Licensing Do's and Don'ts

Purpose

AOL Inc. has developed these guidelines to assist you in properly using AOL Inc. trademarks, service marks, and logos. The strength of a mark depends upon its consistent and appropriate use. Usage outside these guidelines may dilute AOL Inc.'s marks and make them more difficult to protect. AOL Inc. reserves the right to change these usage guidelines at any time and solely at its discretion.

Need for a License

Use, reproduction, copying, or redistribution of AOL Inc.'s marks is strictly prohibited without a written license from AOL Inc.. If you do not have an existing agreement with AOL Inc., you do not have permission to use AOL Inc.'s marks. These guidelines are for those entities and individuals who have obtained permission to use AOL Inc.'s trademarks or service marks in promotional, instructional, or reference materials, or on products and packaging that are subject to a cross-promotional agreement with AOL Inc.. The terms of an express written agreement with AOL Inc. together with these guidelines make up your rights and obligations regarding use of AOL Inc.'s marks.

The Marks

AOL Inc.'s marks consist of the AOL Inc.â and AOLâ brand names, the AOL Inc. & Design logo, the AOL & Design logo, the Triangle Logo, and AOL Inc.'s other registered and unregistered trademarks and service marks which may be referred to in your specific license agreement.

Proper Use of Marks

AOL Inc.'s marks may be used as follows:

To show availability through the AOL Inc. brand service. Use words such as "available through" or "compatible with" to show that your product is available to AOL Inc. members. You may not refer to your product as "AOL content" or "AOL software" or in any way imply that AOL Inc. produced, endorsed, or supports the product, unless AOL Inc. has expressly agreed in writing to such use.

Do not create composite marks. AOL Inc.'s marks must not appear to be part of any other mark (whether words or graphics). AOL Inc.'s marks may not be used as a design feature on your product, packaging, or promotional materials. If an AOL Inc. mark is used in connection with your mark, the AOL Inc. mark must be used in smaller print after or underneath your mark.

Use capitals. Always capitalize AOL Inc.'s word marks. Either capitalize them completely or use initial capitals.

Use a generic term after AOL Inc.'s marks. Trademarks are adjectives and modify the generic name of the product (e.g., AOLâ on-line service ). You should use a generic term after the first time the mark is used in any materials and as often as possible thereafter.

Do not use an AOL Inc. mark in the plural or possessive form. Only when using AOL Inc. as the name of our company, AOL Inc., Inc., may you use the name in the possessive form.

Using Logos. The AOL Inc. & Design logo, the AOL & Design logo, the Triangle Logo, and AOL Inc.'s other logos should be taken from an AOL Inc. product logo sheet or from an AOL Inc. service screen shot following authorization from AOL Inc.. These logos may only appear with the words, logotype, graphic elements, and spacing approved for use, and may not be modified.

Variations of Marks. You may not use a variation of AOL, AOL Inc., the AOL Inc. & Design logo, the AOL & Design logo, the Triangle Logo or any other AOL Inc. mark. Variations of these marks may confuse consumers as to the source of goods or services bearing the altered mark, and such uses may infringe AOL Inc.'s trademark rights and be actionable under relevant laws.

Proper Notice and Attribution

An appropriate trademark symbol (i.e., ®, TM, sm.) should appear at least with the first and most prominent use of an AOL Inc. word mark in all materials. Generally the mark should appear at the right shoulder of the mark. You do not need to use a trademark symbol in the headline, only in body copy, and the symbol should not be used when referring to AOL Inc. or AOL to signify the company AOL Inc., Inc.

AOL Inc.'s logos should always be used with the trademark symbols designated in the applicable product logo sheet.

When you use our marks, please include the following brief statement attributing the marks to AOL Inc.: "[AOL Inc., AOL, the AOL Inc. & Design logo, the AOL & Design logo, and the Triangle Logo] are registered trademarks of AOL Inc., Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. [List other AOL Inc. product names used in your materials] are trademarks of AOL Inc., Inc."

Review by AOL Inc

AOL Inc. reserves the right to review all uses of its marks byothers and to conduct periodic spot checks of such use. Upon request from AOL Inc., you must provide a copy of any product, packaging, or other materials bearing an AOL Inc. mark. You must correct any deficiencies in the use of an AOL Inc. mark and/or the quality of the product or service used in conjunction with the mark upon reasonable notice from AOL Inc.. Refusal to correct such deficiencies may result in revocation of the license to use the mark.

Prohibited Uses

AOL Inc. does not permit you to use any AOL Inc. mark in the following ways:

• as part of a non- AOL Inc. product name or publication title
• as part of your own trademark
• to identify products or services that are not AOL Inc.'s
• in a manner likely to cause confusion between products and services of AOL Inc. and those of another entity
• in a manner that inaccurately implies that AOL Inc.'s sponsors or endorses or is otherwise affiliated with your own activities, products, or services
• in a manner that disparages AOL Inc. or its products or services
• in connection with goods or services which, in AOL Inc.'s judgment, may diminish goodwill in an AOL Inc. mark, including, for example, uses which could be deemed to be obscene, pornographic, violent, or otherwise in poor taste;
• in connection with any unlawful activities or to encourage unlawful activities

Requests for Permission

You may make limited fair use of our trademarks in referring to our products and services, for example in a magazine article, without our permission, provided you follow standard trademark usage practice and provide proper attribution. All other uses require written permission. To request permission please send e-mail with the word permission in the subject line to AOLLEGAL@CORP.AOL.COM, and include the following information in the message:

• The particular AOL Inc. mark you wish to use
• Where and how the mark will be used
• Where, how, and when materials bearing the mark will be distributed and to what audience
• How many copies will be produced and distributed (if relevant);
• What other non- AOL Inc. materials and marks will be associated with AOL Inc.'s mark
• Your name, title, company, address, e-mail address, and phone number

 

AOL Inc. will attempt to evaluate requests promptly. AOL Inc. reserves the right to refuse permission to use of its marks for any reason.

Questions. If you have questions regarding proper use of AOL Inc.’s marks, please contact your AOL Inc. representative or e-mail us at AOLLEGAL@CORP.AOL.COM.