STYLE GUIDE. These branding guidelines are designed to ensure a consistent look and a consistent tone in all its communications.

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1 STYLE GUIDE Since 1987, the Media Research Center (MRC) has been the nation s premier media watchdog. The mission of the Media Research Center is to create a media culture in America where truth and liberty flourish. The MRC is a research and education organization operating under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and contributions to the MRC are tax-deductible. These branding guidelines are designed to ensure a consistent look and a consistent tone in all its communications.

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS About the MRC Brand 3 The MRC Logo 4 MRC Sub-Brand Guidelines 12 CNSNews.com 13 MRC Action 14 MRC Business 15 MRC Culture 16 MRC Latino 17 MRC NewsBusted 18 MRC NewsBusters 19 MRCTV 20 The Patriot Fund 21 Watchdog 22 MRC Donor Levels Board of Trustees 23 Legacy Society 24 Logo File Formats 25 MRC Naming Conventions 26 MRC Colors 28 Typography 30 Retired Material 32 Use of Imagery 34 MRC Mission Statement - Web 36 MRC Mission Statement - Print 37

3 ABOUT THE MRC BRAND The MRC brand communicates excellence and usually serves as the first impression of the MRC with any audience in person or online. We have developed these guidelines to promote the clear and consistent use of the MRC s identity as the nation s leader in documenting, exposing and neutralizing liberal media bias. The MRC is the parent organization to a network of sub-brands including CNSNews.com, MRC Action, MRC Business, MRC Culture, MRC Latino, MRC NewsBusted, MRC NewsBusters, MRCTV and various MRC newsletters, donor levels and cyclic and rapid response campaigns with unique branding and target audiences. The standards in this document extend to the use of logos, colors, typography and other matters that affect MRC s identity and the identities of its aforementioned sub-brands. The major objective of setting brand standards is to display a clear and consistent message across all forms of communication. The MRC Creative Team will provide strategic assistance on any branding applications that are unclear. We are passionate about our brand and we are here to help! For more information about the MRC brand or these guidelines, please contact the MRC Creative Team: Chelsey McMillan (cmcmillan@mrc.org) or Becky Calderon (bcalderon@mrc.org). To download the most up-to-date logos and branding content please visit: 3

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5 LOGO MISUSE In order to preserve the integrity of the brand, it is imperative that you avoid changing or distorting the Standard MRC logo. Below are some examples of logo misuse. Never remove the registration mark. Do not rotate, skew, crop or stretch the logo. Never attempt to create the logo yourself, change the font or alter the size or proportions. Do not change the colors and configurations without prior authorization. Do not separate the elements. Do not reproduce in color on a dark background. Do not add other elements, borders or gradients. The Gold Seal has been retired and should not be used. 5

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7 LOGO MISUSE In order to preserve the integrity of the brand, it is imperative that you avoid changing or distorting the MRC Block logo. Below are some examples of logo misuse. Never remove the registration mark or any element of the logo. Never remove any element of the logo. Do not rotate, skew or stretch the logo. Do not rotate, skew, crop or stretch the logo. Do not add other elements, borders or gradients. Do not add other elements, borders or gradients. Do not reproduce the logo in low resolution. Do not reproduce in color on a dark background. 7

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9 LOGO MISUSE In order to preserve the integrity of the brand, it is imperative that you avoid changing or distorting the MRC Block logo. Below are some examples of logo misuse. Never remove the registration mark or any element of the logo. Never remove any element of the logo. Do not rotate, skew or stretch the logo. Do not rotate, skew, crop or stretch the logo. Do not add other elements, borders or gradients. Do not add other elements, borders or gradients. Do not reproduce the logo in low resolution. Do not reproduce in color on a dark background. 9

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11 LOGO MISUSE In order to preserve the integrity of the brand, it is imperative that you avoid changing or distorting the MRC Stacked logo. Below are some examples of logo misuse. Never remove the registration mark. Do not rotate, skew or stretch the logo. Do not add borders or gradients. Do not reproduce the logo in low resolution. Never remove any element of the logo. Do not add other elements to the logo. Do not add borders or gradients. Do not reproduce in color on a dark background. 11

12 MRC SUB-BRANDS In order to preserve the integrity of the sub-brands and insure the correct version is used, avoid changing or distorting any logos. Visit for all up-to-date brand materials. CNSNews.COM Covers stories the liberal media ignore or misreport Provides daily show prep material for Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, and other top radio hosts Credentialed staff of investigative reporters cover the White House, Capitol Hill, and wherever news is being made across the globe MRC Action Over 800,000 active members stand ready to speak out against liberal bias in the media Millions of citizen petitions have been delivered to national news outlets, demanding honest and fair reporting on important topics like free speech, religious freedom, health care, the economy, national elections, climate change, gun rights, and immigration MRC Business Analyzes and exposes media bias against the business community and the free enterprise system Highlights facts vs. media hype on environmentalism and climate change MRC Culture Defends America s traditional values against attacks by the liberal media elite MRC Latino The conservative movement s cutting-edge leader for analysis of - and engagement with - news programming on the top U.S. Spanish-language television networks Holds the leading U.S. Spanish-language media outlets accountable for honest reporting and analysis of the news of the day, including conservative viewpoints MRC NewsBusters Provides up-to-the-minute details on the liberal media s distortions, omissions, and double standards Consistently ranks among the most influential political blogs MRC NewsBusted Twice-weekly video comedy show viewed by tens of thousands of people each week MRCTV Offers a place where conservatives can go to get trending video, news stories, and MRCTV originals Created by conservatives for conservatives, with no liberal censorship or political correctness Promotes fair media portrayal of social conservatives and people of faith 12

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25 LOGO FILE FORMATS Files with an.ai or.eps extension should be used for printed materials Files with a.png or.jpg extension should be used for screen viewing..png s should be used when a transparent background is necessary and.jpg s should be used in all other cases. Files with a.jpg extension should be used in . Files containing all versions of the MRC logos can be downloaded at 25

26 MRC NAMING CONVENTIONS Our brand names are among the most important assets we poses and control. We cannot over-stress the importance of presenting a consistent naming convention in print, correspondence, online and even internally. When using the company name or the name of the sub-brands, please follow the guidelines below. Media Research Center The first usage should include the full name: Media Research Center; thereafter use MRC. When referring to any tax materials or documents always use Media Research Center. CNSNews.com or CNSNews CNSNews should always appear as one word. The C, N, S and N should always be capitalized. MRC Action MRC Action should always have the letters MRC and the A in Action capitalized. Do not remove the space. MRC Business MRC Business should always have the letters MRC and the B in Business capitalized. Do not remove the space. MRC Culture MRC Culture should always have the letters MRC and the C in Culture capitalized. Do not remove the space. 26 Name Misuse media research center mrc cns CNS MRC action mrc action BMI mrc business CMI mrc culture cnsnews cnsnews MRCAction MRCbusiness MRC business MRCculture MRC culture

27 MRC Latino MRC Latino should always have the letters MRC and the L in Latino capitalized. Do not remove the space. MRC NewsBusters or NewsBusters NewsBusters should always appear as one word. The N and B should always be capitalized. MRC NewsBusted or NewsBusted NewsBusted should always appear as one word. Busted should always be italicized. The N and B should always be capitalized. MRCTV MRCTV should always have the letters M R C T and V in uppercase. Do not add a space. Name Misuse MRClatino mrc latino News busters newsbusters News Busted NewsBusted newsbusted MRC TV MRCtv mrctv MRC latino MRCLatino Newsbusters News busted Newsbusted mrc tv MRC-TV MRC tv 27

28 MRC COLORS The MRC color system is based on the foundation of its two flagship colors, Gold and Blue. Gold represents trust, success, achievement, quality and prestige. It communicates value and excellence. Blue represents security, professionalism, order, productivity and truth. It communicates trust and loyalty. The specific tones of these colors were chosen deliberately with these ideas in mind, and the sub-brand colors were chosen to harmonize with them while communicating their unique purpose. When producing material for the MRC or any of its sub-brands be mindful of this harmony. It is acceptable to use lighter and darker tones of the MRC Colors. Do not use colors that out widely outside of the outlined color spectrum. Please contact the MRC Creative Team with any questions on color usage. 28

29 MRC GOLD USAGE MRC GOLD - Pantone 1245 C Should be used in ALL web applications and most print materials. May be replaced by Gold Metallic (Pantone 871 C) when Gold Metallic Ink is available and within budget. CMYK, RGB and Hex values available below. MRC GOLD METALLIC - Pantone 871 C Should only be used in print when Gold Metallic Ink is available. Not for electronic use including web, , or any other online format. Do not convert to CMYK, RGB or Hex values. 29

30 TYPOGRAPHY The Zurich typeface has played an important part in building a strong and professional brand as well as unifying MRC and its sub-brands. It is bold, modern and easy to read. Open Sans, Roboto and Minion Pro lend a perfect balance as MRC s communications fonts for both print and web. Please contact the MRC Creative Team for these fonts. Zurich Black Extended BT GRUMPY WIZARDS MAKE TOXIC BREW FOR THE EVIL QUEEN AND JACK. Example: mrc Only used for branding Zurich Extended BT Regular Grumpy wizards make toxic brew for the evil Queen and Jack. Example: (cns)news.com Only used for branding Open Sans Grumpy wizards make toxic brew for the evil Queen and Jack. Roboto Grumpy wizards make toxic brew for the evil Queen and Jack. Minion Pro Grumpy wizards make toxic brew for the evil Queen and Jack. 30

31 USING OTHER FONTS In some instances it may be necessary to use other fonts. In these cases, please only choose fonts that have been purchased or acquired legally or are free to use commercially. Examples of where to find acceptable fonts for print and online use are Adobe TypeKit (free with purchase of Adobe Creative Cloud) or Google Fonts. Do I look confused to you? Please be mindful that your typographic selection is a reflection of the MRC identity - both in print or online. It is the MRC Creative Team s suggestion that font selections be limited to two (and only on rare occasions, three) typefaces per document, landing page, graphic or . If you need help with font suggestions or where to find fonts that are free to use without penalty please contact the MRC Creative Team - we are happy to help! 31

32 RETIRED MATERIAL The below material has been retired and should not be used. R Business & Media Institute MEDIA RESEARCH CENTER B O A R D O F T R U S T E E S CULTURE AND MEDIA INSTITUTE 32

33 USE OF IMAGERY It is of utmost importance to use images in accordance with copyright laws and standards. When downloading an image from the internet or purchasing stock photography always be aware of the usage rights. If you are ever unsure of the usage rights DO NOT use the image in question. DON T: DO: Images that are overly obviously stock images should never be used. Images should feel observational and spontaneous rather than staged. Do not use low resolution or pixelated images. Avoid clichés, and racial and gender stereotyping. Images that are used for printed materials should have a sufficiently high resolution a minimum of 300 pixels per inch. Always ensure good quality without over optimizing images for the web. Only use images that are relevant and add value. Our goal is to capture authenticity and engage the audience with images that are relate-able. Knowing and identifying with the target audience is key. For a list of photography resources or help in finding an image that is safe to use, please contact the MRC Creative Team. 33

34 EXAMPLES OF ACCEPTABLE USE OF IMAGERY 34

35 EXAMPLES OF IMAGERY MISUSE 35

36 MRC MISSION STATEMENT - WEB When creating landing pages or web pages for the MRC always include the below statements. MRC: The mission of the Media Research Center is to create a media culture in America where truth and liberty flourish. The MRC is a research and education organization operating under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and contributions to the MRC are tax-deductible. Copyright 2015, Media Research Center. All Rights Reserved. CFC INFORMATION: Federal employees and military personnel can donate to the Media Research Center through the Combined Federal Campaign or CFC. To donate to the MRC, use CFC # Visit the CFC website for more information about giving opportunities in your workplace. Note - please include at least one link to the CFC website: and in most cases their logo. The CFC logo can be found at in several color options. 36

37 MRC MISSION STATEMENT - PRINT When creating print materials for the MRC the following statement should be included. Please include the Spanish version on all MRC Latino materials. ENGLISH: The mission of the Media Research Center is to create a media culture in America where truth and liberty flourish. The MRC is a research and education organization operating under Section 501(c)(3) of the International Revenue Code, and contributions to the MRC are tax-deductible. The Media Research Center participates in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). The MRC s CFC code is SPANISH: La misión del Centro de Investigación Mediática es fomentar una cultura de medios en la que florezcan la verdad y la libertad. El MRC es una organización de estudios y educación que funciona conforme a la Sección 501(c)(3) del Código de Impuestos Internos. Las donaciones al MRC son deducibles de impuestos. El Centro de Investigación Mediática participa en la Campaña Federal Combinada (CFC). El código del MRC es