involved, we will advise the AOTR of their involvement and request permission to include them as necessary. The Government of Ghana is the host partner of the project.

Other Host-country Partners Co-branding with other donors or stakeholder groups will occur when these organizations have contributed funds to the activity. Co-branding with in-country partners may also be desirable when trying to promote local ownership and capacity building. However, when products are fully funded by USAID, CO approval is required for any exceptions to co-branding requirements.

Co-branding with Other International Organizations

In such cases, the guidelines for co-branding will be followed, assuming the funding contributed is more than a token amount.

All program related publications, including print and audiovisual communications, will be co-branded as follows:

USAID Brand Identity (logo + tagline) will be placed at the left; USFS logo in middle; and the

GOG logo at right.

B. Marking Plan Summary

The purpose of this Marking Plan is to describe the public communications, commodities, program materials, and other items that will visibly bear or will be marked with the USAID

Standard Graphic Identity. This Marking Plan also indicates request for exceptions to marking requirements described in ADS 320.3.2.5.

Table 1 outlines the types of materials that may be produced under the USAID Ghana CSLP. Any materials that are not anticipated below, but are produced under the initiative, will also be subject to branding guidelines and CO approval, as appropriate. Please note that marking is not required on items used as part of the administration of the contract, such as stationery products, vehicles, equipment, and offices. The goal is to mark programs and projects, and not implementing partners.

Thus, letterhead, name tags, business cards, office space used for administrative work, equipment, and supplies are not subject to branding.

US Forest Service letterhead will be used for administrative matters and will not carry the USAID logo. Business cards will not show the USAID logo.

Marking Plan

Items Marked with USAID, USFS, and MoE Identity

Item Materials Used Timing Audience

Public Communications

Event signs, banners, and exhibition booth materials

Three logos (full branding) will be printed on the materials; design follows guidelines for full branding unless an exemption is provided for no branding.

At procurement

Private sector, civil society, general public

Conference posters and presentations

Three logos (full branding) will be printed on the poster or presentation; design follows guidelines for professional meetings or full branding unless a waiver is provided for no branding.

At procurement

Private sector, civil society, general public

Project Materials

Stationery products for project administrative business

USAID standard graphic identity will not be used on stationary products intended for administrative use.

At procurement

Private sector, civil society, general public

Stationery products for program-related communication

Design follows guidelines for full branding unless an exemption is provided for no branding.

At procurement

Private sector, civil society, general public

Business cards Design follows guidelines for full branding unless an exemption is provided for no branding. “Funded by USAID” will appear after the name of the program on business cards.

At procurement

Private sector, civil society, general public

Event signs, banners, and exhibition booth materials

Design follows guidelines for full branding unless an exemption is provided for no branding. USAID approved disclaimer will

At procurement

Private sector, civil society, general public be included on exhibition booth materials if not pre-approved by USAID.

Program materials Three logos will be printed on the materials; design follows guidelines for full branding unless an exemption is provided for no branding.

At procurement

Private sector, civil society, general public

PowerPoint presentations

Design follows guidelines for the full branding unless an exemption is provided for no branding. USAID approved disclaimer will be included.

During

Activity

USAID

Training materials, manuals, and sites

Three logos will be printed on the cover of documents; design follows guidelines for full branding unless an exemption is provided for no branding.

At procurement

Private sector, civil society, general public

Briefing papers, memoranda, and policy recommendations

Design follows guidelines for full branding unless an exemption is provided for no branding.

During

Activity

USAID

Project deliverables Design follows guidelines for full branding During

Activity

USAID

Technical reports and studies

Design follows guidelines for full branding unless an exemption is provided for no branding. USAID approved disclaimer will be included.

At procurement

USAID

Video Design follows guidelines for full branding unless an exemption is provided for no branding. USAID approved disclaimer will be included.

At procurement

USAID

CD-ROM Design follows guidelines for full branding unless an exemption is provided for no branding. USAID approved disclaimer will be included.

At procurement

USAID

Website Design follows guidelines for full branding unless an exemption is provided for no branding. USAID approved disclaimer will be included.

At procurement

Private sector, civil society, general public

Reforestation Sites Design for a plaque will follow guidelines for full branding unless an exemption is provided for no branding.

At planting Private sector, civil society, general public

Commodities

Not Applicable

Items Not Marked with USAID Branding

Item Rationale for Not Marking

Project Offices

Expendable supplies (consumables) Impairs the functionality of items

Organizations' policies, strategies, plans, and guidelines or other materials positioned as being from the host-country partner

Not USAID funded

Government policies, strategies, plans, and guidelines (regional, national, and sub-national levels) or other materials positioned as being from the host-country government

Not USAID funded

Administrative communications Relates to internal administrative responsibilities, not USAID’s

Program, project, or activity sites funded by USAID, including visible infrastructure projects or other programs, projects, or activities that are physical in nature will be co-marked with the

USAID Identity.

Any ‘public communications’, as defined in 22 C.F.R. 226.2, funded by USAID, in which the content has not been approved by USAID, must contain the following disclaimer: “This study/report/audio/visual/other information/media product (specify) is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International

Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of [insert recipient name] and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.”

A pre-production review of USAID-funded public communications and program materials for compliance with the approved Marking Plan is required.

Subrecipients: To ensure that the marking requirements “flow down'' to subrecipients of subawards, recipients of USAID funded grants and cooperative agreements or other assistance awards will include the USAID-approved marking provision in any USAID funded subaward, as follows: “As a condition of receipt of this subaward, marking with the USAID Identity of a size and prominence equivalent to or greater than the recipient’s, subrecipient’s, other donor’s or third party’s is required. In the event the recipient chooses not to require marking with its own identity or logo by the subrecipient, USAID may, at its discretion, require marking by the subrecipient with the USAID Identity.”