Guidelines for Proper Use of SPARC International Trademarks

Proper use of the SPARC trademarks is essential to maintaining, as well as increasing their strength and distinctiveness. The guidelines set forth in the section provide members with the basic rules of proper trademark usage, including the visual representation and the form and manner in which the SPARC trademarks are to be used.

This guide should be referenced in conjunction with your SPARC International Compliance Testing or Peripheral Verification Testing Agreement. For information regarding the terms and conditions under which you may make use of the SPARC trademarks, see your agreement.

1. The SPARC International Member Logo

   
   As a member, your company is entitled to use to the SPARC International Member Logo. We encourage widespread use of the logo, as it reflects members' commitment to support SPARC International's charter to "communicate the SPARC Standard world-wide." We recommend the following uses: Member trade show booths: Member signs are available for booth display. We also encourage and support creative booth design which incorporates the member sign. Press Releases letterhead, corporate brochures, business cards, corporate advertisements and additional signage: Camera ready copy is available through SPARC International.
   
   NOTE: THE MEMBER LOGO IS NOT INTENDED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH A MEMBER'S SPECIFIC PRODUCTS OR SERVICES. IT SHOULD NOT APPEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, IN A CATALOG DESCRIPTION OF A PRODUCT, BUT SHOULD BE USED ONLY TO IDENTIFY YOUR COMPANY AS A MEMBER OF SPARC INTERNATIONAL, INC.

   
   

2. The General SPARC Trademark

   
   The General SPARC Trademark (the word "SPARC" using a stylized "A") is the SPARC signature. For members with tested products, this mark provides an additional opportunity to identify and differentiate their products. You can and should use the General SPARC Trademark for branding purposes in the stylized form on products, product packaging, documentation and associated literature and on log-on screen displays.
   1. Every use of the word SPARC should be in capital letters.
   2. The first use of the word SPARC should be typographically distinct (i.e. bold) and have the registered trademark symbol in the upper right corner, as in SPARC®
   3. The following acknowledgment must be displayed in a footnote to the page or screen display:
      "SPARC® is a registered trademark of SPARC International, Inc. Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based on an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc."
   4. Please also remember that the General SPARC Trademark should not be used in literature or documentation in any way that may mislead readers or create confusion.
   
   

3. The SPARC Compliant Trademark

   
   The SPARC Compliant Trademark is the cornerstone of the SPARC branding program. This trademark serves as SPARC International's "Mark of User Confidence" and insures compatibility between SPARC systems, applications packages, board level products and chips at specific levels of the SPARC Compliant Definition. It allows buyers to readily identify SPARC Compliant products.

   The Compliant Trademark is intended strictly for use on and with products which meet the compliant definition, as well as their directly associated literature, documentation and marketing programs.

   Only those companies whose products have been tested and meet the quality standards represented by the SPARC Compliant Definition are entitled to use the Compliant trademark on or in connection with products. To ensure a strong and consistent public image of SPARC technology, any product which has successfully passed the SCD testing process is designated a SPARC compliant product and should have the SPARC Compliant Trademark affixed in the following manner:

   1. Use on Systems Products

      The Compliant Trademark can and should be reproduced on a system in a prominent place, generally in conjunction with other similar stamps such as UL, CSA, VDE, and, unobstructed by surrounding plugs and connectors.

      There should be adequate clear space to insure that the mark is readily visible and the mark must be printed on a light background.

      The minimum size for the mark is 1/2 inch wide by 5/8 inch high. The color may be black or SPARC red (* Pantone® 186C Red) " as set forth in Section H. The Compliance Trademark should be printed at least once on product packaging for each product. Use of the generic SCD logo is permissible. (please refer to section "What to Tell Your Printer")

   2. Use on Board Level Products

      The Compliant Trademark should be printed at least once on product packaging. However, it need not be affixed to the product itself.

   3. Use on Semiconductor Products

      At your discretion, the Compliant Trademark may be printed on the chip itself. You may also choose instead to use the SPARC General Trademark for this purpose.

   4. Use in Literature and Documentation

      The Compliant Trademark should be used at least once in any literature or product documentation relating to a specific product that has successfully completed compliance testing by SPARC International.

      The Compliant Trademark should not be used in literature or documentation in any way that may mislead readers or create confusion as to the specific product to which the Compliant Trademark applies.

      SPARC International recognizes various classes of hardware products, each of which may require a different level of testing to meet the quality standard represented by the SCD. (Refer to your agreement for definitions of product classes and requirements for compliance testing.) Use of the full mark, including the correct level of the SCD is only required on specific products.

   5. Use in Advertisements or Display Boards

      The Compliant Trademark should be clearly identified with the specific SPARC Compliant product or products. (Refer to Section H for color and format requirements.)

   
   

4. The SPARC Verified Trademark

   
   The SPARC Verified Trademark is another key building block of the SPARC branding program, serving as another "Mark of User Confidence" which allows buyers of peripherals to know that products carrying this mark are compatible with the systems with which the product has been tested.

   Under the Peripheral Verification Testing Agreement, and as part of SPARC International's world-wide branding program, every product that meets the standards established for the Peripheral Verifications Testing (PVT) program is designated "SPARC Verified". Tested products should have the SPARC Verified logo affixed to them and/or included with the packaging along with the latest Test Results Report.

   To ensure a strong and consistent public image for the SPARC technology, and to insure legal protection of this particular SPARC "signature", please use the SPARC Verified mark in accordance with the following guidelines:

   1. Use on Peripheral Products

      The SPARC Verified mark should be reproduced on a peripheral product in a prominent place.

      There should be adequate clear space to insure that the mark is readily visible and the mark must be printed on a light background.

      The minimum size for the mark is 1/2 inch wide by 5/8 inch high. The color may be black or SPARC red (Pantone 186C Red). Please refer to "What to Tell Your Printer" in section H.

      The SPARC Verified mark must be printed at least once on product packaging for each product.

   2. Use on Board Level Products

      The SPARC Verified mark should be printed at least once on product packaging for each product itself

   3. Use in Literature and Documentation

      The SPARC Verified mark should be used at least once in any literature or product documentation relating to a specific peripheral product that has successfully completed testing by SPARC International.

      The SPARC Verified mark should not be used in literature or documentation in any way that may mislead readers or create confusion as to the specific product to which the SPARC Verified mark applies.

   4. Use in Advertisements or Display Boards

      The SPARC Verified mark should be clearly identified with the specific SPARC Verified product or products. Refer to Section H for color and format requirements.

   
   

5. Specific SPARC Trademarks

   Specific SPARC Trademarks may be licensed to those who wish to establish a unique brand identity for a specific product or product family. Specific SPARC Trademarks are for the exclusive use of the particular company which is granted the license to use that SPARC-based name. For instance, the SPARC-based name SPARC LT is licensed exclusively to Toshiba Corporation by SPARC International. Contact SPARC International to reserve a Specific SPARC Trademark.

   Specific SPARC Trademarks may be applied to SPARC Compliant and SPARC Verified products in any place and in any way desired by the licensee within the conventions of this Guide. The SPARC red (Pantone® 186C Red) color is recommended but not required when using these specific SPARC Trademarks. We do not, however, allow the use of an orange and green color combination in connection with any SPARC trademark.

   See the following section for special attributes required when using a Specific SPARC Trademark.

   
   

6. Attribution Statements

   When any SPARC trademark first appears in the body of printed text, an attribution statement should be included in the form of the following footnote:

   "SPARC® is a registered trademark of SPARC International, Inc. Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based on an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc."

   When using a Specific SPARC Trademark, an additional sentence should be added to the attribute to note that the Specific SPARC Trademark has been licensed for use to a specific company, for example, a proper attribution for SPARCSTATION would read:

   "SPARC® is a registered trademark of SPARC International, Inc. SPARCstation® is licensed exclusively to Sun Microsystems, Inc. Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based on an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc."

   
   

7. The Four Basic Rules of Proper Trademark Use

   The purpose of this section is to provide members and their marketing departments with further specific guidance as to how to properly use SPARC trademarks. Incorrect use of a SPARC trademark may result in the loss of that mark by rendering it unenforceable against infringers. To avoid the loss of SPARC trademarks, the four basic rules described here should be followed for any use of a SPARC trademark in documents intended for public release. This includes advertising, catalogues, product labeling, product packaging, Press Releases, technical papers, financial reports, etc.

   There are four basic rules to trademark use which, if followed consistently, will preserve a trademark indefinitely:

   1. Any time a SPARC trademark is used in printed materials, always try to distinguish the mark in relation to other words in the text. Thus, if a SPARC trademark appears in the title of a report or in the header of a news release, it might be set apart by quotation marks. If a SPARC trademark appearing in the body of a printed publication, capital letters and/or bold print should be used where appropriate.

   2. Always adhere strictly to the correct form of a SPARC trademark. That is to say, do not be creative with SPARC trademarks. Do not coin new trademarks from existing SPARC trademarks and do not combine SPARC trademarks with the trademarks of other companies. Additionally, SPARC trademarks should not be translated into foreign languages, either phonetically or by meaning (the results can sometimes prove disastrous)!

   3. Always use SPARC trademarks as adjectives. When a SPARC trademark first appears in text or copy, it should be followed by the generic product name. For example, "ULTRASPARC® microprocessors". However, as a practical matter, it may be desirable to use a trademark as a noun for the sake of brevity and convenience in an article. To the extent necessary, such use will be "condoned" so long as the trademark is used as an adjective (coupled with a generic noun) whenever the opportunity arises in the text. In any event, this basic rule may be further reduced to the following specific guidelines:

      • Do not use a SPARC trademark as a noun (as in, "the market for the ULTRASPARC is)
      • Do not use a SPARC trademark as a possessive (as in, "the ULTRASPARC's capabilities)
      • Do not use a SPARC trademark in the plural (as in, "the demand for ULTRASPARCs is)
      • Do not use a SPARC trademark as a verb (as in, "ULTRASPARC your computer system").
   
   

8. What to Tell Your

   Printer These guidelines apply to all classes of SPARC Trademarks and the SPARC International Member Logo, except as noted in this and other sections of this guide.

   1. Color —SPARC Trademark color guidelines provide flexibility for creative advertising and promotional treatments, while establishing a consistent and recognizable SPARC look.

      • All printing, particularly in reverse, should be on white stock.
      • The SPARC Trademark color configurations shown, using SPARC red (PANTONE 186C Red), SPARC gray (PANTONE 424 Gray), black and white are preferred.
      • Never use an orange and green color combination in connection with any SPARC trademark.
      • On products, the SPARC signature should be in one color.
      • In print such as advertising, brochures and other publications, the SPARC signature is SPARC red (PANTONE 186C Red) and the modifier is SPARC Gray (PANTONE 424 Gray), as shown in the current edition of the PANTONE Color Formula Guide.
      • When a four color process is used, the modifier should be black. In reverse, the modified should appear in white.
      • Do not use two alternative colors in any SPARC Trademark. When an alternative alternate color is used as a background, the SPARC Trademark must be reversed in white.
      
      

   2. Minimum Trademark Size —To maintain the integrity of the design and the technology it represents, always reproduce SPARC Trademarks uniformly and legibly. Do not reproduce the Compliant Trademark any smaller than 1/2-inch in length or 5/8-inch in height. The minimum size for the SPARC signature is 1.25 inches in length.

   3. Clearspace Requirements —To maintain visual integrity, the SPARC signature must be surrounded by a minimum amount of clearspace when it appears in advertising, brochures and publications. The signature should not be crowded by text, titles, symbols or other logotypes and may only be used in conjunction with modifiers as prescribed by this Guide. Minimum clearspace is measured by the height of the "P" in the SPARC signature. The minimum distance on all sides of the outermost edges of the modifier (in the case of General and Specific SPARC Trademarks) must be a uniform extension of the rectangle of clearspace prescribed for the SPARC signature.