MERCHANDISING BRAND GUIDELINES

A different way to reach audiences to help them care about nature and engage with WWF.

WWF merchandising helps us to share our message to a wider audience, an audience that we may otherwise not reach. Often undertaken at the initiative of a local office, this provides an additional opportunity to talk about our work and mission as well as the environmental challenges we’re all facing.

When putting the WWF brand on an object, we have a responsibility to protect our brand in a manner consistent with what we represent and how we want to be perceived. By following these guidelines across the network, we can help make sure WWF comes across in a compelling and unified way.

MERCHANDISING KEY GOALS

Creating branded items should be a local decision, fully integrated into thought-through communication strategies, goals and priorities. Traditionally, WWF offices use merchandising to:

Increase the public’s awareness of WWF and its mission to engage people to take action to support conservation
Reach audiences we would normally not reach
Encourage sustainable consumption and raise consumer awareness
Generate funds for WWF’s global conservation efforts.

MERCHANDISING CRITERIA AND PRINCIPLES

Items associated with WWF need to follow the highest standards for sustainability covering environmental as well as social criteria: our credibility depends upon it – it should not be about meeting basic standards but trying wherever possible to exceed them.

When creating merchandising, the following criteria must be met:

1. SUSTAINABILITY FIRST

Sustainability first All items and packaging must follow WWF’s minimum sustainability criteria. These criteria are maintained by the corporate partnerships teams and internal experts and are constantly being reviewed and updated. For more information, please contact the relevant team.

2. SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AND PACKAGING

Minimize the impact on the environment, generating the minimum amount of waste. Items should be built to last and adopt a circular economy approach – and it is recommended that the sustainability credentials of the items are highlighted. Never use our logo on single-use plastic packaging and single use items. For further guidance, please refer to WWF’s minimum sustainability criteria.

3. PURPOSE

Purpose Items must have a worthwhile purpose; they are not gimmicky, with limited use. They have to be desirable in their own right; the association with the WWF brand shouldn’t be the only reason someone buys it.

4. OPTIMISTIC MESSAGING

Use friendly, inspiring and engaging imagery and messaging that fit with WWF and our mission – avoid anything that seems threatening or aggressive. More information is available on our tone of voice and photo and video guidelines.

5. Engaging

Design and packaging should stimulate people to think more about the planet and their environmental responsibilities. They should ideally learn something new, including facts about WWF. Key messages should include calls to action that enable consumers to find out more about relevant issues, and actively contribute to WWF’s mission.

WWF should be the only brand to appear on the product and packaging, with, at most, a reference to the manufacturer. The product should be manufactured and/or distributed by a third party approved by the local WWF office, with the design and production overseen and approved by WWF teams.

VISUAL GUIDELINES

As a general rule, the WWF logo can never be modified in any way. It is a key signifier of what we stand for and so has a central role in our branding.

You can use the following designs as inspiration for your own designs, always staying within the limits of the brand guidelines. Please take time to review the complete brand guidelines including, logo, panda icon and stencil, photography & video, our color palette and typography page.

There are many creative ways to create an impactful communication for merchandising without altering the logo. One of them is the use of the panda stencil; visit the panda icon page for more information and guidance.

Reminder: WWF logo is protected by internationally registered copyright © and trademark ®. Any use of the logo or use of the panda icon must be accompanied by the following text – this can be placed on the back of packaging or a product label, when space allows:

Contact your legal teams to make sure you are complying to local legal requirements, as this may differ depending on the classification of the product or territory.

CLOTHING EXAMPLES

T-Shirt with logo on black

T-Shirt with logo on colour

T-Shirt with large logo on white

Hoodie with logo

Graphic T-shirt with logo

Note: you can use more creativity with the panda icon, always working within the limits of the brand guidelines.

More information is available here.

ECO KITS

Water bottle

Metal straw set

Mug

Mug

Tote bag

Reusable bags (loose goods)

Lunch box

For merchandising purposes only: when embossed or engraved on specific materials (such as wood or metal) or for embroidery, the WWF logo can be exceptionally used without its white background.

STATIONERY

Pencils: logo embossed on wood can be used without white background

Recycled Notebook

Reminder: More creativity is allowed with the panda icon, always working within the limits of the brand guidelines. More information is available here.

TOYS, GAMES & PUZZLES

The logo is visible on the tags of these toys

Jigsaw puzzle packaging

DO NOTS

do not alter the wwf logo

Do not reverse the color of the logo or the icon, do not use white or light colors on dark colors

Make sure you have good contrast between colors, and always add the WWF logo when the stencil is used

Do not use the logo without the white containment shape or do not change the size of the containment shape

DO NOT CREATE ‘OFF BRAND’ ITEMS

Do not use single-use plastic or single-use packaging

Do not create designs that are off-brand

Do not add elements on the logo or change the size of the containment shape. Do not alter the logo in any way