# DIF Brand Guidelines

|*Brand Guidelines*|[Style Guide](style-guide.md)|Working Group Lifecycle|Work Item Lifecycle|[Spec Tooling Guides](spec-tooling-guides.md)|[Code of Conduct](code-of-conduct.md)|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|

These guidelines apply to use of the DIF trademarks, specifications, codebases, and non-technical deliverables alike.

In addition to the generally applicable rules discussed in the DIF Brand Guidelines, there are a few specific rules that we ask everyone to follow when using trademarks related to one of the DIF projects or the organization itself.

### DIF Projects

* **DIF "prefix"**: When referring to a specific DIF software project, do use the full project name (e.g., “Acme uses the ***DIF** Universal Resolver*”) and do refer to it as a “framework” or a “tool,” as appropriate (e.g., “the DIF Universal Resolver”, “the DIF DID Auth libraries”). Once you establish DIF as the project source, you may use the name of the project without the “DIF” preface for further mentions within the same text/presentation, so long as you do not replace the DIF prefix with your company’s name or other words, marks, or text that infers the project is something other than a DIF production.
* **Single-company Donations**: This convention still applies to so called "single-company" donations, that were developed entirely by one company and donated as a finished and static product to DIF, even if DIF maintenance has not substantially altered the project. In these cases, acknowledging the donating organization is an important courtesy, particularly if the code was not open-source previously. To avoid confusion, however, it is best clarified that at the time of donation, the project was renamed from {Donating organization} {Project Name} to DIF {Project Name}.
* **Forks or variations**: When describing an adaptation or variant on a DIF project, please retain the complete project name and be explicit about the forking/variant relationship, i.e. "*{Forking Org} implentation of DIF {Project name}*"
* **Do not place** your own or any member **organization's name before the DIF prefix possessively** when referring to a DIF project, regardless of whether the organization forked or donated the project.
* **Crediting Members Donations**: Do help promote DIF in a vendor-neutral way. Where necessary to highlight the initial code contributor, do use the name of the codebase followed by “the technology initially contributed by …” (e.g., “DIF Identity Hub, the technology initially contributed by …”).
* **Versioning and nomenclature**: Please use the following format and wording to describe how DIF projects support a product or service offering:
* [Vendor name] [Product name] [Product version]* for -OR- based on -OR- powered by DIF [Project] [Project version]*
* *Product Version and Project Version are optional for marketing materials, but must be included in tech specs
* E.g. Acme Blockchain Services (v1.4) powered by DIF Universal Resolver (v1.0)

#### Examples of nomenclature

|bad|good|
|---|---|
|Acme’s Universal Resolver|Acme's local instance of the DIF Universal Resolver|
|Radical Ledger's SIOP browser extensions for DIF|The DIF SIOP browser extensions donated by Radical Ledger|
|Acme’s DID Auth library”|Acme's implementation of the DIF DID Auth libraries|

### DIF as an organization and a brand

* **DIF, not DIFP**: Avoid referring to "the DIF Project” to refer to the organization-- the F stands for Foundation, and where possible, refer to it as "the Foundation." It is preferable to disambiguate the current membership of the foundation from the broader decentralized identity community it serves.
* As noted above, DIF hosts many software projects, making "project" a "reserve word" in our organizational lexicon. DIF projects are best referred to by their **full, official names**, e.g., “Acme did a proof of concept on/for/in/using DIF” should be “Acme did a proof of concept using the DIF Universal Resolver”).
* **Communications Notice**: Do let DIF staff (in particular, the <a href=mailto:[e-mail]>communication@i.f</a> mailing list) know if you are planning a public event, press release, or other public communication that features or mentions DIF membership or projects.
* Explicit **pre-approval** is not mandatory, but DIF appreciates a week's notice if possible, in case review or consultation should be desired.
* Please note the [Brand Elements](https://hackmd.io/MckRh3neR5ON93yJvdkQaQ#Brand-elements) section further down in this document, which include blocs of boiler-plate for press releases and presentation scripts.
* **Press Tracking**: If any press release you send leads to press coverage that mentions DIF, dropping a link into an email to the <a href=mailto:[e-mail]>communication@i.f</a> mailing list would also be appreciated for our own press tracking.
* Where referring to DIF, use the **official unabbreviated name** at first mention and include a link to the homepage of the website if possible.
*
* Do not use any DIF trademark in a misleading way, which includes the following:
* **Do not modify** the DIF trademarks or logos (e.g., do not add hyphens, periods, or other characters, or change the colors, orientation or any other visual aspect of any logos).
* **Do not use** DIF trademarks in connection with any **products or services that are not related** to, built for or associated with the software projects hosted by the DIF organization.
*
* **Do not add your organization's logo(s) on public-facing DIF materials without explicit consent from Communications staff**. This includes official presentations, slide decks, medium articles, youtube videos, tweets, etc.
* **Do not impersonate DIF materials,** i.e., do not create marketing or other public-facing materials that look like they are coming from DIF rather than your organization.
* **Do not logo-rank**, i.e., do not use the DIF logo larger than your own organization’s logo(s) on public-facing materials.
* **Do not express implied endorsement, sponsorship, or false association with DIF** by using phrases like “DIF approved,” “DIF certified,” “a product by a DIF member”, particularly in connection with a project that has not been accepted into the DIF organization.
* **Do not** give the impression that any organization is the “**main” or "central" member** in or behind DIF.
* **Do not** give the impression of any organization **being opposed to, competing with, or harmful** to the organization as a whole, its membership or its projects. DIF does not "compete" with other organizations in the space, as its primary mission is the promotion of decentralized identity and any organization promoting the same goal can at most differ by having a complementary or divergent strategy.

Do not use the DIF brand in a way that is inconsistent with the The DIF Brand Guidelines unless you have obtained explicit written permission from the DIF organization to do so.

### Activities that require approvals:

* Communications that reference DIF branding, content, and technology shall be generally permitted, so long as they are created in **good faith** to highlight the work in DIF, genuine use of that work, and **do not infer sponsorship, partnership, or any special relationship** between DIF and any organization, product, or service it mentions. Any use that deviates from this is required to be approved by the DIF PR team, which can be reached at <a href=mailto:[e-mail]>communication@i.f</a>.
* Feel free to notify DIF communications staff if you are concerned other members have crossed this line, intentionally or unwittingly.
* **You may not use our marks in domain names** for non-DIF-related products or services without prior approval. Nor can you use brands on your own web pages in a way that represents a non-DIF-related product or service offering, without our prior approval. Obtain approval via <a href=mailto:[e-mail]>communication@i.f</a>

## Questions, Comments, Concerns

We look to our community to help us retain the value of the DIF trademarks. If you have questions with respect to these guidelines or to report concerns regarding the use or misuse of a DIF trademark, or to obtain written permission for a proposed use of DIF trademarks, contact: <a href=mailto:[e-mail]>communication@i.f</a> .

We recommend (and offer free of charge) consulting with DIF in advance about any marketing materials featuring the DIF organization or projects. Contact <a href=mailto:[e-mail]>communication@i.f</a> to set up a time or visit our drop-in consultation hours (published on the DIF calendar).,

# Brand elements

Variable | TAG | Verbiage | Link
---- | --------- | ---------- | ----:
Style Guide | `FAQ` | Recommended reading before writing about DIF membership or participation, but **required reading** before submitting to the DIF blog, asking for a retweet, etc. | [Link](style-guide.md)
35-word DIF description | `blurb` | The DIF is a Joint Development Foundation project that facilitates IPR-protected co-development among large and small industry players in the decentralized identity space. It produces open-source code, pre-standard specifications, market collaboration, and non-technical documentation. | |
longer DIF description | `blurb` | This organization was formed as a Joint Development Foundation project in 2017 and has grown to be a major venue for IPR-protected co-development among large and small industry players. It has historically focused on the development of both working open-source code and pre-standard specifications for decentralized identity, but it is starting to branch out into non-technical forms of cooperation for the purposes of market-building and to promote all open decentralized identity technology, whether created in DIF or elsewhere. | |
Logo | `graphics` | DIF posts updates on working groups, work items, non-technical initiatives on its Medium blog, as well as educational materials. | [Link](https://github.com/decentralized-identity/org/tree/master/Org%20documents/Brand%20materials/DIF%20Logo) |
medium | `blog` | DIF posts updates on working groups, work items, non-technical initiatives on its Medium blog, as well as educational materials. | [Link](http://bit.ly/DIF_medium_blog) |
youtube | `videos` | DIF posts recordings of public talks, presentations, and original events on youtube for educational and promotional purposes. | [Link](http://bit.ly/Dif_youtube_direct) |
twitter | `social` | DIF maintains a twitter account to provide updates on publications, work items, and events. | [Link](http://bit.ly/DIF_twitter) |
github | `code` | DIF maintains github repositories for all past, present, and future work items; outside review and comment is welcome in all of them. | [Link](http://bit.ly/DIF_github) |