ABC's Monthly Online Member Newsletter

Maximizing the ABC Logo in Your Promotional Materials

Having a membership with ABC means more than receiving comparable and credible Publisher’s Statements and Audit Reports. It means gaining greater visibility in the advertising community by having the ability to display the ABC logo in your publication and reports. Advertisers look for the ABC logo and take assurance that a recognized leader in verified media information such as ABC backs the circulation claims of the publisher.

For publishers, the ABC logo conveys confidence, commitment and value by providing credible, verified information. For advertisers, the ABC logo signifies that the publishers are committed to accountability, credibility, and integrity, all essential factors to the media buying and selling process.

After agreeing to ABC publicity rules, full ABC members are permitted to use ABC logos and other promotional material per ABC's rules, policies and any applicable guidelines.

Because the logo is the most prominent symbol of the ABC brand, it is important that it is used in a consistent manner. Below are five ABC publicity rules to follow when applying the ABC logo to any promotional materials:

1. All logos must be shown no smaller than 3/4" of original size. If used with another logo, the ABC logo cannot be smaller than 80 percent of the size of the other logo. Use 72 dpi resolution for online use and 300 dpi resolution for print purposes.
2. ABC's logo is made up of two parts: a symbol—the graphic representation of the letters A,B and C; and a signature—the words "Audit Bureau of Circulations" or the acronym "ABC." Two other acceptable versions of the logo that have been adopted for use by members show the symbol with the words "ABC AUDITED" or "ABC MEMBER." The symbol should never be used alone.
3. The official font for the signature is Eras Bold-ITC (International Type Corporation) or Adobe's Eras Medium.
4. The ABC logo may be used vertically, horizontally or in abbreviated formats. The words "Audit Bureau of Circulations" and the acronym "ABC" have been carefully letter-spaced to provide maximum legibility. DO NOT alter the letter spacing, typeface or type weight of the signature (Exceptions can only be made with the approval of Corporate Communications). Similarly, the symbol has been specially designed and balanced with the signature type to maximize legibility. At no time should a smaller symbol be used with larger type or a larger symbol with smaller type.
5. The ABC logo may be reproduced in PMS 286, black or reversed-out in white on any solid, textured, colored or screened background that provides sufficient contrast.

Secondary Logo Usage
After full membership has been granted and the first initial audit has been released, publishers may use the ABC logo on their promotional materials. The ABC logo shows advertisers that the publication is audited by the gold standard in media auditing. For example, using an ABCi logo tells advertisers that your Web site delivers reliable, independent, third-party audits and industry-developed standards for Web site activity.

The ABC logo can be used with several services outside of Publisher’s Statements and Audit Reports. In addition to ABC Interactive these include Reader Profile, Subscriber Profile, Insert Verification Service and Coupon Distribution Service. In these situations, the ABC logo appears with the secondary product underneath it, maintaining the ABC brand in a clear and consistent manner.

Any publication using outgoing communications materials reflecting the ABC logo must be consistent with both written and visual elements. Below is a list of do’s and don’ts to follow when using the ABC logo:

Do make the ABC logo prominent.

Do retain all proportions of the logo keeping the width proportionate to the height. One way to ensure proper resizing is to hold down the “shift” key while click-dragging with the mouse when adjusting the size.

In proportion:

Out of proportion:

Do keep a generous buffer zone around the logo so that images or text do not interfere with it.

Do use all colors at 100 percent tint.

Don’t superimpose on other copy text.

Don’t use the logo without the words, “Audit Bureau of Circulations.”

Don’t make the logo smaller than ½ inch high in print and no smaller than 50 pixels high in interactive.

Do remember that an eps graphic is vector-based and can be scaled to any size without losing integrity.

Don’t forget that a tif graphic is raster-based and if enlarged, it loses smoothness and would become pixilated.

Do use jpg, or gif graphics for online viewing purposes.

Related Links:
ABC Publicity Rules
Samples of ABC Logos
Publicize Your Membership
ABC Membership Informational Kits
Roster of ABC Members

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