We Can!™ Brand and Logo Guidelines

This page includes information about proper usage of the We Can!™ brand and logo for all groups and individuals. These brand and logo guidelines address the use of the trademarked We Can!™ logo and word mark, as well as the color palette, Web address, and toll-free number. Download the guidelines in PDF format.

The guidelines are divided into the following sections:

Introduction to the We Can!™ Brand

Use of the We Can!™ Brand

The We Can!™ Trademark

Guidance on We Can!™ Logo Usage

Guidance on We Can!™ Name Usage in Text

Guidance of Other Usages (Web, Slide Presentations, etc.)

Obtaining the We Can!™ Logos

Questions

 

Introduction to the We Can!™ Brand

We Can!™ (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition) is a national public education outreach program charged with helping youth ages 8–13 maintain a healthy weight through activities and programs that encourage improved nutritional choices, increased physical activity, and reduced screen time.

We Can!™ is unique among existing youth obesity-prevention initiatives in its focus on programs and activities for parents and families as a primary group for influencing youth audiences. Audiences are reached through community outreach, national media and messages, and partnership development. The program has been developed by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), in collaboration with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), and the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

We Can!™ is an overarching and all-encompassing brand for addressing childhood overweight and uses upbeat, encouraging, positive, “do-able,” informative, and reassuring tones to convey its message. The overall goal is to show parents and caregivers, through easy-to-use materials, that they can influence their children by supporting and enabling good nutrition, physical activity, and reducing sedentary time behaviors, and ultimately create a home environment conducive to supporting a healthy weight for their children.

These brand and logo guidelines are for all groups and individuals, including but not limited to We Can!™ community sites, cities, and counties; national and corporate partners; and any other groups supporting and/or promoting the NIH We Can!™ program. These brand and logo guidelines address the use of the trademarked We Can!™ logo and word mark (We Can!™ used in text without the logo), as well as its color palette, URL (http://wecan.nhlbi.nih.gov), and toll-free number (1-866-35-WECAN).

 

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Use of the We Can!™ Brand

The We Can!™ trademark is owned by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). We encourage you to use the We Can!™ brand, logo, and word mark in banners, publications, posters, promotional materials, and giveaways that promote We Can!™ programming in your community and among your constituency. To maintain the integrity of the We Can!™ message, tone, and meaning, the logo and word mark can only be used with programs, events, and information whose goals are consistent with the objectives of NIH’s We Can!™ program.

Appropriate Use of the We Can!™ Brand

The We Can!™ logo, word mark, URL, and toll-free number (1-866-35-WECAN) can be placed on the following:

• Promotional materials advertising We Can!™ youth and adult programs
• Handouts printed for programs
• Banners promoting community and partner events that embody the We Can!™ objectives of promoting heart healthy nutrition behaviors, increasing physical activity, and reducing screen time
• Giveaways created for distribution at events listed above

Inappropriate Use of the We Can!™ Brand

We Can!™ is not an “anti” campaign and should not be used on materials that speak negatively about unhealthy or physically inactive behaviors or materials that discuss tobacco cessation or alcohol use topics. The focus of We Can!™ is the promotion of healthy weight and the prevention of overweight and obesity. Under no circumstances should We Can!™ be associated with unhealthy behaviors or products (e.g., alcohol consumption, tobacco use, or firearms) or related companies. In addition, the We Can!™ Brand cannot be used to endorse (or appear to endorse) any other organization or its products or services.

 

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The We Can!™ Trademark

NHLBI has applied for trademark registration of four We Can!™ trademarks, which are provided below:

 

Full Logo:

This trademarked logo includes:

• The “We Can!” text
• The three figures (i.e., people) above the “W”
• The trademark symbol (™)
• The tagline: “Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition”

 

Abbreviated Logo:

This trademarked logo includes:

• The “We Can!” text
• The three figures (i.e., people) above the “W”
• The trademark symbol (™)

 

Full Word Mark:

WE CAN! WAYS TO ENHANCE CHILDREN'S ACTIVITY & NUTRITION™

This trademarked word mark includes:

• The “We Can!” text
• The trademark symbol (™)
• The tagline: “Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition”
• Use of this wording in any font

 

Abbreiviated Word Mark:

We Can!™

This trademarked word mark includes:

• The “We Can!” text
• The trademark symbol (™)
• Use of this wording in any font
  

When using the trademarked logos above, you must use the actual logo- do not use another typeface to recreate the logo, no matter how similar. Always use one of the logo options in its entirety, and do not add text to the logo nor integrate the We Can!™ logo into a composite logo of any type. Just as you may not tamper with the elements of the logo, neither may you adjust their appearance by distorting or altering the shape, proportions, or letters. See below for more information on logo usage.

The We Can!™ word mark may not be integrated into a composite name or slogan of any type. Read more about appropriate and inappropriate word mark usage.

The following attribution must be included once in any document in which the We Can!™ logo or word mark is included: “We Can! Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition, We Can! and the We Can!™ logos are trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS).” The attribution should not be intrusive from a graphic design perspective, and it does not need to be included on production items such as t-shirts or other items that do not lend themselves to an attribution statement.

The following statement of non-endorsement must also be added after the trademark attribution statement, or where appropriate: "Participation by [insert partner] does not imply endorsement by DHHS/NIH/NHLBI."

Logos should be used for all communication purposes and media (e.g., printed pamphlets, posters, flyers, booklets, periodicals, releases, and advisories), including exhibits and Internet websites. The words "U.S. Department of Health and Human Services" and "National Institutes of Health" (department imprint) must appear in full and in that order on the cover of a publication or in a prominent location on non-printed materials, such as exhibits. The NIH identification should be displayed with the HHS identification with the NIH identification placed below or secondary to that of HHS. An example follows:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
National Institutes of Health

Please also conform to the guidance outlined below.

 

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Additional Guidance on We Can!™ Logo Usage

Brand and Logo Colors

Below is the preferred two-color family for the We Can!™ brand/logo. These two colors should be used and integrated whenever possible. Pantone® Management System (PMS) numbers have been provided. When these color choices are not available, please ask your vendor or printer to provide the best possible match.

Blue

Pantone® Matching System #300
RGB #s for color selection in programs:
Red: 0
Green: 120
Blue: 193

Orange

Pantone® Matching System #021
RGB #s for color selection in programs:
Red: 245
Green: 142
Blue: 30

Ideally, when the We Can!™ logo is used in two-color format; it should not be used in other color combinations. It is important to consider how the logo will look against the background you are using, paying particular attention to how color is used in other elements near or surrounding the logo.

Alternatives to the colored logos include black, white, and grayscale.

Black: this logo is best for one-color print jobs, when printing on a black-and-white laser printer, or with a lighter solid color background such as cyan or light green.

White: this logo looks good on a solid background like black or other dark colors. No other combination of two colors is acceptable in the logo, and these colors may not be screened (shaded), shadowed, or altered in any other way.

Grayscale: this logo is a grayscale version of the two-color version.

Size and Placement of the Logo in Print

• The logo must be at least 1.5 inches in width (0.71 inch in height).
• “Exclusion zones” of white space must be used judiciously around the group of elements as well as between each element. Being consistent in assigning white space will help to maintain a professional look. A minimum of 1/4” white space all around is generally recommended.
  

Use of the Logo on Promotional Material

• For promotional materials (e.g., advocacy bracelets, pens, stress balls, etc.), you may use either the full logo or just the program name (the We Can!™ word mark). All usage must correspond to the guidelines specified in this document.
• The logo must be at least 1 inch in width (0.25 inch in height).

Use of the Logo as a Partner Group or with Other Groups’ Logos

The logo may also be used in conjunction with other organizations’ logos, but only if the organization’s mission is consistent with the intent of We Can!™ (see Inappropriate Use of the We Can!™ Brand for clarification). In addition:

• All of the logos should appear of similar size and visibility, but in no case shall the We Can!™ logo be smaller than the others nor shall it be smaller than the minimum dimensions indicated above.
• The following attribution must be included in small type once on the promotional material: “We Can!™ is a trademark of the U.S. DHHS.”
• The following statement of non-endorsement must also be added after the trademark attribution statement, or where appropriate: "Participation by [insert partner] does not imply endorsement by DHHS/ NIH/ NHLBI."
• Logos should be used for all communication purposes and media (e.g., printed pamphlets, posters, flyers, booklets, periodicals, releases, and advisories), including exhibits and Internet websites. The words "U.S. Department of Health and Human Services" and "National Institutes of Health" (departmental imprint) must appear in full and in that order on the cover of a publication or in a prominent location on non-printed materials, such as exhibits. The NIH identification should be displayed with the HHS identification with the NIH identification placed below or secondary to that of HHS. An example follows:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
National Institutes of Health

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Additional Guidance on We Can!™ Name Usage in Text

As illustrated in more detail below, whenever We Can!™ is used in text, the We Can!™ word mark must be kept distinct from the rest of the heading by keeping the "We" and the "Can" separate (with and upper case "W" and an uppercase "C" only); by using boldface and italicized font; an exclamation point at the end; and the TM notation in the superscript on the first instance of We Can!™ in any page or document. This provides trademark protection. However, the TM does not need to be included in the subsequent usages in that page or document. Example: The goal of promotion is to get people talking about We Can!™ and eager to take part in it.

When the tagline is included, the first letter of each word should be in boldface (i.e., Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition).

When We Can!™ requires punctuation after the logo (e.g., when a comma, quotation mark, colon, semicolon, or period is grammatically required after the program name’s exclamation point), the We Can!™ exclamation point prevails as the ending punctuation and other punctuation marks are not used. Example: These messages are supported by parents involved in We Can!™

Examples of ways to correctly and incorrectly use We Can!™ in text are provided below:

Appropriate Usage of Word Mark in Text

The following examples demonstrate appropriate use of the We Can!™ word mark in text.

Example: We Can!™ Successes in Clear Beach, California!

Rationale: The We Can!™ name is distinct from the rest of the heading through the use of italics and bold; trademark protection is provided.

Example: We Can!™ is Coming to Clear Beach!

Rationale: The We Can!™ name is distinct from the rest of the heading through the use of italics and bold; trademark protection is provided.

Example: We Can!™ Clear Beach!

Rationale: The We Can!™ name is distinct from the name of the city through the use of italics and bold; trademark protection is provided.

Example: Step UP Will Offer We Can!™ Materials

Rationale: The We Can!™ name is distinct from the local program name, “Step UP,” and trademark protection is provided.

Inappropriate Usage of Word Mark in Text

The following examples demonstrate inappropriate use of the We Can!™ word mark in text.

Example: Clear Beach says We Can! Do It!

Rationale: The We Can!™ name is not distinct (no italics and bold are used), it has been integrated into the heading/slogan for local use, and the trademark is not included.

Example: We Can! Clear Beach!

Rationale: The We Can!™ name is not distinct (no italics and bold are used) and the trademark is not included.

Example: Clear Beach says We Can!™ Do It!

Rationale: The We Can!™ name is italicized, bolded, and includes the trademark, BUT it is integrated into a slogan for local use, which weakens the trademark.

Example: We Can!™ Step UP!

Rationale: The We Can!™ name is italicized, bolded, and includes the trademark, BUT it is integrated into a composite program name for local use, which weakens the trademark.

 

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Guidance on Other Usages

Use of the Logo or Word Mark on a Web Site

• When using the We Can!™ logo on a Web site, you must use the version of the We Can!™ logo with tagline that includes all four elements.
• The attribution and non-endorsement statements should appear along with the logo or word mark on the Web page: “We Can! Ways to Enhance Children's Activity and Nutrition, We Can! and the We Can! logos are trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)," and "Participation by [insert partner] does not imply endorsement by DHHS/ NIH/ NHLBI."
• The trademark symbol must be used in the first instance of the words, “We Can!™” on each Web page. Subsequent mentions on any one page do not need to use the trademark symbol.
• If a slide show is placed on the Web, the logo with the trademark symbol must appear on the first slide, and on any other slide(s) that a user can access individually (without starting at the first slide).

Use of the Logo or Word Mark in PowerPoint or Slide Presentations

• In a slide show, the logo with the trademark symbol must appear on the first slide, at a minimum.
• If the logo appears in the slide template, it is acceptable for the logo with the trademark symbol to appear on each slide.

Use of the Logo or Word Mark in Detachable Documents

If a portion of the written materials (e.g., one page of a handbook) is designed to be detached for further reference or distribution, the trademark symbol must be included on the detached portion, either in the form of the We Can!™ logo, or by noting the TM in the text of the word mark.

 

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Obtaining the We Can!™ Logos

All versions and formats of the logos are provided on the program Web site at http://www.wecan.nhlbi.nih.gov/whats-we-can/resources_communities.htm#logo

The three formats are:

• EPS: For professional and high-end printing, use the high-resolution logo.
• JPG: Low-resolution files are acceptable for electronic materials, such as Web pages, PowerPoint presentations, or Word documents.
• GIF: Another low-resolution file with a transparent background.

 

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Questions

Please call 1-866-35-WECAN or email nhlbiinfo@nhlbi.nih.gov with any questions.

 

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We Can! and the We Can! logo are trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).