US Sailing Brand Guidelines
This is a quickstart guide to the US Sailing brand guidelines. Brand guidelines are clearly defined rules and standards that communicate how US Sailing's brand should be represented to the world. Brand guidelines help US Sailing ensure consistency and demonstrate what US Sailing is, what US Sailing does, and what US Sailing stands for.
A link to the full US Sailing Brand Guidelines will be available shortly.
Our Mission:
Increase sailing participation and excellence through education, competition and equal opportunity, while upholding the principles of fair play, sportsmanship and safety.
Info
Legal Name
United States Sailing Association, Inc.
Communicative Name
US Sailing
US Sailing Requirements
- The United States Sailing Association’s only other official name is US Sailing. Do not use any other variation.
- If not using “US Sailing,” United States Sailing Association, Inc. must be spelled out in its entirety.
- Unacceptable uses of the US Sailing name include: USSA, US Sailing Association, United States Sailing Assoc., US SAIL, US Sailing Assoc., and any other variation.
- US Sailing may appear in bold (US Sailing) at any time. It may also appear in Italics (US Sailing) as long as it is not in italics in a document that uses italics for publication names or article titles, etc.
Logo and Name Usage
Members of US Sailing are encouraged, at their discretion, to use the standard US Sailing logo, or US Sailing name on banners, flags, or burgees in a non-commercial way to promote the organization’s visibility within the sport and to the general public and promote a positive, healthy image. This use does not imply any endorsement by US Sailing for the associated activity.
Corporate Sponsors and Licensees may use the US Sailing name and/or logos for commercial purposes, if the purposes are approved in advance by the US Sailing Bristol, RI Office. Unless expressly agreed to by US Sailing in writing, use does not imply endorsement, accreditation, or sponsorship of US Sailing. Administration of the logo use by corporate sponsors and licensees is the responsibility of the Marketing Department. Any variations on these logo and name usage guidelines must be approved by the US Sailing Marketing Department.
Organizations engaged in sailing instruction must receive approval in writing from the Training Director before using the US Sailing logo on any publications.
The success of the US Sailing image and identity system lies in the correct usage of the logo in all applications. Deviations from this standard undermine this program.
US Sailing Logo
Consistency makes consumers trust US Sailing, and that consistency leads to more positive feelings toward US Sailing. Consumers should know what to expect and what the outcome will be. If they feel like your brand is constantly changing, they will be confused and assume that they can't trust US Sailing.
Orientation:
The US Sailing logo should always appear horizontal from left to right, with words horizontal and fully legible. Do not rotate the US Sailing logo in any way.
Screens or Shading:
The US Sailing logo should always appear in full-volume color. It should never appear as a screen and should never be shaded.
Color:
It is recommended that when printing in color the Full-Color logo is used. Printing the specific Pantone colors is highly recommended however when the case does not permit the following 4 color process must be used.
US Sailing Primary Mark - Full-Color
(If the US Sailing Logo can not appear on a white background, the Full-Color logo with a white background can be substituted)
US Sailing Primary Mark - Alternative Solid Colors
US Sailing Team - Full-Color
US Sailing Team - Alternative Logos
Improper use of US Sailing Logo
Do not alter the US Sailing logo in any way other than what is presented in the US Sailing Brand Guidelines. The logo shall not be stretched, colorized, layered, or manipulated in any way. Always use a high-resolution logo when possible.
Improper Use Examples:
Partnership Collaborations
For partnership collaborations, the US Sailing logo should always come first, before the partner logo when used internally. Externally, the partner may choose to have their logo first. There should always be a defined, equal, aligned separation between logos.
Colors
Color is a visual representation of US Sailing. If the colors vary across different channels, US Sailing can lose out on brand recognition, which will present a disorganized and unprofessional image. Consistent brand coloring can massively increase brand identification, boosting sales, membership, and engagement.
| USS Red | USS Blue | Web Grey | Web Black |
 #a6192e Pantone 187 CProcessed Colors: C: 0% M: 100% Y: 79% K: 20% RGB Colors: R: 196 G: 18 B: 48 |
 #00263a Pantone 539 CProcessed Colors: C: 100% M: 49% Y: 0% K: 70% RGB Colors: R: 0 G: 43 B: 84 |
 #bfcbd5 Pantone N/A |
 #0a0a0a Pantone N/A |
Fonts
Fonts create visual awareness and accessibility to US Sailing's brand.
A lack of consistency means that every reader will have a different perception of US Sailing's brand. Consumers form opinions about brands every time they interact with them. If your US Sailing's messaging is inconsistent, US Sailing will come across as inauthentic.
Some fonts and typefaces are easier to understand than others. An accessible font is a font that will not exclude, nor slow down the reading speed of any website visitor, including those with blindness, vision loss, and reading disorders.
Printed Fonts
Domains and Redirects
As of April 2024, US Sailing redirects need to change from a subdomain style (appeals.ussailing.org) to a redirect style (ussailing.org/appeals). If you notice any printed material that is about to go to the printer with an old style (appeals.ussailing.org) URL, please contact Colin Rupp (USS Web Manager) for a new URL.
Web Fonts
H1 Headers - Web Grey / Avenir LT Pro BLACK
H2 - H5 Headers - USS Red / Avenir LT Medium
H1 Example
H2 Example
H3 Example
H4 Example
H5 Example
Sources:
https://www.wiseworksafe.com/blog/view/how-to-maintain-colour-consistency-in-your-branding
https://siteimprove.com/en-us/accessibility/most-accessible-fonts/