What is branding and why are we changing again? See the Introduction to the Branding Guide, page ii.

When will my product have to be branded? Any new or reprinted product that will be on the shelf starting in 2008 will have to be produced within the new guidelines. From this point on, all newly produced items will reflect the AHA's new branding unless special permission has been given to "grandfather in" a piece based on a previous contractual obligation. Do not throw away any printed pieces. Simply apply the new branding when creating new items or others come up for reprint.

How do I get branding approval?  If you are unsure how to apply these guidelines, Affiliates can contact Julie Grabarkewitz at ext.1134 for externally produced materials and Gary Hackney at ext.1378 for internally produced materials.

What if I think my project should be exempt from branding? Some element(s) of our branding will apply to all materials.  See the Branding Matrix on page 9 of the Preliminary Branding Guidelines for more details.

What if I decide to take my project outside for design? Any piece created by or for the AHA will have to go through branding review. Products created by outside vendors are treated the same as those produced internally. Use your Design or Client Services contact to facilitate the branding review. For affiliates, contact your communications Vice President to facilitate the review with your Design or Client Services rep.

What do you mean by using "one image"? For details on this and other AHA branding elements, see the Branding Elements, page 1 of the Preliminary Guidelines.

What if I don't get branding approval? As mentioned previously, all AHA products must pass through branding review and be approved prior to final production.

What if I can't afford the artwork changes necessary for the branding? If cost becomes a problem, a gradual transition phase for all branding should be implemented to ensure compliance as early as possible. We will be glad to work with you on a timeline for this transition. However, in the future, all project managers will be responsible for putting into their budgets those funds that would cover bringing materials into compliance.

What if I don't have time to review the entire guide online? We prefer that each person responsible for creating projects become familiar with the new guidelines. For specific or urgent requests, call Julie Grabarkewitz or Gary Hackney and you will be directed to which section/s of the guide apply to your project. For those interested in the highlights of the branding, see the Preliminary Guidelines at www.americanheart.org/branding.

The branding guide sets forth ways to ensure that AHA visual communications have a consistent look and feel. Are there similar guidelines available that will help to secure an appropriate tone and style in written materials? Yes. See the Writing and Style Guide on the Intranet. It sets forth standards to ensure that our written materials achieve the tone and professionalism required by our positioning statement.

Do you have easy-to-use templates that I can work from? Yes. See the Templates page here: http://post.americanheart.org/branding/temp.html.  We are currently working on an online marketing hub that will allow you to access and customize certain templates that will produce professional, AHA-branded marketing materials to suit your specific field needs.

You've read about the branding elements and you've seen the templates. Any other questions? To inquire about a specific design question or to further explore the content you have read on this site, please contact Julie Grabarkewitz at ext.1134 for externally produced materials and Gary Hackney at ext.1378 for internally produced materials.