Introduction

Promotional merchandise provides us with an opportunity to physically express the Children's Hospital if Richmond at VCU brand. It’s important that our merchandise accurately, positively and consistently reflects our brand.

For promotional merchandise, we must consider several Shoulds and Should Nots.

Should

• Offer merchandise that accurately reflects our brand platform.
• Offer usable and practical items that can be used both at work and in an individual’s personal life.
• Whenever possible, get a sample. This will allow you to see firsthand the quality of the item you are considering.

Should not

• Unbridled personalization should not be allowed—enforce guidelines to restrict personalization to items/situations deemed as appropriate.
• There’s a difference between “inexpensive” and “cheap”—do not brand low-quality items or items that are easily thrown away or can break.
• We should not brand an item just for the sake of branding it or because the vendor says it is a “hot item.”

When considering whether to brand merchandise, ask yourself the following:

Brand it

• Does it reflect our brand platform?
• Is it a practical, usable item?
• Would you use it in your personal life, as well as at work?

Don’t brand it

• Does it feel or look cheap?
• Will it break easily?
• Would it just sit on a shelf and never get used?
• Is it used in situations that feel off brand?

Categories & audiences

Our selection of apparel and promotional items should be guided by these categories and audiences.

Below are some categories and examples that don’t align with our brand.

Unhealthy items: anything that detracts from our focus on the health of our community.

• Candy for child-focused events 
• Alcoholic beverage insulator or bottle openers

Stuffy items: items that detract from our accessibility to all.

• Golf balls or golf tees
• Watches or jewelry
• Money clip

Hazardous items: anything that could hurt a child, physically or otherwise

• Choking hazards
• Items with harmful chemicals
• Items with button batteries or other safety hazards

Out-of-category items: merchandise that doesn’t fit with our brand or our audiences

• Automotive (air fresheners, ice scrapers)
• Pet products (poo bags, bowls, leashes)

Apparel

A variety of apparel items will work for our different audiences.

Below are some items and examples that don’t align with our brand.

Poor placement: we want to avoid these items because it means our brand is going to be placed somewhere we don’t want it

• Flip-flops
• Pants/shorts/sweatpants
• Undergarments
• Belts

Colors

Some promotional items will come in an array of colors while others will have only one option. For promotional items, choose the logo that will provide enough contrast with the background so that all portions of the logo can be easily seen.

Positive full-color logo on white background

Reverse full-color logo on CHoR light blue

Reverse full-color logo on CHoR dark purple

Reverse full-color logo on CHoR dark green

Reverse full-color logo on dark navy blue

In situations when a full-color logo cannot be used because of production restrictions, the one-color white, one-color black or grayscale logo may be used. Below are a few examples. Keep in mind that the item may not come in any of these colors, in which case use the logo that provides the best contrast with the background.

Optional logo and background colors

One-color white logo

One-color black logo

For promotional items, the one-color white logo may be used on top of any of our primary or secondary brand colors, except for VCU Health Gold. The one-color white logo may also be used on a dark navy or black background if needed.

One-color grayscale logo

Overall considerations

When we apply our brand visually, we’ll follow these ground rules 

• Consider color selection when choosing which color-format logo should be used
• Choose on-brand or neutral colors for items
• Consider shape and size of item when choosing logo configuration
• Don’t print/embroider the logo so that it’s too small or too big
• No customization for events, departments or individuals
• For uniforms, on scrubs we use logo only, and on lab coats, providers may use their name and department