Introduction
4.3 General Rules for Use of the Marks 1 Use of the Marks
The Marks may be used only pursuant to a written license from the Corporation. This provision applies, without limitation, to:
• use of the Marks for advertising or promotional purposes;
• placing orders for card stock or for any other materials containing the Marks;
• displaying the Marks;
• issuing cards;
• signing merchants; and
• distributing or installing merchant decals.
The Marks must be used only to identify and promote programs and services approved by the Corporation.
4.3.2 Compliance
Any use of the Marks must comply with the applicable license agreement, the Standards, and all of the Corporation’s reproduction, usage, and artwork standards as may be in effect from time to time. Any use of the Marks by or on behalf of a member that does not comply with this requirement will be regarded as adequate grounds for expulsion of the member or other disciplinary action deemed appropriate by the Corporation.
4.3.3 Required Uses
Each member must display prominently the Marks in all advertising, marketing, promotional, and collateral materials promoting a program or service offered by the Corporation. The inclusion of the word mark in the headline or title, or the prominent display of the Mark on the first page of the offering, will satisfy this requirement.
4.3 General Rules for Use of the Marks
4.3.4 Review of Promotional Materials
The Corporation reserves the right to review samples of promotional materials using the Marks. The Corporation promptly will review all submitted materials and notify the licensee as to whether the material complies with the Standards for use of the Marks. Amended samples, if required as a result of this review, also must be forwarded to the Corporation for review.
4.3.5 Signage System
The Corporation’s Interlocking Circles Signage System is employed when one or more brands using the MasterCard interlocking circles device is accepted at a point of interaction. The system requires the consecutive vertical or
horizontal display of the brand marks in the following sequence—MasterCard, MasterCard Electronic, Maestro, Mondex, Cirrus. Of the five brands, only those brands that are accepted at a particular point of interaction may be displayed. The MasterCard Electronic brand mark must not be displayed on an ATM.
4.3.6 Particular Use of the Marks
4.3.6.1 Use of “MasterCard” in a Corporate or Business Name
The word “MasterCard” must not be used as part of a legal, corporate, or business name, such as “MasterCard Center, Inc.”4.3.6.2 Use of Modifiers
A member is permitted to use its name or a geographical designation in conjunction with the word mark. For example: “California MasterCard card program” or “First Issuer MasterCard Department.” The Corporation may prohibit the use of a modifier that it determines will impair the distinctiveness of the Marks or create any likelihood of confusion or reflect poorly on the Corporation.
4.3.6.3 Use on Stationery
Subject to the Standards, licensees are permitted to use the Marks on print or electronic stationery, letterhead, envelopes, and the like for the purpose of identifying their MasterCard programs and services. The licensee’s name must appear in close proximity to the Mark and the registration notice or the local law equivalent must be used (as in Superior National Bank MasterCard® Card
4.3 General Rules for Use of the Marks
4.3.6.4 Use on Non-Licensed Goods
The Marks must not be used to create the impression that any good or service offered by the licensee or other authorized user is sponsored, produced, offered, approved, sold by, or otherwise affiliated with the Corporation. Each licensee must ensure that each of its partners, merchants, and other program participants does not apply a Mark to particular goods or services offered for sale. The Corporation must approve in writing any use of the Marks on unlicensed goods before the first use.
4.3.6.5 Use on Checks
The Marks may not be placed on a check, except as allowed by a separate “Master Checking” license agreement.
4.3.7 Use of the Word Mark
4.3.7.1 Use of the MasterCard Word Mark
The MasterCard word mark must appear in English and must be spelled correctly and as one word. The letters “M” and “C” must be capitalized. “MasterCard” must not be abbreviated, hyphenated, used in the plural or possessive, or translated from English into another language.
4.3.7.2 Generic Use
A generic term such as “bank card” or “payment card” cannot function as a mark. Generic use of a Mark is prohibited because it can result in the loss of trademark rights.
4.3.7.3 Use of “Master” Terminology
To avoid the likelihood of confusion and the loss of distinctiveness of the Marks, and except as expressly permitted by the Corporation, no member, licensee, or authorized user may use the word “Master” as part of a trademark, service mark, corporate name, business name, or program name, whether preceding, following or linked together as one word, or with a hyphen or slash, or in connection with any financial or bank-related goods or services.
4.3 General Rules for Use of the Marks
4.3.7.3.1 Use of MasterCard in Text
The word “MasterCard” must be used as an adjective (as in “your MasterCard card” or “the MasterCard Brand Mark”) in the first or most prominent use of the word mark subsequent to any use in the title, headline, signature, or cover page of an offering, unless:
• the word “MasterCard” is used as part of a member’s program name (as in “member/program name MasterCard”); or
• otherwise expressly approved in writing by the Corporation.
Use of the MasterCard word mark as a verb (“MasterCard your gifts”), in plural (“MasterCards”) or in possessive form is prohibited.
4.3.7.4 Registration Notice
The MasterCard word mark must be accompanied by the registration notice ®
or the local law equivalent. (Refer to the reproduction, usage, and artwork Standards for the correct use and placement of the registration mark.)
4.3.7.5 Program Names
All MasterCard program names, offerings, and services must be referred to by their full, legal name and include the appropriate registration notice.
4.3.8 Use of the Interlocking Circles Device
4.3.8.1 Variations Prohibited
All modifications, alterations, and variations of the Corporation’s interlocking circles device are prohibited, except as expressly permitted by the Corporation.
4.3.8.2 Standard Colors
The interlocking circles device must be reproduced in accordance with all color and version specifications as set forth in the MasterCard International Brand Center Web site at www.mastercardbrandcenter.com and the 2Card
4.3 General Rules for Use of the Marks
4.3.8.3 Legends
The interlocking circles device always must have a MasterCard brand name in custom lettering placed within the circles as specified within the Brand Center Web site at www.mastercardbrandcenter.com, except as expressly permitted by the Corporation. Only a permitted MasterCard brand name, such as “MasterCard,” “MasterCard Electronic,” “MasterCard Maestro,” “Maestro,” “Mondex,” or “Cirrus,” accompanied by the appropriate registration notice, may be superimposed on any part of the interlocking circles device.
4.3.8.4 Registration Notice
The interlocking circles device must be accompanied by the registration notice ® or the local law equivalent close to the Mark. If the maximum horizontal dimension of the interlocking circles device is one inch or less, the registration notice may be omitted.
4.3.8.5 Use of Similar Logos, Designs, and Names
A member, licensee, or other authorized user must not use any logo, design, or decorative element that includes two or more interlocking, adjoining, or adjacent circles, spheres, globes, or similar shapes that could cause confusion with, or dilute the distinctiveness of, the interlocking circles device.
4.3.9 Use of Multiple Brand Marks
4.3.9.1 Parity
When two or more Marks using the MasterCard interlocking circles device are displayed together, they must have parity with one another.
When promoting the Marks with other acceptance marks, in any media
including print, electronic advertising, promotional literature, signs, decals, and any other graphic image used to indicate acceptance, no other acceptance mark, symbol or logo may be of a greater dimension than, or in any way be larger than or appear to be more important than or more welcomed than, the Marks.
• To maintain visual parity, the Marks must be at least as prominent as, and appear in at least the same frequency, size, and color treatment as, all other acceptance marks displayed, as specified in the Brand Center Web site at www.mastercardbrandcenter.com.
4.3 General Rules for Use of the Marks
4.3.10 Use of the Card Face Design
4.3.10.1 In Advertising and Marketing Material
An issuer is permitted to use a physical or electronic reproduction, facsimile, replica, scan, or picture of a MasterCard card face for advertising and
marketing purposes, subject to the following requirements:
• The proportions of the card face design, including typestyle and relative positions of the legends, may not be altered or distorted.
• The legend “VALID THRU” or the equivalent must be depicted on the card face design, unless the card face design contains an effective date and an expiration date, in which case the words “VALID DATES” must be depicted in accordance with the requirements set forth in the Security Rules and Procedures manual and in the Card Design Standards Manual.
• The card face design must contain simulated embossing including the MasterCard security character, the account number, the effective date and/or expiration date, and other embossing requirements, as set forth in the Security Rules and Procedures manual and in the Card Design
Standards Manual.
• The MasterCard Identification Area must be completely visible on at least one card face design depicted in the materials.
• When used for advertising purposes other than media advertising (for example, newspaper, magazine, electronic commerce, and television advertising is media advertising; direct mail or electronic mail is not), the card face design must be proportionally larger or smaller in length and width by at least 10% than the standard dimensions for MasterCard cards.
4.3.10.2 In Merchant Advertising
Merchants are prohibited from using the MasterCard card face design to indicate acceptance in merchant advertising or in point-of-interaction (“POI”) materials, including use of the MasterCard card face design on any signage, decal, or graphic image at a physical or electronic point of interaction. A merchant is permitted to display an issuer-specific card face design in merchant advertising and POI material provided that it is not used to signify acceptance.