1. IEEE 802® Plenary 21 July 2003 IEEE and 802 Brand Identification
Karen McCabe
Senior Marketing Manager
We’re here today to talk with you about IEEE and 802 Brand Identification. We wanted to share some things we have currently in place regarding branding and things we are looking at in our overall effort to enhance brand identification for IEEE and 802.
We’re about to embark on an effort to develop branding guidelines that are more specific to Standards and that can be universally deployed among standards groups and projects. We know, however, before we fully set in motion this effort that we need to hear from our key standards developing groups, like 802, on what they feel are issues and concerns—on what they would like from the IEEE and how the IEEE can support them. We know that going off and developing guidelines without real input would be counterproductive. Our goal is to set some guidelines that meet and support your needs and expectations—while protecting the IEEE and 802 names.

2. Value of the IEEE and 802 Name What’s in a name?
IEEE and 802 ® have strong name recognition throughout industry
Represent integrity, quality and value
Need to protect brand names to ensure their value
The value of our brands/our names is immeasurable. Their value increases each time they are presented properly, and decreases every time they are used incorrectly or not at all. Your help in supporting proper and consistent use will add to the strength of the IEEE and 802.
Although our names or brands have been around for some time, we can’t take for granted that folks know us and what we offer—with this, the IEEE is always working to keep them out in the forefront. This protects them, as well as raises awareness about them.

3. Protecting the Names Why it’s important
A corporate identity program is like a dress code—defined, sometimes inflexible and rich in symbolism
However, it’s wise to exercise branding guidelines—but need to keep it simple
Use of the IEEE Master Brand
In order to keep them in the forefront, we work to keep the IEEE and 802 highly visible—on websites, in news items, in our correspondence, in program names, in our marketing, etc. We also need to follow the IEEE corporate identity guidelines—this is maybe more pertinent to staff, but as all working under the larger IEEE umbrella something we need to be in-tune with.
As some you you may know, the IEEE does have a corporate identity program, which provides guidelines for IEEE logo and brand name usage. We try to think of a corporate identity program as a dress code—sometimes it can be defined, inflexible and full of symbolism, but it’s needed. In IEEE’s case, we try to keep it simple—determining size, color and placement of the IEEE master brand (this is the kite logo and IEEE), as well as putting in place some legal requirements on usage.
We just ask that on your respective working group websites or in your IEEE working group standards related activities or correspondence that you try to use the current, proper IEEE master brand (logo with the kite). The guidelines for use of the IEEE master brand, along with downloadable samples are found at
Our overall goal is to create a positive and lasting impression of the IEEE and its respective entities or groups.

4. IEEE and 802 Brand Identification Things we can do now
Use “IEEE” when referencing standards or talking about them vs just using the standard number or “buzz word” name
Use trademarks by standards’ numeric designations (IEEE g ™, 802 ®)
Have “IEEE” precede standards’ numbers (IEEE 802.3af ™)
We want to increase IEEE recognition in conjunction with standards. Here our goal is to make sure that the marketplace is aware or knows that IEEE standards are behind or are the foundation for technology being developed or used—when appropriate or applicable. With this, we need to try to consistently use the trademarks associated with our standards, use IEEE when referencing or talking about our standards and try to make sure “IEEE” precedes our standards numbers in presentations, written correspondence, on our websites, etc., when doing your IEEE standards work.

5. IEEE and 802 Brand Identification Things we can do now
PR program to assist with standards groups publicity needs
Development and dissemination of news releases (IEEE and/or joint)
Development of media lists
Use of Business Wire and other news wire services
Development of standards groups’ backgrounders
Development and placement of articles in trades
802 e-News Bulletin
Keep the lines of communication open with relevant Alliances
We do have a marketing and public relations function in place at the IEEE and are more than ready and pleased to assist with your publicity needs. Our PR effort is done in conjunction with IEEE corporate communications, and we have on-board a PR consultant, CoreCom PR. Our program consists of (review bullets).
Nearly two years ago we developed the 802 e-news bulletin. This news vehicle is dedicated to reporting or covering the news—milestones, activities and status—regarding 802 standards and their respective groups. It comes out shortly after each Plenary meeting. We have found over the past 2 years that its popularity has grown—in addition to sending out an notice to some 1200 editors covering networking and communications, we house the bulletin with more detail on the IEEE-SA website at standards.ieee.org/802news/. On average, the web area receives some 25,000 requests for pages per month.
We are aware of the alliances in place that support 802 standards and we do work to keep the lines of communications open with them in regard to reporting on milestones and activities. We share news releases and have established relationships with the alliances’ respective PR folks—all in an effort to make sure that the IEEE news is consistent—sort of “it’s good for the right hand to know what the left hand is doing and vice versa.” And when we work together or knowledgeable about each other, we can support each other and create a strong message.

6. IEEE and 802 Brand Identification What can we do better?
How to address false claims of compliance?
How to address statements of conformance to “pre-standards” or draft standards?
How to address “position statements?”
How can we better support your standards group’s branding expectations and needs?
How can we work to better support your industry and marketplace branding expectations and needs?
As I mentioned earlier, the main focus of this presentation is to gain your input on what we—the IEEE—can do better in regards to brand identification. I have put up a few ideas for discussion—based on feedback received from our various standards groups. By all means, if there are other issues and concerns or needs you would like to discuss, we are “all ears.”

7. IEEE and 802 Brand Identification Resources
IEEE 802 News Bulletin
standards.ieee.org/802news/
IEEE Standards Development Process backgrounder
standards.ieee.org/announcements/backgrounder.html
IEEE-SA and IEEE backgrounders
standards.ieee.org/announcements/crpbackgrounders.html
Editor/media Interview Guide
standards.ieee.org/announcements/interviewguide.html
Web templates
IEEE Corporate Communications and IEEE-SA marketing staff
We do have some resources that you can access and use, as needed, such as the IEEE Standards Development Process backgrounder, the IEEE-SA and IEEE backgrounders (documents that provide a concise set of information about our organizations) and the 802 News Bulletin.
We have developed some helpful hints in form of a guide for editor/media interviews. We have a web site template if your group is interested. And, as always, we have our corporate communications and IEEE-SA marketing staff ready to assist.